What is Holistic Trauma Treatment

Holistic Trauma Treatment

Trauma is a response to something terrible that has happened in your life. The experience becomes so deeply rooted in your mind and memory that it feels nearly inescapable, impacting your self-image, reactions and fears. Whether you need help with trauma stemming from emotional abuse or you survived a life or death situation, you need to know that freedom is possible and a better life awaits. 

The Sanctuary at Sedona in Arizona is a trauma recovery treatment center committed to helping you lay down your burdens and discover long-lasting healing. Our holistic approach to trauma sees you as a whole person with a story and background that are completely unique. We seek to design a personalized trauma recovery program centered around your needs. 

You are not broken, and at The Sanctuary, we don’t treat you that way. Our holistic, non-12 Step trauma treatment program is a journey of empowerment that encourages natural healing from trauma.

What Is Trauma?

As humans, our sense of safety develops according to the messages we get early in life. Trauma, whether it takes place in one dramatic event or repeatedly over time, can shatter that security. In fact, it can make the entire world seem like a dangerous and unfriendly place to live.

Trauma is your mind’s and body’s response to a deeply disturbing event. It overwhelms your ability to cope and can diminish your sense of self and your ability to feel a full range of emotions. If you’ve experienced trauma, there’s a chance that your symptoms can develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And if you’re living in this psychological state, you know how paralyzing it can be. You might:

  • Relive the trauma in your body and mind
  • Avoid anything that reminds you of it
  • Feel constantly on guard
  • Be unable to fall asleep or stay asleep
  • Be afraid to leave the house
  • Blame yourself for what happened

Survivors of trauma often feel guilty and ashamed. This doesn’t mean what happened to you is your fault. In fact, these are common symptoms of trauma.

Non-12 Step Holistic Treatment for Trauma


The Sanctuary at Sedona focuses on holistic trauma recovery. Unlike other treatment programs, our non-12 Step approach sees you as a whole person with your own emotional, mental and physical responses to the trauma you encountered. We personalize your trauma rehab so you can find your individual path to recovery. 

Common belief holds that trauma is a consequence of extreme circumstances like military combat, natural disaster, or physical violence. But the truth is, it can come in many different forms. These include:

  • Acute trauma: Due to an overwhelmingly distressing event
  • Chronic trauma: Resulting from a series of incidents over a longer period of time
  • Developmental trauma: Takes place over the course of early childhood

We now know that trauma doesn’t depend on what happened, but how you respond to it. In fact, your body and brain don’t know the difference between “big” and “small” trauma.

Unfortunately, the world isn’t a trauma-sensitive place. At The Sanctuary, we teach people who are struggling with trauma how to deal with triggers, instead of rearranging their lives to avoid them. Through the intensive healing we offer, you’ll learn how to increase your emotional tolerance so you don’t get overwhelmed as easily. And, you’ll gain competency in dealing with your emotions, so you’re able to more easily regain balance when situations do arise.

Kelley Alexander JD. Program Director of The Sanctuary at Sedona explains Holistic Trauma Treatment.

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What Can Survivors Do to Minimize the Effects of Trauma?

Common belief holds that trauma is a consequence of extreme circumstances like military combat, natural disaster, or physical violence. But the truth is, it can come in many different forms. These include:

  • Acute trauma, due to an overwhelmingly distressing event
  • Chronic trauma, resulting from a series of incidents over a longer period of time
  • Developmental trauma, which takes place over the course of early childhood

We now know that trauma doesn’t depend on what happened, but how you respond to it. In fact, your body and brain don’t know the difference between “big” and “small” trauma.

Unfortunately, the world isn’t a trauma-sensitive place. At The Sanctuary, we teach people who are struggling with trauma how to deal with triggers, instead of rearranging their lives to avoid them. Through the intensive healing we offer, you’ll learn how to increase your emotional tolerance so you don’t get overwhelmed as easily. And, you’ll gain competency in dealing with your emotions, so you’re able to more easily regain balance when situations do arise.

Can You Fully Heal Long-term Trauma?

According to mainstream treatment philosophy, trauma never fully goes away. The best we can hope for in this scenario is managing its symptoms.

But we think differently. In our non-12-Step, holistic paradigm, we help you understand how to completely heal from trauma. We’ve seen this come true for countless people who have been through our program. We’re here to help you unravel the stories you’ve created around your trauma that keep you stuck in unhealthy thought patterns, behaviors, and relationships.

