Our Adults and Young People’s Program provides specialist sexual assault counselling and support to young people (aged 12 and over) and adults who have experienced sexual assault or abuse at any time in their lives. Counselling can also be provided to non-offending supporters, including parents, care-givers and partners of people who have experienced sexual assault or abuse.

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The counselling process does not require survivors to talk about their abuse – although they may do so if they want. Instead, the focus is on supporting you to identify and address the impacts and how they are affecting your life right now. Your counsellor will work with you on techniques and practical tools to:

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•    Accept that the abuse was not your fault and need not define who you are 
•    Reduce distressing after-effects like flashbacks, nightmares, relationship difficulties, etc.  
•    Develop and implement coping strategies, 
•    Strengthen your resilience and repair and build self-esteem, 
•    Safely process what has happened
•    Enhance health, safety and general wellbeing.

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Our counsellors are experienced and qualified specialists in the field of sexual trauma who will support you to identify your therapeutic goals and work towards them. We can provide a range of options and approaches that best meets your individual needs, including trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, expressive therapies, internal family systems and EMDR.

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As part of our adult and young people’s program, we provide practical, emotional, and psychological support to clients who are wanting to report their experience of sexual violence to the Queensland Police Service (QPS). Our qualified and highly trained counsellors in the program, can provide support to engage with the QPS and can provide outreach to attend police stations to support victim/survivors who wish to make a formal statement. Our counsellors aim to support victim/survivors manage the impacts of recent sexual violence and minimize any risks of secondary re-traumatization. Counsellors also provide ongoing therapeutic counselling following the initial disclosure and engagement with QPS.

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As well as one-on-one counselling, we also offer group programs throughout the year.

Referrals by service providers can be made using the referral form (download link).

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Self-referrals can be made by contacting the First Response Team on 07 5443 4711 or by calling your nearest Laurel Place office.