What the HELL Type of Therapy Is This?

Hello Wellness Seekers:

I’ve been absent from my blog writing in the past many months. All I can say is “WOW!” If the sky had fallen it did on my life. Last year, child abuse appeared at my doorstep and I invited her in, along with her sister. Their story is so sad I could hardly cope with the news. I’ve been working with trauma survivors for the past 15 years, but when it strikes you in the gut–right in your family–the response is horrifying. The more I heard the more I was viciously triggered. Nightmares came back in floods and I was triggered each time Mary (not her real name) talked with me. I was so outraged I couldn’t control the anger that kept rising in my throat.

How could her parents do this and continue the abuse for more than a decade? The family knew nothing about what was happening to the girls. Our response: absolute shock, grief and anger.

Mary’s parents are members of a Catholic cult where girl children are made to dress in colorless clothes that cover the entire body. They were homeschooled where religious rules were strictly followed. Mary and her younger sister were told not to say anything to out-of-state relatives.

How could this happen in today’s world? Statistics show that child and domestic abuse are widespread all over the world. Thankfully there are numerous organizations who help abuse survivors cope with their trauma, but unfortunately, there is no treatment to completely heal. Abuse goes into our cells, bones, muscles, and memories and create devastating physical, psychological, and emotional illness. Case in point, Mary’s parents took her to see a Catholic cult therapist. This man had no credentials except he was a “man of God.” Their first meeting with him, he told Mary to sit on his lap. She said no, but her parents (who were in the room) guilted her to the point where she gave in. The first thing this man said was, “Mary, I can feel your genitals.” What the hell type of therapy is this?

Please help abuse survivors contact “credentialed professions” who do no harm to them.

Mary’s parents moved out of California before they were investigated and arrested, leaving Mary and her sister out on the streets. Mary’s sister lives in the alleys of a poor town, trying to find food and shelter. Mary showed up at our door. Hell broke out, but we had no legal options to help them. A county social worker was assigned to Mary’s sister, yet she still lives in the alleys. She’s addicted to drugs, cuts herself with a knife, and is sex-trafficked. This started when she was 16.

Abusive parents should:

• be fully and completely investigated by Child Protective Services and police.
• lose their parental rights.
• have no access to their abused children.
• get prison sentences.
• be registered as perpetrators.

Depending on the severity of the abuse, child abuse can be found to be a misdemeanor or a felony in most states.

“According to a Cleveland Clinic podcast, adults who experienced trauma as kids are much more susceptible to depression and mood disorders, as well as thoughts of suicide. They are also likely to abuse alcohol and other substances. Finally, they are more prone to developing chronic illnesses, like diabetes and heart disease, later in life.” [Source: Signs of Childhood Trauma in Adults By Brittany Loggins,  updated on December 04, 2023, and medically reviewed by Ivy Kwong, LMFT]

Despite help from aunts, uncles, and nieces, Mary and her sister are experiencing unresolved mental illness that puts them at tremendous risk. Our help is constantly and legally blocked. We’ve called on many resources, but please respond to this post if you can help us. Thank you!

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Alexis Acker-Halbur is an award-winning author and medical miracle. Child abuse made her seriously ill and put her in harm’s way many times. She survives and shares her experiences and tools with people who are or have been emotionally, physically, sexually, spiritually traumatized.