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We support people impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships
Get Support
We support people impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships
#BreakTheCycle
What support does Nexus offer?
We offer a range of therapeutic interventions to meet needs of individuals who have been impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships on a person-centred basis. Our services are offered regionally across Northern Ireland.
We can offer counselling to anyone impacted by sexual abuse. Our counselling currently is offered to people from age 8 and up, except for EMDR Therapy which is currently only offered to clients aged 18 and over. Anyone else impacted by abusive relationships/domestic abuse can access support via the Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline on 0808 802 1414 or via dsahelpline.org. Post-counselling group support is offered under our aftercare service, RESET.
So we can be sure you are ready to process your trauma through specialised counselling, we ask that an initial self-referral form is completed so we can take you through our processes and assign or signpost you to the most appropriate support. The needs of our clients are always at the heart of what we do, and we need this information to find the best support for you. The link to complete a referral form can be found at the bottom of this page. If you need any support completing this form, you can contact our administration team who will be more than happy to help you.
Please note that given the nature of our work, everyone at Nexus is trained to communicate with empathy and compassion, however our admin team are not trained counsellors and are there to help you make a referral and assist with appointments. If you feel you need immediate support in addition to making a referral to join counselling we encourage you to contact the 24/7 Domestic and Sexual Abuse Helpline on 0808 802 1414, help@dsahelpline.org or via live chat at dsahelpline.org.
Find out more about what the recovery journey can look like for a Nexus client by clicking here.
Children & Young People’s Counselling Update
We are pleased to inform that as of Thursday 1st February 2024 we have resumed our referrals from children aged 8+ as counsellor capacity has now increased and we are working hard to triage and prioritise referrals to the most appropriate supports available. Unfortunately referrals from children under this age are still unavailable until appropriate funding becomes available for this age group. Please note a waiting list will be in place as we work through the children who were already waiting.
Support for Children and Young People
We offer up to 18 sessions of specialist counselling to children and young people impacted by sexual abuse. These sessions are available to those aged 8 and above and are appropriately tailored to age and the individual needs of each child. Sessions can include play and art therapy as well as traditional talking therapy approaches.
Support for Adults impacted by Sexual Abuse
We offer up specialist counselling to adults age 16 and over impacted by sexual abuse, whether they have been impacted in childhood, adulthood, or both. These sessions can be delivered face-to-face, by telephone or virtual video call.
EMDR Therapy for People Impacted by Sexual Abuse & Abusive Relationships
Nexus is pleased to be able to offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy to people impacted by sexual abuse and abusive relationships. This specialist form of therapy is commonly used to help people impacted by PTSD and is designed to enable people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences through an eight-phase treatment. Please note that due to not receiving funding, we do charge for this form of therapy.
Self Help Resources for Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Accessing self help resources can be useful for survivors of sexual abuse who may be waiting for counselling or other support to begin, those who may not be ready to start counselling or other therapeutic interventions, or those who have completed their counselling journey. We have collated a range of self help resources to support survivors of sexual abuse and abusive relationships. Click below to explore these resources.
Find out more about counselling
Counselling is a form of therapy, offering a safe and confidential space to talk about anything that may be confusing, painful or comfortable.
Counselling is at the core of our services. Click below to learn more about how counselling can help you and the relevant Nexus policies around counselling, such as for missed counselling sessions.
