Community-Based Sexualized Violence Trauma Therapy Program

Heal and move forward after sexualized violence

The basics

Who is the trauma therapy program for?

This program supports survivors of sexualized violence of all genders, 15 years and older, living in Nova Scotia.

If you’re under age 15, please contact the Sea Star Program.

We strive to make our service inclusive, accessible, culturally-responsive, and welcoming to individuals with all abilities, backgrounds, and orientations.

How can the trauma therapy program help me?

Our program offers up to 20 free therapy sessions for survivors.

You’ll work together with your therapist to create a plan that fits your needs and hopes. Your therapist can also connect you to other helpful services.

Where is it?

You can attend therapy sessions:

  • Online.
  • On the phone.
  • At Avalon’s office in Halifax.
  • At community spaces across Nova Scotia.

How can I access the service?

Book your intake online here: Book Online | Avalon Centre
If booking online isn’t for you, please call or text: (902) 817-3821
You can also email: intake@avaloncentre.ca

Need to ask some questions first? Make a general enquiry.

“It gave me the tools to move on from what happened to me. Because of Avalon, I can live a full and happy life”

– An Avalon client

The details

Our therapy program can help you if you’ve been affected by any form of sexualized violence or gender-based violence. This includes:

  • Sexual assault
  • Sexual abuse
  • Sexual harassment
  • Sexual exploitation
  • Intimate partner violence

Our services are confidential. This means we won’t share what you tell us with anyone else – unless the law says we have to.

Our services are confidential. This means that we won’t share what you tell us with anyone outside of Avalon unless the law says we have to. Our 3 main limits to confidentiality are court subpoenas, the duty to report suspected child abuse or neglect, and/or imminent danger to yourself or others. 

Please see our confidentiality policy for more information.

 

Once we hear from you, someone from our intake team will call or message you back. This can sometimes take several days, but we will respond as soon as we can. 

In our first contact, we will go over the program and waitlist information and answer any questions that you might have. During this time, we will also ask if you would like to move forward with scheduling an intake. 

We do intakes over the phone, online, or in-person (Halifax office) and it is a conversation that usually last 40-60 minutes. This conversation is aimed at gaining an understanding of how you are doing and what you need through trauma therapy. You are also able to ask a trusted support person to join this call with you. 

After this initial intake conversation, you would be added to our waitlist to be connected with a trauma therapist.

Your first session is a chance for you and your therapist to get to know you and understand what you want from therapy. You can choose what to share and explain things in your own time.

Your therapist may explain what you can expect from therapy. Together, you and your therapist will create a therapy plan that fits your hopes and needs.

If you need support beyond 20 sessions, your therapist will help you create a plan. They can also connect you with other services in your community.

Our therapists use various approaches and practices. Their services are always:

  • Trauma-based. We focus on trauma caused by sexualized violence and/or gender-based violence.
  • Relational. We recognize that the quality of your relationships have a big impact on your emotional wellbeing.
  • Person-centred. You can control what we talk about in therapy. Our therapists are here to listen and provide supportive guidance.
  • Community-based. We believe in holistic care. Our team can help connect you with community services to best support your needs.
  • Inclusive. We strive to make our services as accessible and culturally-responsive as possible.
  • Feminist, anti-oppressive and anti-racist. We value equity and recognize the different ways people may experience oppression and discrimination.

Yes – if you can’t come to a session, please let us know and we’ll help you reschedule it. Please note that no-show appointments (canceled without notice) may be subject to count towards the overall sessions total.