Understanding the 3 Phases of Trauma Treatment

As a practice that specializes in trauma treatment, one of the most common misconceptions we encounter is the belief that trauma therapy begins with processing the trauma itself—as soon as someone feels mentally ready. While mental readiness is an important part of the journey, effective trauma therapy follows a phased approach to ensure safety, stability, and long-term, sustainable healing. In this post, we’ll walk you through the three essential phases of trauma treatment: Stabilization, Trauma Processing, and Integration.

Phase 1: Stabilization

Instead of starting by diving into someone's past, stabilization involves building safety and skills in the present. Stabilization in the context of trauma work focuses on preparing the mind and nervous system to face the stressful - and, oftentimes, disturbing memories that need to be reprocessed in phase 2 of trauma work. This preparation typically involves:

• Teaching nervous system regulation tools (somatic, sensory, grounding)

• Developing trauma-informed coping strategies, including grounding and emotional regulation skills

• Building awareness of triggers, dissociation, and emotional flashbacks

• Resourcing (i.e., calm place, internal and external supports, containment skills)

• Enhancing ego strength (i.e. the capacity to handle stress without compromising identity)

• Strengthening the therapeutic alliance and establishing consent-based safety

• Avoiding re-traumatization while improving tolerance for emotion and body sensations

• Identifying current life stressors that may need support before trauma work begins

All evidence-based trauma treatment modalities, such as EMDR and Somatic Experiencing, include stabilization as part of the treatment process.

Phase 2: Trauma Processing

After building a foundation of safety and stabilization, clients can move into the processing stage of trauma treatment. With the help of stabilization skills learned, trauma processing focuses on exploring the experiences that caused the trauma in the first place. Processing involves approaching those painful memories, emotions, body sensations, and beliefs in a safe, supported, and structured way, so that they can be fully integrated and no longer control how a person feels or functions.

Trauma processing can look different depending on the approach used by the individual therapist. For example, in EMDR, clients use bilateral stimulation (i.e. eye movements) to help the brain reprocess traumatic memories. Somatic Experiencing focuses on tracking physical sensations and completing the body’s survival responses that were "stuck" during the trauma. Internal Family Systems (IFS), clients connect with “parts” of themselves that carry trauma and help release the emotional burdens those parts have held. Methods like Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), focus on identifying and shifting trauma-related beliefs.

While the techniques vary, the goal of this phase is the same: it aims to move people through their trauma, rather than remaining stuck in it.

Phase 3: Integration

After processing trauma, individuals often ask questions like, “Who am I now?” Integration focuses on answering that question by weaving new insights and emotional shifts into daily life. In this stage, clients often notice they respond to stress differently, feel more compassion toward themselves, and experience fewer trauma-driven reactions. They may begin to set healthier boundaries, engage more fully in relationships, or explore parts of themselves that were shut down by trauma.

This phase of therapy helps support clients in strengthening their post-trauma identity. Integration is where healing becomes lasting, and where trauma no longer takes center stage in the client’s life.

Why The 3-Phase Model Is Important

If you know you're ready for trauma work, but don't know where to start, it's likely you will start with stabilization. Even if you know you want to work on a trauma-specific modality (i.e. EMDR), you may not need to wait to get started. Stabilization work can be done with any clinician at Sustainable Wellness - including our clinical interns who offer low-cost therapy through our Supervised Training Program.

Whether you're a prospective client curious about what trauma therapy entails, or a referring provider wondering how our team approaches trauma work, we hope this overview offers some clarity and guidance. We are here to answer any additional questions regarding the process.

Follow our 5-step process or fill out our New Client Inquiry Form to get started with your therapy journey.

References

1. Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery: The aftermath of violence—from domestic abuse to political terror.

2. Shapiro, F. (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

3. Schwartz, R. C. (2021). No Bad Parts: Healing trauma and restoring wholeness with the Internal Family Systems model.

4. Schwartz, R. C., & Sweezy, M. (2020). Internal family systems therapy (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

5. Levine, P. A. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing trauma. North Atlantic Books.

6. Courtois, C. A., & Ford, J. D. (Eds.). (2013). Treating complex traumatic stress disorders in adults: Scientific foundations and therapeutic models (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

7. Siegel, D. J. (2012). The Developing Mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.