Find a Sexual Trauma Therapist
This page lists counsellors and therapists who specialise in sexual trauma across the UK. Use the profiles and filters below to review experience, therapeutic approaches and availability before making contact.
Understanding sexual trauma and its effects
Sexual trauma is an experience that overwhelms a person’s sense of safety and bodily autonomy. It can arise from a single event or from repeated experiences such as childhood sexual abuse, assault, harassment or exploitation. The impact of sexual trauma is often complex because it touches on identity, trust and intimacy as well as on bodily sensations and memories. People respond in many different ways - some notice immediate changes in mood and sleep, while others may carry subtle patterns of avoidance or difficulty with relationships for years.
Because sexual trauma affects both emotion and behaviour, it can change how you relate to others, how you experience your own body and how you cope with stress. Common reactions include intrusive memories or flashbacks, heightened anxiety or panic, difficulty concentrating, low mood, shame and guilt, and challenges with sexual response or intimacy. These responses are not signs of weakness - they are adaptations to a distressing experience. Therapy can help you make sense of these reactions, reduce their intensity and find ways to feel more in control.
Signs you might benefit from therapy for sexual trauma
Deciding to look for a counsellor is a personal step and there is no single threshold for when to seek help. You might consider therapy if responses to past sexual harm are interfering with daily life, relationships, work or study. Persistent nightmares, recurring panic attacks, avoidance of situations that remind you of the event, or feeling cut off from others are common indicators that professional support could be useful.
Emotional and psychological signs
If you notice persistent feelings of shame, intense anger, numbness or a sense of being on edge, therapy may help you process these emotions. You might also find that memories surface unexpectedly, or that you replay events in your mind until they dominate your thinking. When these experiences are frequent or distressing, a counsellor can work with you to develop strategies for emotional regulation and processing.
Practical and relational signs
Changes in relationships and everyday routines can also point to the need for support. You may withdraw from friends or family, find sex or closeness difficult, or struggle with trust. Some people develop behaviours such as substance use to manage distress. If coping strategies are making life harder, talking with a therapist who specialises in sexual trauma can help you explore alternatives and build practical skills.
What to expect in therapy sessions focused on sexual trauma
When you first contact a counsellor you will usually have an initial conversation to discuss your needs and what you hope to achieve. This assessment helps both of you decide whether the therapist’s experience and approach are a good fit. You should be told about fees, cancellation policies and how the therapist manages safeguarding and crisis situations in a clear way.
Early sessions often focus on establishing a sense of safety and developing coping tools to manage distressing symptoms. This might include grounding techniques, breathing exercises, and ways to reduce the intensity of flashbacks or panic. Over time, therapy may involve exploring the memory of the event at a pace that you agree, making sense of how it has affected your life and relationships, and building new patterns of thinking and behaviour that support recovery.
Therapists working with sexual trauma will pay attention to consent and boundaries throughout the process. You should always feel able to say what you are comfortable discussing and when you would like to pause or change direction. Progress is rarely linear - there will be good days and tough days - and a skilled clinician will help you navigate that variability while respecting your autonomy.
Common therapeutic approaches used for sexual trauma
Several evidence-informed approaches are commonly used to help people recover from sexual trauma. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy helps you identify and reframe distressing thoughts while building coping skills. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, often known as EMDR, is used by some therapists to help reduce the emotional charge of traumatic memories. Somatic approaches pay attention to how trauma is held in the body and include techniques to reconnect safe bodily sensations and regulate nervous system responses.
Other therapists may draw on psychodynamic work to explore relational patterns and meaning, or on compassion-focused approaches to address shame and self-criticism. Group therapy can also be helpful for some people, offering peer support and a sense of not being alone. Many therapists combine methods to tailor treatment to your needs, and you can ask a prospective counsellor to explain why they recommend a particular approach and what you might expect from it.
In the UK, you can look for counsellors and therapists who are registered, accredited or qualified with recognised bodies. Many practitioners list registration with organisations such as BACP, HCPC or NCPS to indicate their professional training and ethical standards. Registration and ongoing supervision are important markers to consider when choosing a therapist.
How online therapy works for sexual trauma
Online therapy is an accessible option if you prefer not to travel or if local services are limited. Sessions are commonly delivered by video call, telephone or secure messaging. Before starting, agree with the therapist on practical arrangements such as session length, contact methods between appointments and a plan for what to do if you feel overwhelmed during or after a session. It is advisable to choose a quiet, private space for online work and to let someone know where you are if you feel that might be helpful.
Online work can be especially useful for people who live outside major centres, who have mobility constraints, or who need flexible scheduling. Many therapeutic techniques translate well to remote delivery, though some therapists may recommend face-to-face sessions for particular types of work or when local in-person support is needed for safeguarding. Discuss your preferences and any concerns about online formats during an initial conversation with a counsellor.
Tips for choosing the right therapist for sexual trauma
Start by looking for a counsellor who explicitly states experience in sexual trauma work. Read profiles to learn about their training, therapeutic approaches and any specialist areas such as childhood trauma, sexual assault, or working with particular communities. Professional registration is a useful indicator of training and accountability, so note if the therapist is registered with bodies like BACP, HCPC or NCPS.
Consider the practicalities that matter to you - gender of the therapist, availability, session fees and whether they offer online or in-person appointments. It can help to ask about their experience working with clients who share your background or identity if that is important to you. Many therapists offer a brief initial consultation - use this to assess how comfortable you feel with their manner and whether they explain their approach in a way that makes sense for you.
Trust your instincts. A good match is about both competence and rapport - you should feel heard, respected and able to set the pace. If a therapist’s approach does not feel right, it is okay to try a different practitioner. Recovery from sexual trauma is a gradual process and finding the right therapeutic relationship is an important step in that journey.
If you are in immediate danger or have urgent safety concerns, contact emergency services or a local crisis line. For ongoing support, use this directory to compare counsellors and book an initial session so you can begin to explore a pathway that feels manageable and personal to you.