Seeking Safety Therapy in Los Angeles

The World Health Organization reports that nearly 70% experience a traumatic event in their life at some point. While Los Angeles is one of the most notable cities in the U.S., wide-scale disasters like wildfires, pandemics, and personal tragedies mean that trauma is a growing concern that requires targeted healing.

Seeking safety therapy in Los Angeles is an evidence-based model that focuses on what you can do in the present time so that you can heal from trauma and substance use to break out of this pernicious cycle and create a better future for yourself.

Seeking safety therapy was developed in 1992 by Lisa Najavits. It is a trauma-focused therapy that is used to treat trauma and other co-occurring conditions, like substance use disorders (SUDs).

Linda Whiteside, Clinical Supervisor at the NuView Treatment Center,/a>, says, “Seeking safety therapy does not require a formal diagnosis of trauma, PTSD, or substance use. It identifies unsafe behaviors and equips you with healthier coping mechanisms.”

The seeking safety model is based on 25 topics, which explore the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and relationship patterns in your life. They are as follows:

I. Introduction

The therapist introduces you to seeking safety therapy. They will also get to know you and discuss your case management details.

II. Safety

Safety is the targeted focus of the Seeking Safety model. It is the first stage of healing from trauma and other related struggles.

III. Taking Back Power

Your therapist uses psychoeducation to inform you about your trauma and how it can lead to other challenges you may be facing in your life.

IV. Grounding

You and your therapist will work on detaching yourself from the emotional pain of trauma in a healthy manner. You learn how to use physical, mental, and other soothing exercises.

V. When Substance Use Takes Control

You are provided with eight handouts, which are meant to educate you on how substances can take control of your life. This can be provided during therapy and even outside of it.

VI. Help-Seeking Behavior

In the case of trauma and substance use, you need to have a strong social support system to rely on. The seeking safety model promotes help-seeking behavior as something crucial, not as something that makes you weak.

VII. Self-Care

Your therapist will understand how you take care of yourself, as self-care is crucial to healing. If any aspects of self-care are missing, you and your therapist will work toward incorporating them into your life.

VIII. Self-Compassion

Trauma can make you become frustrated with yourself. So, seeking safety therapy allows you to approach yourself with empathy and forgiveness.

IX. Red and Green Flags

Red and green flags refer to the signs of danger and safety. You and your therapist work on identifying and dealing with the red flags while building on the green flags.

X. Honesty

You have to be honest with yourself regarding your trauma and other struggles. You can achieve this with role-playing exercises.

XI. Recovery Thinking

Recovery thinking takes a more optimistic view toward trauma and substance use - in making informed decisions, incorporating healthy living habits, and more. You and your therapist will collaborate to replace your negative thinking patterns with recovery thinking.

XII. Integrating the Split Self

Splitting is a defence mechanism common with trauma. Your therapist will work with you to identify the split nature of your self - that side of yourself that either denies or is ambivalent toward trauma. You will then learn to integrate the split self to overcome trauma and other challenges.

XIII. Commitment

Your therapist will instill the importance of keeping the promises you have made to yourself and to others. You will also learn other strategies to increase your commitment levels.

XIV. Creating Meaning

Your meaning of trauma and other struggles is uncovered. Negative meanings are contrasted with meanings of healing and recovery.

XV. Community Resources

You will learn to foster a sense of community in your healing journey. You will be provided with information regarding community resources like self-help groups and advocacy organizations.

XVI. Setting Boundaries

You will learn and establish healthy boundaries in your relationships. This is especially important in the cases of interpersonal abuse, neglect, and violence.

XVII. Discovery

In the case of trauma, a rigid mindset can develop. You will use discovery as a tool to combat this rigidity and become open to new information and experiences.

XVIII. Developing Social Support

Your loved ones are crucial to your recovery. You will be encouraged to identify those in your life who are supportive of, neutral toward, or negative toward your recovery. Based on this, you will cultivate relationships that encourage you, and you can also have them attend therapy sessions with you.

You will also promote the understanding of trauma and other struggles like anxiety, depression, and substance use in your social circles to find support and encourage others toward recovery.

