After you've made the decision to heal, you may decide to get some professional help to begin your journey. There are many kinds of help available to you. You may decide that you would rather begin with your favorite doctor or the confidentiality of a priest or pastor. Many survivors end up with psychiatrists because of physical issues, such as the nightmares, flashbacks, body memories, or anxiety/panic attacks. Some might prefer a family counselor or marriage therapist if significant others are involved. They all have their drawbacks and features but you have to decide which is the most appropriate for you. There is another decision to be made as well. Whether to go with the traditional proven psycotherapy that typically for sexual abuse victims lasts for 3-5 years, or whether to invest time in a newer type of therapy like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. You should do a little research into both areas and make the decision that is best for you. After you've decided what type of therapist and therapy you would like, concentrate on the qualifications of a therapist or counselor. Although many will want nothing less than a psycologist or psychiatrist, Sometimes a licensed pastoral therapist with years of experience in domestic violence/abuse can make a wonderful counselor to accelerate your healing journey. Go to your favorite search engine like Google or Bing and look for the type of therapist you want to research.