The process of treatment and planning of therapy often involves three distinct phases, each with its own set of goals and interventions. These phases are:
Stabilization Phase: The first phase of trauma treatment planning focuses on establishing safety, building trust, and stabilizing the individual's emotional and psychological state. The primary goal is to help an individual feel secure enough to begin processing their traumatic experiences. Interventions during this phase may include safety planning, mindfulness techniques, relaxation exercises, and education about trauma and its effects.
Processing Phase: The second phase of trauma treatment planning involves processing the traumatic experiences and memories. The goal is to help an individual gain a deeper understanding of what happened and how it has affected them, as well as to desensitize them to the trauma. Interventions during this phase may include, somatic psychology, sensorimotor psychotherapy, tracking the levels of arousal in the nervous system, cognitive restructuring, and other trauma informed techniques.
Integration Phase: The third and final phase of trauma treatment planning focuses on helping an individual to integrate their experiences into their larger life narrative, and to develop new coping skills and strategies to help them move forward. Moving from a place of survival to thriving. The goal is to help the individual feel empowered and able to resume normal functioning in their daily life. Interventions during this phase may include psychoeducation, addressing social supports, and integration of learning, including the link and balance between cognitive understanding, and somatic awareness.
Trauma treatment planning is not a linear process, and individuals may move back and forth between these phases depending on their individual needs and progress. Trauma informed treatment is tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual.
Carol Duffy