During my post-doctoral fellowship at NYU, I was on the trauma track and worked almost exclusively with individuals who had experienced interpersonal and sexual violence.

Interpersonal and sexual violence refers to acts of harm—such as physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault, coercion, intimidation, lack of consent, or other violations of bodily autonomy—committed within relationships or social contexts where there is a misuse of power, control, or trust.

These experiences can leave survivors with deep emotional, psychological, and physiological impacts, including fear, dissociation, shame, difficulty trusting others, and disruptions in daily functioning. Therapy for healing from this form of trauma is grounded in safety, empowerment, and reclaiming agency. Common approaches include trauma‑focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF‑CBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and narrative therapy to help survivors process traumatic memories, manage symptoms, and generate a healing narrative. Many survivors also benefit from relational or attachment‑based therapies, which help rebuild a sense of safety in connection with others, particularly if the trauma impacts one’s ability to fully trust and develop a healthy intimate and/or sexual relationship with new partners.