This group may be a good fit for you if:

• You feel alone in your healing journey

• You are looking for community with other survivors 

• You want to share about your healing process

• You can tolerate conversations about sexual violence

• You have some coping skills, but would like to learn more

• You want to receive support as well as give support to other group members

• You identify as a woman, or as genderqueer or non-binary, and feel that a women-centered space is a good fit for your healing.
  

This group may not be a good fit for you if:

• Your experience with sexual violence was very recent and you need support building initial coping skills

• You are currently in crisis or suicidal and would benefit from more individualized support 

• You are having difficulty managing dissociation and flashbacks, which may interfere with the group process

• Sharing in a group or hearing other’s experiences would be overwhelming or cause your symptoms to worsen 

• You are looking to process specifics of your traumatic event(s), which could be triggering for other group members.

How to Join

If you are interested in the group, please contact chaia@soundviewbh.com (mailto:chaia@soundviewbh.com) to set up a short conversation with Chaia, the group facilitator. During this call, Chaia will provide more information about the group, learn about your goals, and explore whether the group is the right fit for you at this time.  While a support group can be greatly beneficial on the road to healing from sexual assault, it is not always the best choice for every survivor. Depending where an individual is in their healing process, group sharing may even be triggering or re-traumatizing. If this group is not a good fit for you, Chaia will share other appropriate resources. 

If you would like to schedule a screening conversation, please respond to this email, or contact chaia@soundviewbh.com (mailto:chaia@soundviewbh.com).

About the Facilitator

Chaia Wylder is a mental health counselor intern and former sexual assault crisis advocate who is passionate about supporting and empowering survivors. Her approach is trauma-informed and inclusive, with an emphasis on mind-body healing and nervous system regulation. Chaia has worked as a survivor advocate in both California and Hawaii, led trainings for sexual assault treatment providers, taught violence prevention classes for K-12 students, and developed services, programming, and educational resources for numerous treatment centers and the Hawaii Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Chaia is under the clinical supervision of Elizabeth Anderson, LMHC.

Please note: This group is not a crisis service. For sexual assault–specific support in Bellingham and Whatcom County, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) offers a 24-hour helpline, advocacy, crisis support, and referrals: 360-715-1563 or 1-877-715-1563.

For mental health crisis support, call or text 988, or contact the Whatcom County Crisis Line for crisis intervention or local mobile crisis services at 1-800-584-3578. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a medical emergency, call 911