Short-term counseling

We can help you feel whole again

The thoughts and feelings you experience after sexual assault can put a burden on your life. But it doesn’t have to be this way. You can get back to leading a productive life and being in healthy relationships. One of the first steps may include short-term counseling.

Short-term counseling

During short-term counseling, you work one-on-one with an Aurora counselor who specializes in treating survivors. We help you establish healthy ways to cope with unpleasant thoughts and feelings. In just a few weeks, most survivors feel well enough to take the next steps in their healing journey.

Personalized support & counseling for survivors

As a sexual assault survivor, it’s common to feel isolated, but at Aurora Health Care, you are not alone. Let our experts help you move past the problems that are holding you back from living life on your own terms. We treat a high volume of survivors every year. This level of expertise helps you reclaim a sense of normalcy as quickly as possible.

Highlights of our program include:

• Access: We make it easy to get the support you need. Short-term counseling is available in our healing centers throughout the Milwaukee area. If you need additional support between sessions, you can call us or come see us without an appointment. Find out more about our locations.
• Diverse team: Our team includes women and men of different cultures. This diversity helps us tailor care and support to meet each survivor’s unique needs.
• Extra support: Our comprehensive approach gives you access to experts through every step of the healing journey. Our team includes advocates who help survivors navigate healing options and overcome challenges. Read more about survivor advocacy.

Maintaining your confidentiality during the healing process

We hold everything you share with us in the strictest of confidence. This policy means that we will not share anything you say with others unless we are required to do so by law. In these situations, we share only the minimum necessary information and only with people who need it, like the police.

Short-term counseling

Over the course of three to six sessions, our counselors help you set and achieve individual recovery goals.

During short-term counseling, our team:

• Listens carefully as you explain your experiences and how they are affecting your life.
• Teaches you ways to cope with unpleasant feelings so you can start regaining a sense of control.
• Provides you with more information about what to expect after sexual assault. For example, many survivors experience sadness or nightmares or have trouble trusting other people. These are all normal reactions, and we help you deal with them.
• Works with you to make steady progress toward getting back to your daily life. This work may include settling into healthy sleep patterns or knowing what to do if you suddenly feel unsafe.
• Follows up with you by phone between sessions as necessary. Our goal is to see how you are doing and answer any questions.

Long-term counseling through Aurora or your insurance

After short-term counseling, long-term counseling can help you make steady progress toward reclaiming your life. Long-term counseling takes place in a group setting with one of our counselors and a small group of fellow survivors.

Aurora offers an array of counseling groups, including Spanish-language and men-only options. Find out more about long-term support for survivors.

Space in our long-term counseling programs is limited. If you are eligible for counseling services through your insurance plan, we ask that you pursue those services first. Doing so allows us to provide timely support to people who need access to free services.

Contact us

Call our 24/7 hotline today at 414-219-5555, or connect with us via our confidential text line. 

Text 414-219-1551