[hocus pocus]

Seeking help is something your boyfriend has to do when he is ready and I am glad you offered to go to counseling with him for extra support. Counseling does help for a lot of people. In the meantime, encourage him to find some outlets and ask him to talk about what he's been through. Maybe you can encourage him to journal or blog about his abuse because just getting it out helps a lot more than you'd think. Keeping it inside is unhealthy and talking about his experiences and getting validation will help him begin to accept it.

I think just letting him know you're around if he needs anything will help a lot. It also helps if you're there just to hang out. You don't necessarily need to talk about his past. You can talk about anything or do anything because your presence will help him.