'Sex Education' star Aimee Lou Wood says there's a 'tug of war' within her character as she processes her sexual assault this season

• Aimee Lou Wood said there's a "tug of war" within her character in "Sex Education" season 3.

• The Mooredale High student was sexually assaulted by a stranger on the bus in the previous season.

• She starts seeing therapist Jean Milburn to work through the aftermath of the assault.

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"Sex Education" star Aimee Lou Wood said there's a "tug of war" within her character (also named Aimee) as the teenager explores therapy in the aftermath of her sexual assault.

In the latest season of the Netflix show, which premiered on September 17, Aimee regularly visits therapist Jean Milburn (Gillian Anderson) to talk about and process getting sexually assaulted by a stranger on the bus in season two.

"I was very excited for the therapy scenes because, you know, Gillian, but also because therapy means a lot to me," Wood told Insider ahead of the season premiere.

"It's changed my life and it's something that I really talk about and I just think it's amazing," she said of therapy. "I wish everyone had access to it because it is just so incredible."

As Aimee works through her sexual assault in therapy, Wood said there is "this kind of tug of war between new Aimee and old Aimee."

"There's still a kind of her wanting to be in her comfort zone of the old Aimee as she calls it," Wood said about the friendly teenager.

As a result, Aimee is still dating her boyfriend Steve (Chris Jenks) even though she doesn't really love him and instead hopes that an emotional support goat is going to help her feel better about what she's going through.

Wood explained that going to therapy was a "huge step" for her character because the Moordale High student is more comfortable nurturing other people than she is taking care of herself.

"What's so lovely to see is Jean being like, 'You don't have to talk about it yet. We're going to do this when you're ready and you can take as long as you need,'" Wood said.

She added: "I think that's a really important message throughout that things take time and it's a process. It might be uncomfortable but you can do it and you can take as long as you need."

Wood previously said in a June 2020 Digital Spy interview that therapy in lockdown was "uncomfortable," but ultimately helpful.

"Those conversations, you have to sit with them for longer," she said. "But I think it's made me realize fully, for the first time, it's sunk in how much my life changed."

"Sex Education" season three is currently streaming on Netflix.

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