Support after sexual harm — at your pace, in your time.
If you’ve experienced any form of sexual abuse — whether recently or long ago, in New Zealand or as a Kiwi overseas — you are likely eligible for free therapy through ACC’s Sensitive Claims pathway.
This process is designed to be supportive, private, and entirely led by you.
There is no cost, no need to prove anything, and no requirement to talk about what happened until you feel ready.
Whether your experience feels recent and raw, or unclear and far away, we’re here to help you make sense of how it may have affected you — and how healing might begin.
What is ACC-Funded Therapy?
ACC provides fully funded, open-ended therapy for people who have experienced sexual abuse or assault in New Zealand (or as a NZ citizen abroad). This is called a Sensitive Claim.
At Talking Cure, we are registered ACC providers and experienced in working with a wide range of trauma presentations. Some clients come knowing what they’ve been through has deeply affected them. Others aren’t sure if what happened “counts,” or whether it’s connected to how they’re feeling now. Wherever you are on that spectrum — you are welcome.
Am I Eligible?
You don’t need a referral or any documentation — just reach out to us.
You’ll be offered up to three initial sessions to talk things through with a therapist and see if ACC’s pathway is right for you.
If you decide to proceed, your therapist can help guide you through the process — including the paperwork (which we handle for you).
To be eligible for long-term support, two things need to be true:
- You’ve experienced some form of sexual abuse or assault in NZ or while abroad as a Kiwi
- That experience has contributed in some way to your emotional wellbeing or mental health
Your therapist can talk through what this means — gently, and at your pace.
What Will We Work On in Therapy?
Just because you’ve experienced sexual harm doesn’t mean that’s the only thing affecting you now.
You might be struggling with anxiety, low mood, relationship stress, or just feeling disconnected from yourself — and that’s where we’ll start.
ACC-funded therapy isn’t limited to talking about the abuse. It’s about supporting your whole wellbeing, in the ways that matter most to you right now.
We work with the whole person, not just the trauma.
Together, we’ll figure out what’s showing up in your life — emotionally, mentally, relationally — and begin there.
What Kind of Therapy is Offered?
Every therapist at Talking Cure is experienced in working with trauma. We know that healing is not linear, and we tailor the pace and focus of therapy to what feels right for you.
We drawn on a range of evidence-based approaches, tailoring treatment to your needs. These include:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)
- Psychodynamic and relational psychotherapy
- Body-based therapies
- Art and movement-based therapy
- Schema Therapy
- CBT and ACT
This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We’ll work with you to find a style and rhythm that feels safe, supportive, and effective.
Things You Should Know
- ACC therapy is completely free — there is no cost to you
- You don’t have to talk about the abuse until you’re ready
- You don’t have to know exactly what happened, or how it’s affected you — that’s something we can explore together
- Therapy can be short-term or long-term — there’s no set limit.
- The first step is simply reaching out
- Everything you share is confidential — your privacy is protected and respected at all times. However, ACC do require us to share some information with them. Your therapist can explain this to you
How to Get Started
You can contact us directly — no GP referral needed.
We’ll connect you with a therapist for an initial meeting, and take things from there.
What Happens When You Reach Out
If you decide to explore ACC-funded therapy, we’ll support you every step of the way. The process is simple, confidential, and entirely guided by what feels right for you.
1. Book an initial session
You don’t need a referral or any paperwork — just get in touch with us directly.
Before Your First Session: A Brief Intro Chat
When you reach out to us, we’ll often start with a brief conversation — either by email or phone — with one of our therapists. This helps us get a general sense of what’s going on for you, so we can match you with the therapist best suited to your needs.
It’s informal and supportive, and there’s no pressure or commitment — just a chance to make sure you’re connected with the right person before you begin. We’ll match you with a therapist who has experience supporting people through trauma in a gentle, compassionate way.
2. Attend up to six initial sessions
These early sessions give you space to talk about what’s going on for you, get to know your therapist, and explore whether this pathway feels right.
- In your first or second session, your therapist will ask for a very general time frame of when the sexual harm occurred — this is a basic requirement from ACC, but no other details are needed
- You don’t need to talk about the abuse unless or until you feel ready
- If you’re unsure about the details or find it hard to talk about, that’s completely okay
- There is no commitment — you’re free to pause or stop the process at any time
3. If you feel comfortable continuing…
Your therapist will organise the next step for you: either a Specialist Cover Assessment or a Cover and Wellbeing Plan, depending on your needs. These are part of ACC’s process for confirming eligibility for long-term therapy.
- The report may be completed by your therapist or by a psychologist we work with
- You don’t need to submit anything yourself — we take care of this for you
- Even during this stage, there is no pressure to talk about the details of what happened to you. You’ll never be asked to share more than you feel ready to
- Your therapist will guide you through the process and help you understand what to expect
- Everything is done at your pace, and nothing is rushed or forced
4. If your claim is approved
Once your eligibility is confirmed, ACC will fund ongoing therapy for as long as you need it. This can be short-term or long-term — there’s no fixed number of sessions, and no cost to you.
Have you experienced sexual harm?
Fully funded support — no referral needed.