Instead of constantly feeling unsafe, you’ll gain the freedom to fully express yourself in the world. In this empowered state, you’re able to embark on your life’s work and realize your dreams.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

The Sanctuary at Sedona’s integrative trauma treatment program takes a total of 90 days. This starts with 30 days of residential treatment and is followed by 60 days of hands-on continuing care. During this time, you will:

  • Receive detailed assessments to determine the extent of your trauma and pinpoint areas of concern
  • Begin to feel safe, secure, and accepted in our warm and loving environment
  • Establish meaningful relationships with your peers and members of your treatment team
  • Identify core themes and disempowering beliefs you’ve developed over time
  • Recognize the coping strategies you use to help yourself feel better
  • Get clear on what your specific needs are
  • Be able to name and discuss your emotions
  • Release trauma that’s stored in the memory of your nervous system
  • Learn how to better care for your body, brain, and energetic field

This process may at times bring up uncomfortable emotions, which you’ll be able to release in daily group and individual counseling sessions. You may also relieve any stress you experience with relaxing therapies like massage, yoga, and connecting with nature.

As a whole, this process gives you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work through the discomfort in new ways, changing patterns you may have been holding onto for a very long time. And you’ll be in a safe space to do exactly that, surrounded by people who are dedicated to facilitating your unique journey.

What Will Trauma Survivors Take Away From Treatment?

While in treatment, you’ll undo the conditioning that has kept you feeling unsafe. You’ll walk away with skills and outcomes like:

  • A fundamental shift in your perspective
  • Dealing with triggers in a healthy and effective way
  • Feeling less triggered, because your internal narrative has changed
  • Forgiving and accepting yourself
  • Restoring parts of you that have fled due to trauma
  • Embracing positive aspects of yourself
  • Transforming your wounds into sources of strength
  • Reclaiming your inner wisdom and fearlessness
  • Getting back into your body
  • Feeling like yourself again
  • Beginning to see your bigger picture

With your therapists, you’ll develop new strategies that help you feel more capable and confident when it comes to dealing with life’s challenges. And while those challenges will undoubtedly arise, in our definition of success:

  • They’ll show up less frequently
  • You will experience them less intensely when they do,
  • And you’ll move through them more quickly.

This process heals you and has a generational impact in your family — both for those who came before you and for those who will come after you.

Can You Continue Trauma Treatment at Home?

At The Sanctuary, you’ll continue your progress after you return home as a central and integrated part of trauma treatment. During our eight-week continuing care program, you’ll continue meeting with a member of your treatment team one-on-one, every week. You’ll also attend weekly group calls where you’ll get to stay in touch with the friends you made in treatment and continue working together.

This program builds upon the material you worked through at The Sanctuary. It begins by making sure your basic needs are met and your support system is solidly in place. You’ll review the awareness tools you gleaned during your time in treatment, and then get into action around them to incorporate your transformation into your daily life. And throughout the process, we’ll pay special attention to anything that still needs to be a focus.

Ultimately, you’ll hone in on what fuels and excites you. You get to be creative about designing your own life! We’ll connect you with resources that are helpful specifically to you. And as you learn to navigate your life from your new, empowered stance, we’ll be here to help you along the way.

How Can The Sanctuary at Sedona Help Me?

We understand how debilitating trauma can be — and we also know for a fact that you have the ability to change.

You are not destined to live a life of making yourself small. You deserve to be seen and supported, and the world needs what you have to offer!

At The Sanctuary, we provide a pathway to true transformation. One former client describes our program as:

 “Blissfully challenging and graciously rewarding.”

Another alum of our non-12-Step treatment program simply says:

“The Sanctuary is the place that saved my life.”

Give Us a Call Today and Start Walking a Healthier Path

You, too, can experience all the challenges and rewards of this life-changing journey — all you have to do is reach out. Within our beautiful and serene campus located in the red rocks of Sedona, you’ll find an environment purposefully designed to enhance and encourage the healing process — mind, body and soul. Our admissions coordinator is here to answer all your questions and help you figure out the details so you can be on your way to living a life you truly desire.

If you’re ready to break trauma’s hold over your life, we want to be a part of your journey. Contact us online or call us today at (866) 247-9792 to learn more about our holistic trauma recovery program.

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