In recent years there has been a growing recognition that the sexual and physical abuse of children and adolescents is much more common than previously thought.
Child abuse is a deeply hurtful and potentially damaging experience.
It can continue to affect the abuse survivor for years and decades after its occurrence in numerous ways. The treatment philosophy adhered to at TRIP is that many of the difficulties experienced by survivors of prolonged child abuse are not due solely to discrete incidents of abuse. Often ongoing abuse occurs in an interpersonal environment that fails to teach many of the abilities needed to cope effectively with the complexities of adult living. Therefore, the model of therapy employed at TRIP, rather than focusing primarily on confronting and processing abusive experiences, emphasizes the acquisition of the abilities needed to live comfortably and effectively. This treatment approach, called contextual therapy, is described in detail in the book Not Trauma Alone .