Finding Your Footing: The Crucial First Phase of Trauma Healing
In a previous post on how long trauma therapy can take, I mentioned the Tri-Phasic Model of Healing (therapists really love fancy terms). You may remember that trauma treatment generally has three phases, the first of which is safety and stabilization. I wanted to expand on this a bit more, and also reflect on my own journey as a therapist and a client with Phase 1. As basic as it sounds, this first phase is the crucial groundwork for rebuilding your life. If you experienced trauma in childhood, as so many of us did, this first phase offers the stability and safety to your body and nervous system that you never got.
Why Phase 1 Matters
When we talk about trauma treatment, especially treatment for complex post traumatic stress disorder, we’re usually very focused on the trauma processing (Phase 2), which is working through the memories so they aren’t so upsetting and you aren’t triggered all the time. This is the stuff that, understandably, everyone wants to get to. But the truth is, you cannot build a house on sand. The slightest breeze could topple it! Similarly, trying to delve into the depths of a traumatic experience without first establishing a sense of safety can be overwhelming and destabilizing.
Phase 1 creates the firm ground you need to explore the emotional landscape of trauma without feeling like you're constantly on the verge of collapse. This means addressing the immediate effects of trauma, like hypervigilance, emotional dysregulation, and difficulty coping with daily life. By building a sense of security, you equip yourself with the tools to navigate the deeper emotional processing that comes later.
But I’m tired of coping skills - I want to do real trauma work.
I get it. A part of me really hates coping skills because they don’t address the root cause of trauma, and they don’t stop you from getting triggered in the first place. They can feel like band-aids over a gaping wound. Knowing this, I got trained in EMDR and IFS and started focusing on going straight to the root of trauma. And here’s what I noticed: it didn’t work. In fact, sometimes people felt worse, and we’d have to backtrack and stabilize, anyway (trauma therapy, luckily, is pretty self-correcting).
I also noticed people coming to my practice saying they’d been harmed by previous attempts at EMDR when clinicians just jumped into having them feel the trauma in their body and imagine it happening while doing eye movements. They said it was so re-traumatizing they ended therapy.
Furthermore, I was completely neglecting my own experience with trauma therapy, which included doing a DBT group before jumping into trauma processing. Many years and many rounds of EMDR and IFS later, I still use the skills I learned in DBT.
And then I read a wonderful quote in Joanne Twombly’s book, Trauma and Dissociation Informed Internal Family Systems, which both blew my mind and also inspired this post:
“Working on developing coping skills is working on trauma because it is teaching you what you didn’t get back then. It gives you control over symptoms and your life in a way you’ve never had. Trauma work is not just working on the really bad stuff, it is building what’s missing.”
🤯
She’s absolutely right. Skills are part of trauma processing because they give you something you never got. Phase 1 is a form of re-parenting yourself. Just like good parenting makes you more resilient to life’s ups and downs, Phase 1 makes you more resilient as you head into Phase 2 and face the trauma.
Additionally, skills for Phase 1 are often different than typical coping skills because they’re used as the foundation for deeper work, not as the end goal of treatment.
What Happens in Phase 1?
While the specifics may vary, Phase 1 generally focuses on a few key areas:
Safety and Stabilization: This involves creating a safe space for you in therapy, with safe people in your life, and using mental visualization. It might also include developing coping skills to manage overwhelming emotions, establishing healthy routines, and building a support network of trusted people.
Grounding Techniques: Learning how to stay present in the moment and regulate your nervous system is crucial. This could involve mindfulness exercises, deep breathing techniques, or time orientation (reminding parts that they’re in the present via the body and environment).
Building Self-Compassion: Trauma can lead to self-blame and negative self-talk. Phase 1 helps you cultivate kindness and understanding towards yourself, acknowledging the difficulty of your experience. There is no trauma healing without self-compassion. We know it’s hard, and don’t worry, we’ll work on it together.
Identifying Triggers: Recognizing what triggers your trauma response is crucial for managing it. Working with a therapist can help you identify triggers and develop coping mechanisms.
Self-Care: Prioritizing activities that nourish your mind, body, and spirit is essential for healing. This might include healthy sleep habits, regular exercise, mindfulness practices, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. Our physical health is the oft-neglected foundation of our mental health.
Skills for Building Your Foundation
Many therapeutic approaches offer tools for building a strong foundation in Phase 1. Here are some examples:
Relational Psychotherapy: This emphasizes building a safe and supportive therapeutic relationship. It’s impossible to heal from trauma with a guide you don’t feel safe with!
Education: Therapists and researchers should not be the only ones holding knowledge about trauma, the nervous system, or the brain. Our therapists will share with you how trauma impacts your body and brain, so you can understand your symptoms, normalize your experience, and be empowered to make change.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): DBT equips you with practical skills to manage overwhelming emotions and cope with distress in a healthy way. Techniques like mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotional regulation can help you stay grounded and navigate difficult situations.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): While EMDR is often used later in trauma treatment, we can use principles from EMDR in Phase 1 to “install” a safe or calm place, develop internal resources, and accustom your body and nervous system to feeling calmer.
Internal Family Systems (IFS): IFS helps you understand and manage the different parts of yourself, including those that may have been triggered by trauma. Learning to identify your parts, noticing when the traumatized parts are activated, and identifying the difference between your current Self and those parts can be powerful tools for self-regulation and self-compassion in Phase 1. We can also teach parts skills for managing big feelings and upsetting memories, which is pretty cool.
Remember, Healing is a Journey
Phase 1 is not about rushing into the details of your trauma. It's about creating a safe haven within yourself, a place where you can begin to feel empowered and in control. This process takes time and patience. Be kind to yourself. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small it may seem. With each step you take in Phase 1, you are building a stronger foundation for lasting healing and growth.
If you're interested in learning more about trauma healing and Phase 1, contact us today to schedule a consultation. A therapist can help you develop a personalized plan to address your unique needs and build the secure foundation you deserve.
Please note: This blog post is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for professional therapy, which, by the way, we definitely offer. If you’re looking for a therapist, check us out and schedule a consultation today.
