Sexual Assault, PTSD and the Therapy That Changed Everything

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In this powerful conversation, Maria Lloyd, LMFT sits down with survivor and activist Leslie McFadden to explore her healing journey after a traumatic sexual assault in 2015. Leslie opens up about the emotional toll of navigating the legal system, the importance of support, and her transformative experience with Trauma Incident Reduction (TIR)—a therapeutic modality that helped her overcome PTSD. Together, they discuss the nuances of trauma recovery, the role of advocacy, and how sharing one’s story can become a tool for empowerment and legislative change.

Keywords:
sexual assault, survivor, TIR, PTSD, activism, mental health, support, sexual trauma, PTSD recovery, trauma-informed therapy, complex PTSD, trauma modalities, mental health advocacy, trauma integration

Key Takeaways:

• Leslie McFadden is a survivor and activist who has been on a healing journey since 2015.
• Trauma Incident Reduction (TIR) played a pivotal role in helping Leslie resolve her PTSD.
• Legal systems can be retraumatizing and exhausting for survivors.
• Support—whether from friends, advocates, or therapists—is essential in the healing process.
• Sharing her story has empowered Leslie and helped others understand their rights.
• Leslie’s work with RISE focuses on legislative advocacy for survivor protections.
• Different therapeutic modalities work for different people; TIR was a breakthrough for Leslie.
• TIR involves a trauma inventory and client-led processing that can lead to profound shifts.

You can Reach Leslie via Social media links:

IG: @leslievmcfadden

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcfaddenleslie/

Website: leslie-mcfadden.com (all social accounts are on here)

Here’s a link to contact Victor:

https://www.traumasol.org/Contact

And here’s a link where people can test themselves to see if they have PTSD:

https://www.traumasol.org/Contact

#SexualAssaultSurvivor #PTSDRecovery #TraumaHealing #TraumaInformedTherapy #SurvivorStories #TIR #TraumaIncidentReduction #EndSexualViolence #SurvivorAdvocacy #HealingJourney #TraumaAwareness #MentalHealthAwareness #SurvivorEmpowerment #RiseForSurvivors #FromTraumaToTransformation #PostTraumaticGrowth #HealingIsPossible #YouAreNotAlone #

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***The opinions expressed in these podcasts are not intended to replace official recommendations from your doctor and therapist and should not be construed as such under any circumstance.***

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