Creative Interventions for Preparing and Disclosing Trauma Narratives in Group Therapy for Child Sexual Abuse

ABSTRACT

Group therapy is a widely utilized and empirically supported treatment for victims of child sexual abuse (CSA). An important aspect of trauma-focused groups for CSA is the composition and presentation of a trauma narrative as part of a gradual exposure process. One challenge in the creation of a trauma narrative in group is the contagious avoidance that may be present if group members are reluctant to engage in the development of a trauma narrative. Creative group therapeutic interventions can assist in mitigating avoidance, a hallmark of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), by reducing resistance to constructing and processing the trauma narrative in CSA group treatment. Additionally, creative expressive arts interventions are a developmentally tailored approach to trauma narratives for young children with limited language as well as for traumatized youth who do not have words accessible to describe their CSA. This manuscript presents a wide array of creative therapeutic activities that can be utilized for creation and processing of the trauma narrative and facilitating cohesion and coping in group therapy for CSA. Using these expressive arts techniques can support youth in preparing for the trauma narrative and providing a space to process their CSA.

KEYWORDS:

• Child sexual abuse
• creative interventions
• group therapy

Disclosure of interest

All of the authors declare they have no conflicts of interest to report.

Ethical standards and informed consent

Although no identifying information is included in this article, informed consent was obtained by legal guardians of the children whose artwork is included in this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tara Shuman

Tara Shuman, Psy.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Psy.D. Program at California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Dr. Shuman provides trauma-focused and trauma-informed treatment to children, adolescents and their families in her private practice.

Nierika Gilbert, M.A., LMFT is a student in the Psy.D. program at California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Ms. Gilbert is an APA intern at Monterey County Behavioral Health.

Keely Johnson

Keely Johnson, M.A. is a student in the Psy.D. Program at California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Ms. Johnson is currently an APA intern at the Oklahoma Health Consortium.

Lynette Lively Cookson

Lynette Lively Cookson, M.A. is a student in the Psy.D. program at California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University. Ms. Lively Cookson is participating in an elective practicum at a residential child and adolescent treatment program in San Diego.