Recovering from trauma can be a long and daunting process. Finding a therapist who will empathize with your trauma but also work to help you heal is just another element that can delay full recovery. While memories and feelings may not ever fully go away, you can work to control them and limit symptoms like nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks.
The stages of trauma recovery will look different for each person. Each stage is filled with a few different actions that will help you to handle overwhelming emotions better. Recovering from trauma doesn’t mean you will totally forget what has occurred, it just means that you will have better resources to cope. Below, we will discuss what each stage can look like and how you can heal through trauma therapy.
1- Safety & Stability
Those affected by trauma often feel unsafe in their body, in relationships, in social situations, or around others who may have abused them. The first step in healing is for trauma holders to regain a sense of safety and stability. Regulating emotions is difficult for trauma holders. The first step in therapy is to relearn how to regulate or soothe emotions.
Speaking about the traumas can also cause emotional overwhelm. This is why providing safety and emotional stability is what trauma therapy focuses on first. Therapists will be unable to get to the root issue if the patient cannot articulate what happened. During the stages of trauma, a person will learn how to regulate feelings, resist the temptation of risky coping behaviors, and manage fears.
2- Remembering And Grieving
After the first stage, individuals may be able to process the trauma more deeply. Once they feel safe from more harm, trauma holders can better remember the events that occurred. Trauma is usually accompanied by amnesia and dissociation. Working with a mental health professional, patients can explore past events through a different lens without dissociating from the pain.
When you experience trauma, there may be emotions, events, or memories that are stolen from you. During this stage, therapists will acknowledge what you have lost and grieve with you. Going through trauma therapy will also require your physical body to heal. This could bring back physical pain, chronic illness, headaches, and more. Navigating triggers is the key element of this stage.
3- Reconnecting & Integration
Creating a new sense of self can help trauma survivors live a full life without letting their trauma control them. During this stage, the trauma will no longer be the driving factor in someone’s life. While the trauma will be integrated into their story, it won’t define them. During this stage of trauma therapy, a patient will recognize how the trauma impacted them and take steps toward empowerment.
As true healing really gets underway, it may feel overwhelming to think about life moving forward. Once your trauma doesn’t define you, it could feel daunting to build new friendships and relationships, communicate your needs, set goals, etc. Trauma therapy will help you integrate better into your community and feel like a contributing member of society.
4- Consolidation And Resolution
During the last stage of trauma recovery, individuals should work on setting new goals. Consolidation and resolution do not mean completely erasing the trauma from your memory, but rather finding a way to reframe your life to experience new things while reducing the effects of trauma. Cognitive restructuring a reframing are often used in trauma therapy to help holders reach this stage. Giving a trauma holder the ability to better navigate challenges in the future determines successful trauma recovery.
Trauma Recovery Takes Time
All those who seek therapy need to remember that their journey is unique. All therapy types are unique to the individual and are a journey for the patient. Trauma patients should give themselves grace during all stages of trauma recovery. Comparing your healing journey to others will only undermine your progress. Every person’s trauma and therapy proceedings will look different. Recovery and growth are possible when you go in with a willing mind and understand that healing isn’t linear.
Trauma Therapy From OPS
Experiencing trauma throws your world out of order. No matter what trauma you have experienced, our therapists have techniques that can work for you. Trauma therapy recognizes the signs and symptoms of trauma and knows that there are multiple paths to recovery. OPS is proud to serve our community with different types of therapy and evidence-based techniques. We know that seeking therapy can be scary, but we are here to make your transition as soon as possible. Reach out to us to schedule your first appointment today!
