We work with all forms of sexual abuse regardless of who, where, how many, frequency and type. Your healing journey will be unique to you within the framework that SALT uses, which is about looking at how we can equip the adult you are now, to feel able to allow the past (traumatised child) to come into your today’s little by little to be healed. This is not about ‘going back’ (regression) to a powerless traumatic place, but allowing the trauma (child) to come to an equipped adult who can help them.

Male service users are seen by one male and one female listener, as we always work in twos – we will give you more information about this when we meet you.

Referrals

Any adult male over 18 who has experienced childhood (before age 16) sexual abuse can self-refer into SALT via the following ways:

Phone: 01752 600599
Email: gary@saltsouthwest.co.uk
Mobile (text only – incoming calls not accepted): 07469200256

Please note that we do not accept referrals from third parties

When we receive your self-referral we will contact you back to offer an informal meeting to discuss your situation, or if it is clear that we are the right service for you we will offer you a formal assessment. The only time this assessment will be delayed is if there is a waiting list, however at those times we will still offer you an informal meeting while you wait for assessment.
Once your formal assessment is completed, you will be given a place in our next available psychoeducational skills sessions, which are NOT group therapy though are very therapeutic. There will be a maximum of 6 service users in the room for these sessions, and there is no personal trauma detail shared so that everyone can feel safe and protected. Please see the ‘Psychoeducation Skills Sessions’ page for more information.
Following attending for all four of the skills sessions, you will be offered personal sessions which come in blocks of 7. Every seventh session is an evaluation of what has happened so far, and you will make a decision with your listeners as to continuing or taking a break.


Occasionally male service users request support with one single issue they face, so may not need the whole process described above. This is taken on a person-by-person basis to ensure the support you personally need is given appropriately.


While the consequences of childhood abuse trauma are very similar between males and females, we recognise that there are some issues which can be particularly challenging for males to overcome in relation to seeking support. These can include:
*Fear around own levels of aggression and/or anger
*Shame – did I ‘enjoy’ it?
*I’m a bloke/male, I should have been able to stop it. I’m worried I might do something to a child

PLEASE NOTE

There are a limited number of exclusion criteria where we will not give access to active trauma therapy:

1. Current investigation and/or court case related to your own childhood abuse and/or abusive offending behaviour as an adult. Offending behaviour other than abuse towards children will be taken on a case by case basis. If the investigations/court case are around your own childhood experiences then you should be offered therapeutic support from the First Light ISVA isva@firstlight.org.uk

2. If you are engaged with other therapy we will discuss this with you, however it is likely that we will advise waiting until other therapy is completed. We will keep you on our waiting list should this happen, and you are welcome to contact us on completion.