Yes, healing/recovery is possible. The recovery process requires a multifaceted therapeutic process, facilitated by a professional who is trained in the recovery process. Traditional therapy is ineffective for sexual abuse recovery.

STAGE 1: Victim
Person identifies everything within the context of the abuse, resulting in difficulty functioning in daily life.

• professional needs to establish a therapeutic foundation with the individual.
• professional needs to educate and support the individual for the recovery process.
• Grieving process needs to focus on specific details of the abuse experience.
• One needs to GO into the Pain to GET OUT of the Pain. The majority of professionals neglect this important recovery process--thinking the person will be 'retraumatized' if done effectively that is not the case.
• Identification of 'triggers and how to diffuse them.
• Identify barriers in treatment and how to overcome them.
• Process Anger/Rage, Sadness, Shame, Guilt.
• Identify themes in the trauma experience and how it impacts the person's functioning.

STAGE 2: Survivor
Person identifies abuse as past and is functioning moderately, but maintains primary identity with the abuse.

• professional establishes a foundation for deeper work.
  
• Process Anger/Rage, Sadness, Shame, Guilt.
  
• Address difficulties with partners and families and develop strategies to deal with them.
  
• Identify long-term stress and complicated coping mechanisms--replace coping mechanisms with healthy effective behavior and attitudes. Dispel the chicken or the egg dilemma.
  
• Identify and restructure belief system.
• Prepare for and confront perpetrator(s) and co-perpetrators(s).
• Therapeutic tools include: Guided imagery, therapeutic journeling, meditation, dream analysis, hypnosis/regression, exercise, dance, music, movement.

STAGE 3: Thriver
Person no longer primarily identifies with the abuse and abuse is integrated with the remainder of personal history resulting in healthy functioning.

• professional establishes foundation for the thriver stage.
• Individual developes healthy strategies for living life, able to deal with life's issues with ease.
• Individual lets go of sexual abuse identity and forgives perpetrator(s) and co-perpetrators(s).
• Individual developes strategies to deal with some 'flare ups' of old behavior patterns.
• Individual integrates the trauma with other life experiences--able to talk with ease about the experience of sexual abuse and by whom.