Treating Trauma & Substance Use in Arizona

Trauma-Sensitive Treatment

We offer a Salutogenic approach focusing on all aspects of the individual instead of treating only the symptoms.

Written By: Seven Arrows Recovery Staff
Published: March 13, 2023
Modified: February 27, 2025
Reading Time: 9 minutes

our unique approach to treating trauma

Trauma-Focused Addiction Treatment

TraumAddiction Treatment

Treating trauma and addiction simultaneously is essential because both conditions are deeply intertwined, sharing common roots in dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), or dysautonomia. Both trauma and addiction can be seen as responses to overwhelming experiences, where the individual’s nervous system remains in a chronic state of perceiving threat. This dysregulation drives individuals toward substances or behaviors that temporarily alleviate distress but ultimately reinforce harmful cycles of avoidance and dependence.

Addiction as a Traumatic Response

Addiction is often traumagenic, meaning it frequently develops as a response to trauma. A person experiencing high levels of distress might turn to addictive substances or behaviors to escape unbearable emotional pain. Even when the negative consequences of addiction become clear, the ongoing distress compels individuals to continue these behaviors, despite the harm they cause. The pursuit of relief through addiction, despite diminishing pleasure and increased life impairment, reflects the chronic pain and dysregulation trauma survivors endure.

Interconnected Patterns of Intrusion, Arousal, and Avoidance

This chart (adapted from: Gentry, E., Menna, A., and Scofield, M.,2004) illustrates the cyclical patterns of trauma and addiction:

Intrusion

Traumatic sensory cues—thoughts, feelings, sensations, sounds, or smells—intrude into the present moment, bringing past pain back to life.

Arousal

These intrusions trigger heightened arousal in the nervous system, leading to feelings of threat, hypervigilance, muscle tension, and an increase in energy.

Avoidance

To escape this arousal, individuals often turn to substances or behaviors that numb or distract from the distress, creating a short-term sense of relief but reinforcing a long-term pattern of avoidance.

The Role of Treatment

Effective trauma and addiction treatment requires establishing a therapeutic alliance, providing clients with self-regulation skills, and offering psychoeducation. By understanding how their nervous system works, clients can begin to interrupt these cycles. Inviting clients to set intentions for who they wish to be between stimulus and response empowers them to make conscious choices rather than reacting from a place of dysregulation. This approach is based on work from J. Eric Gentry PhD, LMHC, DAAETS, founder of the Forward-Facing Freedom model. https://forward-facing.com/about-j-eric-gentry-phd/

Both trauma and addiction are progressive, debilitating, and potentially fatal if left untreated. The interruption of the threat response through self-regulation and connection is crucial to recovery. With a regulated ANS, individuals no longer need external agents to cope, leading to a healthier, more autonomous life.

Reference: Gentry, J. E., Menna, A., & Scofield, M. (2004). Trauma addiction: Safety and stabilization for the addicted survivor of trauma. The Gift from Within. 1-30. Retrieved from http://www.giftfromwithin.org/html/safety.html

We understand

What Makes Us Trauma-Informed?

Seven Arrows Recovery utilizes a combination of body-based interventions from ancient wisdom traditions and traditional psychotherapy methods to address the psychological, spiritual, emotional and physiological needs of each individual, creating a more integrative, effective, and holistic approach to healing. We offer a Salutogenic approach focusing on all aspects of the individual instead of treating only the symptoms.

Our facilitators have received trauma informed training and many are certified trauma professionals or support staff.

Ongoing trauma informed training for staff is provided by our clinical director. We adhere to a trauma informed mindset, integrate trauma informed principles and offer a trauma informed method in all aspects of our agency.

preparing for therapy

What Does Trauma-Informed Care Consist Of?

There are several vital components that help shape trauma-informed care into what it is, each meant to facilitate meaningful connections, dispel any fear, and promote feelings of safety.

Below are the six main features of good trauma-informed treatment. At Seven Arrows Recovery, we work hard to embrace these principles so that we can give our clients only the best trauma-informed care in Arizona.

Safety

A trauma-informed approach stresses the importance of defining safety through those who are seeking treatment.

That means working to understand what helps a client feel safe and striving to do what’s necessary to put those things into action. It’s important that a client feels physically and psychologically safe as they go through treatment.

Trustworthiness and Transparency

Clients and family members should be informed about all organizational decisions and operations. There should be no surprises or hidden expectations. This level of openness can help foster trust between clients and their treatment team.

Peer Support

Trauma-informed care understands the power of shared experiences and hope. Peer interaction (with “peers” being others who live with trauma) and support can promote recovery and healing for clients.

After all, few people can understand trauma better than those who have experienced it themselves. Seeing others overcome their trauma may make doing so yourself seem more approachable.

Collaboration and Mutuality

Differing levels of power and authority between staff members, medical providers, and clients should be leveled out in a trauma-informed approach.

The goal is to show that sharing power to heal and grow is possible, as is feeling like an equal among those we rely on. Trauma-informed therapy recognizes that every person a client interacts with may play a role in their recovery.

