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Sexual Abuse Family Education (SAFE)

Our Sexual Abuse Family Education (SAFE) Program focuses on alleviating the symptoms of sexual abuse and domestic violence. Our therapists in this program are all licensed and have extensive experience working with the entire family in confronting these issues.

Services include:

Individual and family counseling, as well as support groups, that address mutual questions and concerns, and allow family members to share experiences and connect with others who can relate to their situation.

We offer outpatient counseling services from locations in Martin and St. Lucie counties, as well as virtually via telehealth.

Martin County:

3577 SW Corporate Pkwy., Palm City, FL 34990
3428 NE Sugar Hill Ave., 2^nd Floor, Jensen Beach, FL 34957
8142 SE Federal Hwy., Hobe Sound, FL 33455

St. Lucie County:

451 SW Bethany Dr., Ste. 101, Port St. Lucie, FL 34986

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Our goals for treatment of children and adolescent victims of sexual and/or physical abuse:

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Teaching the victim to protect him or herself from further abuse
Teaching family members to be supportive throughout the treatment process
Reducing the victim’s feelings of guilt, shame, depression or anxiety
Increasing the victim’s self-esteem
Teaching the victim to express feelings of anger, betrayal and disappointment in a healthy and productive manner

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Facts About Sexual Abuse:

Only 1 in 10 victims report their abuse.
Most abusers are relatives or family friends – someone the child knows and trusts.
Offenders come from all social, economic, ethnic and religious backgrounds.
1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 5 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18.
Most molesters don’t have a criminal record.
There are an estimated 40 million survivors of sexual abuse in the U.S.

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In Her Own Words – Madison’s Story

Do you think I should forgive my five-year-old self for letting a grown man touch me? I mean after all I was only five, I didn’t know what to do in that situation. If anything, that grown man should be put in jail for what he did. What about when I was 10 years old? Do you think I should forgive myself again for letting a grown man touch me? This time I knew what was happening. It felt familiar, almost like this happened before. So, if I knew it was wrong and I knew what was happening, why did I not do anything until I was 15? Telling my parents was probably the hardest for me.

Now, I’m 17 and I can’t even think of relationships without wanting to vomit. Trust me, I’ve tried and I end up having panic attacks and I end it. When I got out of the hospital for trying to kill myself I changed immediately. I no longer wanted to self-harm and I no longer wanted to do drugs. I saw where I was, and I realized I didn’t want this for myself, and I never self-harmed again or touched any drugs. I went right back to therapy because of how much it helped me before.

Luckily for me, I love my therapist and we talk about all of it. She pushes my comfort zone, but this time if I say, “I don’t want to do this,” we actually stop. We touch upon my past and we relate it to my present. I’ve learned a lot about self-respect and how to handle my emotions better. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my Tykes & Teens therapists and I just want to thank them. These wonderful women are my heroes and I don’t think this “thank you” does them justice, but they deserve it. Just like how I deserved to get better and to love myself, just like all people do.

*Name has been changed to protect client confidentiality.