Whether experienced in adulthood or childhood, sexual violations can have a significant and lasting impact. Some of the impacts of sexual trauma and boundary violations can include secrecy and shame, difficulty with intimacy, and a sense of disconnection from the body. Healing from sexual trauma can include gradually developing a sense of safety in your
When our boundaries are breached, our sense of safety in the world can be altered. Boundary violations are sometimes overt, such as a sexual trauma or physical assault, and sometimes they are more subtle, such as a breach of emotional boundaries, an intrusive medical procedure or pap test, or having something unexpectedly and rapidly enter
Sometimes medical trauma can feel like a violation of our boundaries. Surgery and other invasive procedures can leave a sense of disconnect in the nervous system, even if everything went according to plan. The nervous system can get stuck in a state of freeze, which can interfere with future medical needs or other vulnerable states
Birth experiences and the early postpartum weeks can be beautiful but also incredibly challenging. Some examples of challenges after giving birth include pain and recovery, mood changes, breastfeeding and bottle feeding challenges, identity changes, lack of support, trauma from medical interventions, grief about changes to the birth plan, or plain old exhaustion. We can work
Commonly reported sexual health challenges in women include pain, lack of desire, lack of pleasure, sex as a chore or expectation, fear of sex, medical, challenging family or religious expectations about sex, or a lack of education about sex. Sometimes sex issues stem from a clearly identifiable incident such as sexual trauma or gynecological injury,
There are many kinds of pelvic pain, such as dyspareunia, vaginismus, endometriosis, and interstitial cystitis. Pelvic pain can get in the way of everyday functions, such as sex, bladder and bowel function, parenting, and work. Increasing overall body awareness, improving the connection between the body and the mind, and exploring safety and pleasure can assist
