Trauma Therapy: What's the Process? - Part Three

Finally, there is the third stage: integration. What this means is: how do you integrate into a whole person who is not living day in and day out from a place of trauma? This may involve learning new skills, creating new relationships or developing your own sense of personal identity. This stage is about creating the life that you have always dreamed of. This is about using your values and passions to create a meaningful life for yourself. Your past no longer defines you. You don’t think about your trauma as this ominous thing, lurking around the corner, constantly waiting for the next trigger to knock you off your feet. This is where, for many, you truly see the transformation. You are the same person, but you feel different. You don’t have all the shame, self-hate, hopelessness. You may even learn to love yourself.

These stages are not linear, and people often dip in and out of each one. Needing to go back to the first phase to re-establish safety and stabilization. Or going back into the second stage after you’ve gotten to the third. I have experienced these things myself. I have walked in similar shoes and although this process may sound daunting, I can promise you it is worth the battle to experience deep, lasting healing. At Safe Haven Trauma Services, we are available to walk alongside you. You will not be alone. Contact our office at 615-241-6130 or fill out a contact form here. 

This is part three of a three part series on the trauma therapy process.