The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how mental health professionals describe the resilience characteristics and strategies of females who experienced sexual victimization while in college in the southwestern United States. Two theories served as the theoretical foundation for this study: The Constructivist Self-Development (CSDT) and the Self-Determination (SDT) theories. The first research question was how do mental health professionals describe the resilience characteristics of female students who experienced sexual victimization while in college? The second research question was how do mental health professionals describe the strategies used by female students who experienced sexual victimization while in college? Qualitative data was collected using semi-structured interviews and a focus group. Snowball sampling helped to recruit 18 participants that met the study criteria. Data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke's 6-step framework for thematic analysis. Seven themes emerged from the data: being able to communicate, having a support network, having a positive attitude, setting goals for the future through hope, internal/external resources, seeking professional help, and moving past negative emotions. A total of 11 subthemes also emerged. The results indicated that mental health professionals used several resilience characteristics and various strategies to help females who experienced sexual victimization while in college to recover. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]