Building Your Foundation: Safety & Stabilisation
Take your first step towards healing with a foundation of safety and stability. and improved self esteem. Here, we help you understand your trauma responses and build better coping mechanisms empowering you with the skills needed to manage emotions and find strength on your journey.
Finding Safety and Stability After Sexual Violence & Abuse
The Safety & Stabilisation phase is all about creating a safe space where you can begin to reclaim your sense of self. It’s designed to help you understand your feelings and reactions, equipping you with vital skills to manage your emotions. This step lays the groundwork for resilient recovery, focusing on your strengths, how you've survived and goal setting.
Building a Foundation of Safety and Stability
This phase empowers you to regain control over your life, reducing feelings of powerlessness and vulnerability.
By developing healthy coping mechanisms and better management techniques, you strengthen your ability to handle challenges and setbacks.
A stable foundation allows you to engage more deeply in therapy and other healing modalities, leading to lasting transformation.
What to Expect in the Safety and Stabilisation Phase?
Prioritising Self-Care: Engaging in activities that promote physical and emotional well-being, such as mindfulness, yoga, or spending time in nature.
Building a Support Network: Connecting with trusted friends, family, or joining support groups to foster a sense of belonging and understanding.
Establishing Healthy Boundaries: Setting limits with others to protect your emotional and physical space.
Managing Emotional Responses: Learning to identify and manage intense emotions, such as anxiety, anger, or sadness.
Seeking Professional Help: Consulting with a therapist or counsellor to develop coping strategies and process trauma.
Improving your feelings of personal safety: Implementing emotional safety techniques
Your journey to healing begins with the Safety and Stabilisation phase.
The first step is to contact us. You can reach out through our website, phone, text or email. A member of our team will discuss your needs and connect you with appropriate support services. We'll aim to make contatct with you within 2 working days.
Once you've connected with SiT, you'll undergo an initial assessment to determine your specific needs and develop a personalised care plan and recommendations based on your circumstances.
Understanding trauma and its impact is crucial for recognising the need for support, the type of support and promoting recovery.
You'll learn techniques to manage emotions, such as anxiety, anger, or sadness. This may include mindfulness, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that navigating the healing process can be overwhelming. Here are some common questions about the Safety and Stabilisation phase:
Creating a safer environment involves identifying and minimising potential triggers, establishing healthy boundaries, and surrounding yourself with supportive people.
The duration of this phase varies for each individual. It depends on the severity of trauma, the availability of support, and personal progress as well as the objectives you set.
Techniques like deep breathing, grounding exercises, and seeking professional help can help manage intense emotions.
This is a common part of the healing process. If you experience a setback, don't be too hard on yourself. Seek support from your therapist or support group and remember your self-care practices and learning.
Some effective self-care techniques include mindfulness, meditation, yoga, journaling, spending time in nature, and engaging in hobbies.
Yes, it's completely normal to feel overwhelmed, anxious, or sad during this phase. It's important to be patient with yourself and reach out for support when its needed. You are not alone
Our Three-Phased Approach
We work to a 3 phase response to trauma, Dr. Pierre Janet conceived of the phased framework to trauma recovery in the late 1800’s and Dr. Judith Herman made it more readily known in her groundbreaking book, Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence (1992). This is the evidence based model we use to navigate survivors through trauma recovery, but understand that no on size fits all.
Specialist trauma therapy (also known as Remembrance and Mourning). This will most often take the form of trauma informed therapy or counselling sessions or a recommended group therapy programme.
Focus on rebuilding and strengthening. This may take place through alternative therapies, other activities, peer support or through referrals to other organisations.
Survivor Resources & Research
Learning from other survivors journeys can be a powerful tool, and make you feel much less alone. Access specialist articles, survivor stories, and evidence-based research about childhood sexual violence recovery and support.
Articles and guides covering trauma responses, recovery stages, and practical support strategies for survivors of childhood sexual violence.
A curated collection of poems written by survivors of sexual abuse, sharing personal experiences of trauma, healing, and recovery. *Please note that whilst this content is moderated you may find some of it triggering so please take care*
Key findings from our research , revealing crucial insights into sexual violence and abuse, how survivors access support services, costs to the NHS and survivor experiences, and more
With your support, we can help more survivors access the support they need when they need it. Every donation directly funds our work to supporting those affected by sexual violence.
