Counselling

We provide individual and group counselling for individuals impacted by any form of sexual violence, including sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and sexual assault. We also provide counselling to anyone supporting an individual who has been impacted by sexual violence.

Please call our Support and Information Line 403-237-5888 for more information to access our services.

Individual Counselling

We offer specialized individual counselling for anyone impacted by any form of sexual violence including child sexual abuse, sexual assault and sexual harassment. Counselling is offered to both those who experienced sexual violence and their support persons.

About our counselling:

• We provide crisis intervention and counselling
• Up to 24 sessions for anyone who experienced any form of sexual violence
• Up to 6 sessions for support persons
• Available free of charge
• Available to anyone 12 years of age and up
• People can access counselling at any point in their healing journey

Services include assisting the individual and/or support persons in managing effectively with the trauma and impacts of sexual violence. Counselling helps to manage emotions and behaviours through education and facilitating the development of coping strategies that help the person move forward in their healing and lives. The program covers immediate impact, emotional and behavioural reactions and also addresses practical issues the individual may be dealing with at the time. We recognize that trauma and impacts from sexual violence can happen across the lifespan and that people need different supports at different times.

Counselling can help address a number of issues and topics including information on sexual abuse and sexual assault, safety and grounding plans, coping strategies, emotions, and feelings.

Potential topics and issues addressed in the individual sessions are: information on the different forms of sexual violence,, sexual violence and its social context, grounding and stabilization exercises, anger, depression, trust, grief and loss, self-esteem, assertiveness, guilt and shame, body image, sexuality, power and control.

For Groups

CCASA’s group sessions offer support and counselling to people who have experienced sexual violence. Groups are co-facilitated by CCASA counsellors specialized in sexual violence and group therapy, and offer participants the opportunity to meet others that are in different places on their healing journey.

Participants can share their experiences and learn from each other in a safe, supportive and empowering space. Groups give participants the opportunity to see that they are not alone in their experiences. Within these sessions, participants explore the impacts of trauma, share feelings and emotions, identify strengths, and navigate strategies to build support networks.

About our counselling:

• All groups are online
• Groups are free of charge

Youth Support Group

This group is offered to support youth while they are on the waitlist for individual counselling. The focus of this group is safety and stabilization, and includes psychoeducation on the topic of sexual violence. The group runs for 5 consecutive weekly sessions with each session being 1.5 hours in length. Session topics include definitions of sexual violence, common myths and stigmas, common symptoms and impacts of sexual violence, and coping strategies. Participants are encouraged to participate in open discussions on the topics of each session but are always welcome to just listen.

Safety and Stabilization Group

This is a safety and stabilization group to support participants that are on the waitlist for individual counselling. As a phase 1 group, the focus is on providing psychoeducation and practicing mindfulness/grounding exercises. The group runs for 6 consecutive weekly sessions with each session being 1.5 hours in length. The topics that are covered include introduction to mindfulness/grounding, trauma responses, window of tolerance, triggers, flashbacks, remembering trauma, healing/self-care, and coping. Each session is structured in a way where brief psychoeducation is provided, followed by time for discussion/debriefing and practicing grounding skills.

Parents and Caregivers Group

This is a safety and stabilization group to support participants that are on the waitlist for individual counselling. As a phase 1 group, the focus is on providing psychoeducation and practicing mindfulness/grounding exercises. The group runs for 6 consecutive weekly sessions with each session being 1.5 hours in length. The topics that are covered include introduction to mindfulness/grounding, trauma responses, window of tolerance, triggers, flashbacks, remembering trauma, healing/self-care, and coping. Each session is structured in a way where brief psychoeducation is provided, followed by time for discussion/debriefing and practicing grounding skills.

Counseling for Men

We offer specialized counselling for all genders, including males, who have experienced sexual violence either as children, adolescents or adults.

Sexual violence impacts everyone. The impacts are universal, making them similar for anyone who has experienced sexual violence regardless of gender. Men often face different barriers when seeking help and support from their experiences. The barriers are from social attitudes and beliefs that create stereotypes that don’t allow space for men to experience sexual violence. Our culture has positioned that the more “masculine” a man is, the less likely it is for him to experience sexual violence. We know that sexual violence happens regardless of the perception of masculinity, and is always harmful. Men often fear being blamed for their own experience because they were not able to protect themselves or prevent it from happening. We know that the only person responsible for sexual violence is the person who chose to use sexual violence against another person.

A recently released research report found that one in three males in Alberta experience sexual abuse in their lifetime. Most men who experience sexual violence as an adult or child choose never to reveal it, even to people they know and trust. They fear being disbelieved, ridiculed, shamed, and accused of weakness, ignored or, assumptions being made about their sexual identity.

We support anyone who has experienced sexual violence, including men. We want to support everyone’s healing journey. We work to dispel myths and harmful stereotypes and recognize that sexual violence is a human rights issue.

Satellite Locations

Please call our Support and Information Line 403-237-5888 for more information to access our services.

Mount Royal University Wellness Centre

CCASA provides specialized sexual assault counselling services to students on site.

University of Calgary Wellness Centre

CCASA provides specialized counselling services to students on site. Please call our Support and Information Line 403-237-5888 for more information to access our services.

Okotoks

Okotoks Health & Wellness Centre – 11 Cimarron Common, Okotoks, AB 

Cochrane

Family & Community Support Services – #209, Second Ave W, Cochrane, AB