Phase 1 involves stabilization and gaining competence in key skills which essentially are about learning to feel safe and relaxed in one’s own body and learning how to shift one’s physical/emotional state towards feeling more safe and open to connection.
Phase 1 Goals and Objectives
- Phase 1 is about increasing confidence in one’s ability to influence their mental and emotional state and noticing and interrupting unhelpful loops.
- Build rapport, get oriented to big picture/presenting concerns, positive expectancy.
- Maintain feedback and conversation from session to session to promote positive outcomes.
- Set “smart” goals (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, time bound.)
- Learn and practice the Foundational State Shifting Skills Module (click to learn more).
- Learn and practice Grounding Skills.
- Learn and practice Nervous System Resets.
- If client’s have difficulty with these foundational skills there are even more elemental skills available and additional resources to draw on including collaboration with practitioners who specialize in somatic and sensorimotor approaches.
- Begin applying foundational skills to daily life.
- Review and begin establishing Key Routines.
- Identify if there are additional key skills that must be learned to stabilize one’s life.
- Identify and apply session time to resolving any blocks that need to be resolved in order to make practical use of phase 1 skills.
- Hear client’s story and create a visual timeline of key positive and negative events.
- Visualization of ideal future.
- Phase 1 can be completed once client has gained adequate control over their ability to maintain a relaxed body and shift adequately reduce distress states at will.
- At end of phase 1 retake relevant assessments to track progress (DASS 21, etc.)
- Client decides whether the foundational skills and routines have given them the ability to live the life they want or if they want to proceed with additional processing or skill building phases of the work.
- Phase 1 skills will continue to be used through the future phases.
(Once Phase 1 goals are adequately completed client can choose to proceed to Phase 2 or skip to Phase 3)