Childhood sexual and physical abuse results in distinctive patterns of damage that continue into adult life. This article describes a therapeutic model, the primary goal of which is the integration of traumatic memories and their accompanying affect into a coherent sense of self. This model emphasizes the development of an “affective edge,” within sessions and over the course of treatment, to facilitate the integration of cognition and affect. A range of affective techniques, including options for nonintrusive, body-centered interventions, are discussed.
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