XIX. Coping With Triggers

Your triggers are categorized into who, what, and where. By changing who you are with, what you do, and where you are, you can cope with your triggers.

XX. Respecting Time

Your therapist will encourage you to understand the time you have lost till now and how you can make the best of your time going forward.

XXI. Healthy Relationships

As trauma can lead to unhealthy relationships, you will develop the skills to foster positive relationships in your life.

XXII. Self-Nurturing

As you begin to recover from trauma, you learn to nurture yourself. However, there are safe and unsafe self-nurturing methods. So, you and your therapist identify the unsafe self-nurturing methods (like substance use) and build on the safe ones.

XXIII. Healing From Anger

Anger can be both helpful and unhelpful, so you will learn how to best deal with your anger to heal.

XXIV. Life Choices

This is like a game and sets the stage for termination, which will come after. You are given some unsettling circumstances, and you are required to respond to how you are going to cope with them. The goal is to reinforce the coping skills you learned.

XXV. Termination

You identify what you liked and disliked about seeking safety therapy. Then, you and your therapist will create a personalized aftercare plan for your lasting recovery.

Linda Whiteside says, “It was Maxine Harris and Roger Fallot who first advocated that trauma needs to be an immediate consideration for substance use patterns toward a lasting recovery. The Seeking Safety model is an effort, and a highly effective one at that, in this direction.”

Seeking safety therapy is listed on the National Registry of Evidence-Based Practices and Programs (NREPP) as one of the strongly supported therapies for trauma, PTSD, and substance use disorders. It offers a wide range of benefits, such as:

• The therapy addresses co-occurring conditions of trauma, vicarious trauma, PTSD, and substance use.
• You will develop the skills to feel safe and cope in high-risk conditions that can otherwise be detrimental or dangerous.
• You learn to make informed, healthy life choices, build strong interpersonal relationships, and practice self-compassion.
• The therapy promotes a growth-oriented mindset as you move toward a more optimistic and fulfilling tomorrow.

Over a million struggle with substance use disorders in Los Angeles, as we speak. Seeking safety therapy is a unique therapy that focuses on the underlying traumatic patterns that can lead to substance use.

The Seeking Safety model is not just theory - it focuses on practical concepts that inform you how your trauma is affecting your daily life and functioning so that you can replace your unhealthy patterns with helpful ones toward a healthier tomorrow.

Linda Whiteside informs, “At NuView’s Los Angeles facility, we have noticed that when trauma and substance use are concurrently addressed with seeking safety therapy, our clients report significant changes in both of these conditions - 3 months for substance use and 6 months for PTSD, post-intervention.”

If you think the Seeking Safety Model resonates with you wherever you are in your recovery journey, reach out to NuView today! Our licensed therapists with advanced training in seeking safety therapy integrate this model into our full continuum of outpatient care that is designed to meet you where you are. We create a safe environment where you can slow down, look inward, and heal.

Please connect with us at (323) 307-7997 to begin healing today!

1. How does seeking safety therapy help with trauma and substance use?

Seeking safety therapy uses 25 key concepts to uncover traumatic patterns underlying substance use and equip you with healthy coping skills toward a lasting recovery.

2. What can you expect from a safety seeking therapy session in Los Angeles?

Every safety seeking therapy session will delve into your mind and unsafe cognitive, emotional, behavioral, or relationship patterns you may have developed. Your therapist will then move on to the 25 key topics. Each session will cover one topic.

3. Is safety seeking therapy effective?

Yes, safety seeking therapy is a highly effective intervention for both trauma and substance use - with clients reporting significant improvements within just 3-6 months postintervention.

4. How can I find safety seeking therapists in Los Angeles?

If safety seeking therapy resonates with your mental health needs, you can reach out to your primary healthcare providers or trusted family and friends for references. You can also reach out to NuView at (323) 307-7997, and we will match you with licensed therapists in Los Angeles who will tailor the therapy to your needs and goals.

5. Is safety seeking therapy covered by insurance?

Yes, when safety seeking therapy is integrated into broader rehab programs, it is covered by insurance. Otherwise, it depends on your insurance policy. You can reach out to your insurance provider or contact NuView at (323) 307-7997 - we can verify your insurance for you.