Aurora was founded by Susannah Faithfull in the autumn of 2006 and registered as a charity in Spring 2007.  Susannah based Aurora’s Approach from her own experiences of childhood sexual abuse - primarily perpetrated by her mother - alongside her voluntary and professional work with other adult victims/survivors as a counselling psychologist. From Susannah’s personal recovery - which she regards as a 'work in progress' - and later as a psychotherapist and psychologist, she developed an approach for her own practice which is now utilised at Aurora – this is called the “Aurora Approach”.  This unique approach combines specialist therapeutic and social interventions to effectively help adult men and women heal from all forms of childhood abuse and trauma – especially sexual abuse.

 

Susannah's philosophy of life is to help others who've endured childhood abuse wherever and however she can. As abuse of children is heartrendingly worldwide our small and most precious Aurora cannot help everyone who needs support so Susannah is currently writing a memoir of her childhood to highlight the still endemic issue of childhood trauma and try to bring some hope to those who are struggling out there - perhaps desperately - as she once was. As she says: 

​

"I am testament that there is a life worth living after childhood abuse - I do not suffer as I once did - I am no longer a victim to the demons of my past. Every day, just like all of us who are in any kind of pain - emotional, psychological, physical or whatever - since we all suffer something - I work on myself in whatever ways I need to in order to keep me as fully present in my life as I can. Mostly these days that self-help is primarily to protect and reassure my inner children who were once victims of my mother's rage. But I am no longer a victim and in the absence of maternal love I am a mother to myself. I couldn't have done it alone and there are many, many people and fur family who've helped and supported me over the years. I see it as my utmost privilege to be in a place where I can try to help others. I'm still here and feel such gratitude for my life today. I'd like to help others - if I possibly can - to find the light at the end of their individual tunnel of despair because I truly know what that darkness and despair feels like and I will never forget..."