Trauma recovery is a scary process in part because we do not understand what it looks like. Many folks who begin or plan to begin trauma processing feel overwhelmed because they are worried about what the process and fear that it will be re-traumatizing, making their symptoms even worse than they were before.
In this article, we're going to look at what the trauma recovery process looks like, breaking it down into four stages. Hopefully, this article gives you a sense of what to expect and makes the process just a little bit less scary.
One really important note is that while we have broken the process down into four distinct stages, in reality, it is not as clear and definitive as this article makes it seem. The reality is that you will flow between the stages, moving back and forth throughout your healing journey. As you build safety and move into processing, you might find that you need to return to safety in order to continue doing the processing work. This in no way means that you are not doing trauma healing and recovery properly. True trauma recovery does require us to go through the stages many, many times, each time recovering more deeply than the time before. If you find yourself returning to previous steps, try to take this as a positive sign that you are moving forward because each time we go through the process, we become a little bit more stabilized.
The 4 Stages
Stage 1: Safety and Stabilization
The first stage of trauma recovery is all about finding safety and stability. This stage focuses on building a foundation where you can feel safe enough to begin the processing. Think of it this way: the trauma itself was very overwhelming and distressing. If we asked you to move right back into the trauma right away, it's very likely that you would feel just as distressed and overwhelmed thinking about it as you did experiencing it the first time. By helping you ground, build safety, and regulate your nervous system, we can build a foundation in which you have a new experience when you return to the trauma to process it. Many people, in the desire to feel better sooner, rush through this step. The reality is if we can slow down here and stay for a long period, the next stages of the process will move much more quickly.
Key aspects of this stage of recovery include:
Physical Safety: Ensuring you are in an environment free from harm.
Emotional Safety: Developing a sense of control over your emotions.
Stabilization: Managing symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, and dissociation.
For some folks, it might be important for us to note here that you do not have to have complete safety in all aspects of your life before you can move forward from this stage. Often we cannot feel completely safe because we are still re-experiencing traumatic symptoms such as flashbacks or nightmares. It is only through processing our trauma that we will find true safety. In this stage, we are not trying to make you feel safe all the time; we are helping you feel safe enough that you can continue with the process. If you are working with a therapist, they will help you determine when you feel safe enough to continue and move to the next stage.
Stage 2: Awareness Building
The next stage of trauma recovery is building awareness. This stage is especially important if the trauma that you have experienced is interpersonal in nature (i.e., took place between people) or if it is more complex in nature. If the trauma was more clear in the sense that it had a defined beginning and end, it's possible that you already have a lot of awareness and understanding of the trauma. But if the trauma was interpersonal in nature and left you feeling confused about your role or why you did certain things, building awareness is going to be a crucial step to help you understand the trauma more deeply.
Key components of this stage include:
Self-Reflection: Identifying triggers and patterns in your reactions.
Mindfulness Practices: Techniques such as meditation and deep breathing to increase awareness of your body and mind.
Psychoeducation: Learning about trauma and its effects to better understand your experiences.
The more aware of your trauma and your bodily responses that you can be, the more that you will feel empowered and understand your trauma or PTSD. When you have a deep understanding of your trauma or PTSD, there's actually a safety and control that comes with the process, allowing our next stage, processing, to occur more effectively.
Stage 3: Processing
Once a sense of safety is established and awareness is built, the next stage involves actively processing the trauma. This stage is about working through traumatic memories and the emotions attached to them. This is the stage that people often think of when they think of healing trauma.
There are many, many, many ways of processing trauma. Here are some of the most common ones:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A therapy that uses guided eye movements to help the brain process and integrate traumatic memories.
Parts Work Therapy: Modalities such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) that focus on understanding and healing different parts of oneself that hold trauma.
Somatic Therapy: Moving into the body to process the trauma held in your muscles and nervous system.
Stage 4: Reconnection and Integration
The final stage of trauma recovery involves rebuilding your life and reconnecting with the world around you. This stage is about integrating the lessons learned from your trauma and creating a new sense of self. Think of it this way: trauma changed who you are. There is no denying it; the person you were before the trauma is not the person that you are after the trauma. As such, once your trauma is processed, you're going to need to take time to learn who you are today and how you would like to move forward in the world, given that the trauma has happened.
Key components of this stage include:
Developing New Relationships: Forming healthy and supportive connections.
Finding Meaning: Discovering new purpose and meaning in life beyond the trauma.
Building a New Future: Determining what you have learned from your trauma and what you want to do moving forward.
This stage of trauma recovery is often considered exciting by many folks because this is the time where you get to plan for your future, focus on who you want to become, and live a life that is led by your values.
Common Misconceptions About Trauma Recovery
Myth 1: Recovery Happens Quickly
Many people believe that trauma recovery should be swift, but the reality is that it often takes time. The stages of trauma recovery can vary for each person, and it’s important to allow yourself the time you need to heal fully.
Myth 2: Recovery is Linear
Some think that each day gets better and better until you reach a point where you are “done" healing and have “arrived." The reality of trauma recovery is that it is more of a cycle; you are able to return to the process in new ways.
Myth 3: You Have to Do It Alone
Trauma recovery is not a solo journey. Building a support network of friends, family, and professionals can provide invaluable support and encouragement.
Tips for Navigating the Stages of Trauma Recovery
Seek Professional Support: Working with a trauma-informed therapist can provide the guidance and support needed through each stage. If you are located in British Columbia, we have a team ready to support you!
Be Patient with Yourself: Healing from trauma is not linear, and setbacks are a normal part of the process.
Practice Self-Care: Prioritize activities that promote well-being and self-compassion.
Join a Support Group: Connecting with others who have experienced trauma can offer a sense of community and understanding.
Celebrate Small Victories: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small it may seem.
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