Breaking Free: Help For Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse

by Kay Toon

Overview

'This book will be enormously helpful to those who have endured sexual abuse' Nursing Times

This classic book has helped many thousands of people to manage the impact that childhood sexual abuse has had on their lives. The positive and optimistic approach continues to empower survivors to break free from the past.

Now with signficantly updated resource and further help sections, this latest edition by clinical psychologist Kay Toon acknowledges the types of abuse that have come to light more recently, such as street exploitation, and abuse by celebrities, politicians and football coaches, as well as the use of digital technology to groom children and young people.

Breaking Free is regularly recommended by counsellors, by media agony aunts and psychotherapists. A Department of Health project provided copies of Breaking Free and the Breaking Free Workbook to NHS Mental Health Provider Trusts. It is ideal both for those seeking therapeutic support and for those providing such support.

'The voice of the cowed, betrayed and helpless sexually abused child speaks powerfully throughout this book.'
British Journal of Psychiatry

'The way the book instils hope is inspiring'
Journal of Social Work Practice

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781399805421
Publisher:	John Murray Press
Publication date:	08/18/2022
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	422 KB

About the Author

Kay Toon recently retired as a clinical psychologist. The late Carolyn Ainscough (d. 2000) was a clinical psychologist.

Table of Contents

Foreword vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgements xiii

Part 1 Sexual abuse changes lives

1 Survival and recovery: the journey begins 3

2 The impact of child sexual abuse 14

Part 2 'It must have been my fault'

3 'Why me?' 35

4 'Why didn't I tell?' 46

5 Silent ways of telling 61

6 'What happened when I did tell' 75

Part 3 Tackling the problems

7 Buried feelings 89

8 Anxiety, fears and trauma 102

9 Depression and low self-esteem 127

10 Eating problems and body image 142

11 Sex and sexuality 160

Part 4 Feelings towards others

12 Children 189

13 Mothers 213

14 Abusers 231

Part 5 Breaking free

15 Overcoming the problems 259

16 Working towards prevention 280

17 The journey continues 302

Appendix 1 Keeping safe, how to breathe properly and how to manage panic attacks 311

Appendix 2 Survivors speak out 318

Sources of help 334

Further reading 343

Index 344