Abuse can leave its mark in ways that aren’t always visible – in how you trust, speak, hold your body, or move through the world. You may still doubt whether what happened really counts. You may carry shame, fear, silence, or a sense that part of you stopped growing the day it began.
Whether it happened long ago or more recently, whether you’ve told no one or told your story many times – we hold space for you here. Carefully. Respectfully. Without force.
At The Surrey Centre, we understand that abuse recovery is not about “getting over it.”
It’s about being met – gently, fully, and with the kind of safety that wasn’t there before.
- Shame, fear, or self-blame that won’t let go
- A sense of emotional or physical numbness
- Hypervigilance, anxiety, or difficulty trusting
- Flashbacks, body memories, or unexpected triggers
- Struggles with intimacy, closeness, or boundaries
- Feeling disconnected from your body or sense of self
- Silence around what happened — or doubt that it “counts”
- Internalised beliefs that you are broken, bad, or unlovable
This work begins with safety – not in the story, but in the room.
We don’t ask for disclosure. We don’t rush the process.
We build a steady space where your experience can be honoured – gently, at your pace, and only when it feels right.
Together, we may:
- Create grounding and regulation through the body and nervous system
- Gently attend to shame, dissociation, or protective patterns
- Explore how the experience shaped your identity and relationships
- Reconnect you with a sense of choice, voice and personal boundaries
- Use creative or symbolic tools when words are too much
- Integrate EMDR if appropriate and wanted, with care and control always in your hands
The goal isn’t to relive what happened – it’s to release what still lives on inside you, and help you rebuild a life that feels safe, sovereign and more wholly yours.
You did not cause this. You are not to blame.
And however long it takes – you deserve to feel whole again.
This can be a place to begin.