TRAUMA THERAPY

The PHASES of

Processing Trauma in Most Therapy Modalities

Safety and Stabilization

BUILDING TRUST AND LEARNING SKILLS

Phase one is all about building safety and stability. Your therapist will focus on earning your trust so that your sessions feel emotionally safe and supportive. During this time, you’ll learn practical tools for self-care, managing emotions, and practicing self-compassion that will help you throughout your therapy journey.

Your therapist will also share helpful information about trauma and how it affects the mind and body. You’ll learn that trauma responses are your body’s normal reactions to overwhelming situations, even if they show up as symptoms in your daily life. Understanding these responses can help make sense of your experience and reduce feelings of shame or self-blame.
This phase also involves exploring your personal history to give your therapist a better understanding of your background and the themes that might come up in treatment.

Trauma Processing

Beginning to shift stuck trauma

The second phase of trauma therapy is processing, sometimes called trauma “reprocessing”. When we reprocess memories, they can move into a space of feeling less triggering in the present. It is important to be able to process traumatic memories in a safe and supportive environment. This process may involve exploring images, emotions, sensations in the body, and negative beliefs that have created internalized trauma narratives.



This should be done at a pace that feels manageable for you, ensuring that you feel supported and empowered throughout the process. During this phase, you continue practicing skills and adding to your toolbox from phase one, as they can enhance your resilience, help you regulate your emotions, cope with triggers, and navigate difficult situations.

Integration

Applying trauma therapy to your everyday life



In the integration phase of trauma therapy, the focus shifts from processing traumatic memories to integrating these experiences into your sense of self and identity. This phase is characterized by reflection, exploration, and making meaning as you reconcile your past traumas with your present life. Your therapist will guide you through this process, helping you identify how your traumatic experiences have shaped your beliefs, values, and behaviors. By examining the impact of trauma on your sense of identity, you can begin to reclaim ownership of your narratives and redefine who you are in more healthy and whole ways.

Maintenance

PRACTICING SKILLS AND SELF-CARE

The fourth and final stage is maintenance. In this phase, you continue to identify triggers, utilize your healthy skills, develop a support network, and engage in self-care. The focus shifts towards consolidating the progress made during earlier stages of treatment and equipping yourself with the tools you need to sustain your healing over the long term. Therapists work collaboratively with you to identify potential challenges or triggers that may arise post-treatment and develop proactive strategies for managing these obstacles effectively.

Further Reading and RESOURCES in our BLOG

Our blog focuses on education, skills, and practices to help you on your journey toward healing.

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