Acupuncture sessions will soon be offered as a free, alternative method of therapy for rape victims.
Starting Sept. 16, Alachua County Victim Services & Rape Crisis Center will offer free acupuncture therapy during confidential individual and group counseling sessions for survivors of rape trauma and sexual assault.
"Acupuncture therapy has been proven to help with headaches, stress, insomnia and indigestion," said Linda Murray, victim advocate therapist at the crisis center.
"These symptoms are similar to the ones survivors of rape trauma go through."
The 12-week program will accommodate five women with 10 acupuncture sessions at Dragon Rises College of Oriental Medicine, Murray said.
Even though acupuncture itself is gaining popularity, the idea of using it to treat the post-traumatic symptoms of rape victims is still new, said Amy Galvan, a Dragon Rises student who suggested the program two months ago.
"When I started learning about acupuncture and started realizing how much this could help, I decided I was going take this to the community," Galvan said.
The program's acupuncture therapy sessions consist of certified acupuncturists pricking certain points to liberate the chi, the Chinese concept of a life force that connects body, mind and spirit, Galvan said.
Galvan said Dragon Rises specializes in healing "heart shock," which is when the body and mind have a difficult time going back to a normal state after a trauma like sexual assault.
"It can facilitate the healing process in counseling by removing mental roadblocks and producing faster recovery," she said.
For more information about the program, please contact Linda Murray at 352-264-6768.
