The Rape Recovery Handbook: Step-by-Step Help for Survivors of Sexual Assault

by Aphrodite Matsakis

A woman is raped in this country every two minutes; this guide provides an effective framework for victims to heal from the experience. If you are a survivor of sexual assault, you may be suffering from symptoms of depression, substance abuse, an eating disorder, panic and anxiety, or posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The Rape Recovery Handbook provides an effective framework in which you can heal. Healing begins by establishing a safety plan that includes how to use this book and what to expect from recovery. In this new book, which is the only step-by-step program that helps victims acknowledge and learn to manage the emotional pain caused by the trauma of sexual assault, trauma expert Aphrodite Matsakis gives you help for coping with the reality of this experience and dealing with the aftermath of conflicting and debilitating feelings.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Feminism

200 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2003

Reviews

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a counselor, I highly recommend this book as a tool for counselors to use with their clients when addressing sexual assault and rape.

The author has taken great pains to structure this work so that the client/reader has everything they need in place in their lives before they plunge into recalling the traumatic incident and working through it on a deep level. This is crucial as a good counselor will want to make sure the client has many resources and effective support so that their daily life is not destroyed due to this difficult work.

Although the book can be read by a survivor on their own, I strongly suggest that the reader find a competent counselor, as many issues, memories, thoughts and feelings will arise that must be discussed in a timely manner. Survivors of sexual assault can already experience isolation and it is extremely important that the reader receive effective and skilled care.

[Carissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library, but I'll have to buy me a copy.

The exercises are great. I love the self-pace and the slow realizations of what our boundaries are. It has so much useful information like what to look for in a therapist, the feelings involved, other resources to check out.

I also like how alternatives to certain exercises were given. You can still do the work without making yourself uncomfortable or setting off the fight or flight response. It even has suggestions for how to calm down these responses or try to make them less frequent.

This would have been really beneficial years ago, but it's definitely still needed today.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great helpful book for individuals beginning their journey or recovery from sexual assault. I used this book as bibliotherapy in session- the client and I worked through the chapters together at her own pace. Can definitely be used as a self help, but take heed of the safety cautions if you become too emotionally triggered

[Hester Rathbone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously, another book read for work. This is easily one of the better ones I've read for quite some time. It is definitely set up for the lay-person to use. It's a great step-by-step guide - every chapter has different activities that you can do on your own, but I do appreciate that it also advises to share things with a therapist or professional, particularly if anything is causing more distress for you. I already use a lot of the exercises in this, which were part of my CPT training, but I think that some of the explanations it has are really thorough and lovely. It's definitely something I'll share with my clients as different topics come up.

[Lily Heron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favourite books of 2023 – April: The Rape Recovery Handbook by Aphrodite Matsakis.

I'm happy to discuss this book in more detail privately should you wish to reach out, but please do not leave comments or questions on this review.