Empowerment

The best trauma-informed care understands that each client is individual and unique in both their needs and experiences. Adopting a client-first mentality can allow facilities to promote acceptance and understanding.

Because many who experience trauma are used to their voice and power being stripped away or ignored, giving clients a chance to shape their care and advocate for themselves is essential to helping them heal.

Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues

In addition to setting cultural biases aside, trauma-informed care should offer access to services and connections specific to a person’s background. It also should work to respond to historical trauma and discrimination as part of the treatment process.

Our unique Approach

Trauma-Informed Principles

Safety, trust, transparency, peer support/mutual self-help, focus on competency and capacity building, collaboration, attunement, respect, choice, inclusivity, integration, resiliency, and hope. The Seven Arrows team believes that it is of the utmost importance to live these principles in our own lives and commit to ongoing healing before we can assist others in their journey.

Our Treatment Services

Reset. Restore. Recover.

Holistic Rehab Modalities in Arizona — Indigenous Approach

We Care About the Outcome

A Treatment Center That Makes a Difference

Come heal in the Arizona Desert at Seven Arrows Recovery. Treatment is based on evidence based modalities, holistic principles and ancient healing traditions. We’ll help you to rebuild and restore your true spirit and authentic self, one day at a time.

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what to expect

Our Trauma Treatment in Arizona

At Seven Arrows Recovery, we realize the widespread impact of trauma, adversity and toxic stress. We understand that trauma increases the potential for addictive behaviors and we deliver paths for recovery by helping individuals heal the core root of their suffering.

We recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, and staff.

We respond by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into our policies, procedures, practices, and curriculum thus seeking to actively resist re-traumatization.

We utilize a Salutogenic approach and see challenging behaviors as a way to adapt or mitigate to lessen pain/discomfort.

We encourage self-empowerment and ask “what happened to you?” instead of “what’s wrong with you?”

We validate the humanity of the individual and seek to assist clients in activating their own inner healing wisdom.

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Stories of Hope & Healing

how we help

Our Trauma-Informed Methods

At our trauma treatment program in Arizona, we are nervous system informed. Recent developments in neuroscience, somatic psychology and trauma research are opening the door for an exciting synthesis of ancient wisdom traditions and Western approaches to healing.

We are experiencing a historical shift from the traditional cognitive (top down) approach to therapy to an approach more heavily focused on body awareness, sensations, and regulation (bottom up). Traditional cognitive approaches often prove ineffective due to a client feeling unsafe, being disembodied, hypersensitive or dissociated.

Bottom-up approaches allow clients to begin the therapeutic process with a focus on psychoeducation, awareness and self-regulation, allowing for a greater capacity to heal.

Call Seven Arrows Recovery today at 866-996-4308 to learn more about our Arizona dual diagnosis treatment.

Insurance Can Help Cover the Cost of Treatment

We Work With Most Major Insurance

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the benefits

Benefits of Arizona Trauma-Informed Rehab

The impact of trauma is seldom limited to the incident(s) that caused it. For those who live with trauma, seeking professional care for addiction and mental health concerns that are conscious of this reality can drastically change treatment outcomes.

When you choose to pursue trauma-informed therapy in Arizona from Seven Arrows Recovery, you can rest assured that your care will be as unique as you are. We adopt a bottom-up approach that encourages clients to reflect on their trauma as part of, but not necessarily who they are. We work hard to treat all parts of a person, not just their symptoms so that they can find true inner peace and acceptance as they head toward recovery.

You’ll likely find that benefits like those listed below put trauma-informed therapy at the top of your list, no matter what kind of treatment you might be after.

Discovering a greater capacity to heal

By understanding trauma’s role in shaping a person’s symptoms, behaviors, and experiences, our team can help identify ways to change and grow that actually work for each client. Likewise, we understand that there are multiple cogs that can make up a person’s recovery.

We strive to dive deep into body awareness, emotional regulation, and physical sensations so that our clients can take care of all parts of their personhood. Our goal is to ask clients not “what’s wrong with you?” but “what happened to you?” and help all who walk through our doors feel safe enough to process trauma and heal.

Mitigating the risk of additional mental and physical health concerns

If trauma is an underlying cause of a person’s addiction or mental health concerns, it’s necessary to address and consider it on the path toward recovery. Not fully incorporating the impacts of trauma into a person’s treatment and recovery process may leave them vulnerable to relapses or other issues in the future.

That’s why we’re committed to offering compassionate and innovative Arizona trauma-informed therapy; it’s only right to send our clients back into their daily lives with the best, most personalized tools and skills.

Promoting long-term care and support

When clients feel safe and comfortable during treatment, they may be more likely to maintain these feelings after the fact. This might translate to more confidence and empowerment in daily life, but also to seeking further help if needed.

Once you’ve broken the barriers that seem to make getting support feel impossible, it often becomes much easier to continuously do so later on. This is especially important for those living with addiction, as relapse rates tend to go up the less supported a person feels.

We are here for you.

Change Your Life With a Single Call

Get in touch with the caring team at Seven Arrows Recovery today and find out how we can help you have a life changing experience at our drug & alcohol rehab in Arizona