Winning a Race: Narratives of Healing and Psychotherapy in Children and Adolescents Who Have Been Sexually Abused

ABSTRACT

This article explores the process of recovering from sexual abuse according to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused and have successfully completed psychotherapy. In this qualitative study, interviews were conducted with 20 participants from 8 to 18 years of age and then subject to narrative analysis. Results show that participants’ narratives of recovery involve an improvement of psychological well-being. Moreover, they feel better equipped to overcome future challenges, feeling empowered and able to retake control of their lives. Factors that support and inhibit recovery are examined, as are developmental differences. Discussion underlines the valuable role of psychotherapy in helping children and adolescents in their healing process, changing the meaning of the abusive experience, and developing new capacities.

KEYWORDS:

• Chile
• healing
• narratives
• psychotherapy
• sexual abuse
• trauma

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge that this research was partially funded by Program U-INICIA VID 2012, grant U-INICIA 5/0612, and Academic Productivity Support Program, PROA VID 2014, University of Chile.

Notes on contributors

Claudia Capella

Claudia Capella, PhD, is professor in the Department of Psychology at University of Chile. Her current research interests focus on psychotherapy with children and adolescents that have been sexually abused and qualitative research in child psychotherapy from a constructivist perspective. She received her PhD from the University of Chile.

Ximena Lama

Ximena Lama, Loreto Rodríguez, Daniela Águila, Gretchen Beiza, Denise Dussert, and Carolina Gutierrez are psychologists and participated in the research that is presented here as master’s or undergraduate students at the Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Loreto Rodríguez

Ximena Lama, Loreto Rodríguez, Daniela Águila, Gretchen Beiza, Denise Dussert, and Carolina Gutierrez are psychologists and participated in the research that is presented here as master’s or undergraduate students at the Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Daniela Águila

Ximena Lama, Loreto Rodríguez, Daniela Águila, Gretchen Beiza, Denise Dussert, and Carolina Gutierrez are psychologists and participated in the research that is presented here as master’s or undergraduate students at the Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Gretchen Beiza

Ximena Lama, Loreto Rodríguez, Daniela Águila, Gretchen Beiza, Denise Dussert, and Carolina Gutierrez are psychologists and participated in the research that is presented here as master’s or undergraduate students at the Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Denise Dussert

Ximena Lama, Loreto Rodríguez, Daniela Águila, Gretchen Beiza, Denise Dussert, and Carolina Gutierrez are psychologists and participated in the research that is presented here as master’s or undergraduate students at the Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Carolina Gutierrez

Ximena Lama, Loreto Rodríguez, Daniela Águila, Gretchen Beiza, Denise Dussert, and Carolina Gutierrez are psychologists and participated in the research that is presented here as master’s or undergraduate students at the Department of Psychology, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.