ABSTRACT
This Chapter gives partner behaviors that promote healing, and behaviors that hinder healing for Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) survivors, will be presented. Instructions for helping couples identify and facilitate healing behaviors and eliminate harmful behaviors. This technique helps distressed couples identify specific relational dynamics that may be hindering the survivor’s healing. The therapist first suggests exploring and discussing how these research findings pertain to the couple. Current research has provided knowledge and insight into how specific behaviors within relational couple dynamics affect a CSA survivor and what partners do to hinder or help their companions heal from the abuse. Ongoing abuse or minimization by the partner regarding the effects of CSA might interfere with the safety necessary to address these difficult issues. The therapist assists the couple to further explore these principles in detail and identify what these changes will look like for the couple. The therapist then integrates this information into the working treatment plan with the couple.
