When Nevya* called Canberra Rape Crisis Centre’s (CRCC) crisis line, she was overwhelmed. Unresolved childhood sexual abuse and adult sexual assault had left her struggling with PTSD and chronic pain, all while raising her child alone, working part-time, and studying. She needed support, but
she also needed it to fit her life. Nevya* is a single mother with limited family support. When the weight of her trauma became unmanageable, she reached out to CRCC.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” she says. “I just knew
I couldn’t keep going the way I was.”
After an initial crisis appointment, Nevya* was connected with CRCC’s Brief Intervention pathway, a structured program of four to six sessions focused on stabilisation, distress tolerance, and building practical skills for managing emotions.
For someone juggling parenting, work, and study, this model offered something essential: timely, targeted support that didn’t require an open-ended commitment.
“The sessions gave me tools I could actually use,” she explains. “I started to
recognise my triggers. I learned how to bring myself back when things felt like
too much.”
After three sessions, Nevya* reported fewer days of acute distress and a stronger sense of control. She has committed to completing her remaining sessions, building skills that will help her manage daily life without needing longer-term counselling.
Nevya’s* experience shows that the right support at the right time can make a profound difference. Not everyone needs years of therapy, sometimes what is needed is a short, focused intervention that builds capacity and restores stability.
CRCC’s Brief Intervention pathway offers exactly that: evidence-based, skills-focused support for people navigating complex trauma who need help now.
“I’m not ‘fixed’. I don’t think that’s the goal. But I’m learning to manage the
hard days. That’s everything.” Nevya*
Consent note: Name and identifying details changed. Shared with client consent.