While one in six women will be the victim of sexual abuse, one in four are victimized prior to the age of 18. This can be a single incident or repetitive. Forced sexual contact is in no way limited to women. In fact, one in six men are victims of sexual assault prior to the age of 18 as well. Sexual assault is also not limited to the heterosexual population but spans the LGBTQ population in at least similar number.

Boundary violations such as those which occurs within the context of the body predispose to attachment disruptions and post-traumatic stress. Anxiety, depression, psychosomatic issues, dissociation and addictions are not uncommon, particularly in the case of violence or ongoing childhood sexual abuse, although any boundary violation can be traumatizing.

Whether there exists childhood sexual abuse or nonconsensual sexual contact in adulthood, sexual abuse threatens not only one’s relationship with their own body and sexuality but also one’s connections with himself or herself and other’s in many ways. And the effects are not simply immediate but can span a lifetime.

Trauma repetition can show up in a variety of ways and unless healing occurs the individual can endure pain and problematic behaviors for a lifetime.

Recovery from trauma takes time and trust. Sometimes therapy is the first place of disclosure. Dr. Winter understands the shame, anger and grief as well as the isolation that can plague the victim of sexual injury and can help work through the pain and humiliation. She has helped both men and women soften the effects of abuse and reclaim their power and healthier lives both in and out of the bedroom.

Dr. Winter brings a unique blending of traditional forms of therapy, cognitive- behavioral (CBT), psychodynamic, psychoanalytic psychotherapy as well as state-of- the-art evidence based trauma work to help you heal. She is certified in EMDR, a form of therapy that is effective in trauma recovery.