Trauma Recovery Program

The adult and adolescent programs are geared towards people experiencing trauma-related intrusive memories, flashbacks and nightmares. The program has two stages:

• Stage One: participants learn about how trauma affects the brain and body, develop coping skills to support emotional regulation and safety and utilize group support.
• Stage Two: focuses on processing traumatic memories using an evidence-based group EMD (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) protocol. In this stage, participants work on a specific traumatic memory while remaining part of the group environment.

Transition from Stage One to Stage Two is decided collaboratively between the participant and the group facilitator. While most participants who complete Stage One continue to stage two, the decision is individualized and based on readiness rather than expectation.

Groups meet three days a week for one hour. All groups are in person; there are no virtual group options.

Group details

Groups typically start with 8 to 10 individuals. Both the adult and adolescent programs are closed group, meaning no new participants are added after group begins.

Groups are gender inclusive, and participants are not grouped based on having the same type of trauma.

This program is for adults aged 18 and older experiencing trauma-related intrusive memories, nightmares and/or flashbacks.

Session schedule: All sessions are held three days per week for one hour. Session hours vary by location.

• Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for all locations
• Unity Hospital (Fridley): 2-3 p.m., 3-4 p.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• Abbott Northwestern Hospital (Minneapolis): 2-3 p.m. and 3:30-4:30 p.m.
• United Hospital (St. Paul): 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Program length: 12 weeks

• Stage One: 5 weeks
• Stage Two: 7 weeks

Facilitators: View all

Intake and referral process

For individual participants: Referrals are made through an Allina Health provider. Talk with your provider to begin the referral process.

For referring providers: Allina providers may submit an Epic in-basket message to: MH PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES CONSULT order # 209695. On the order choose one of these paths:

• Traum related > Trauma Recovery Program Group
• Referral to HBC Psychology > Trauma Recovery Program Group

After your order is placed, call the Connection Line at 866-603-0016 to schedule an education group session to learn about the program and determine whether the program is the right fit and the right time for you.

Education group sessions will be offered weekly via a virtual Teams group or every other week via an in-person group at Unity Hospital (even if you plan to attend the Trauma Recovery Program group at another location).

After the education session patients will be scheduled for an individual Group Therapy Consultation session with the facilitator of the group at the location that the group will be conducted.

Adolescents may benefit if past events continue to negatively impact their emotions, behaviors, relationships or daily functioning. Concurrently, a support person is invited to join a 6-week group focused on providing support to the adolescent.

Session schedule: All sessions are held three days per week for one hour.

• Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays
• 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Program length: 6 weeks

• Stage One: 2 weeks
• Stage Two: 4 weeks

Locations: Mental Health and Addiction Specialty Center (Fridley)

Facilitators: Katie Rubedor-Green, PsyD and Ryan Sorensen, PsyD

Support person details

The support person attends their own group at the same time as the adolescent group. Support persons must be 18 years or older. A support person does not need to be a legal guardian; however, legal guardian consent is required and the adolescent must give permission (provide assent). Adolescents without a support person are not excluded from the program.

Support person roles include:

• learning about the impact of trauma
• building skills to support the adolescent's recovery
• helping with attendance and consistency.

Support people also have the chance to connect with others who are caring for a teen with trauma-related needs.

Intake and referral process

For individual participants: Referrals can be made via email or through your provider.

For referring providers:

• Allina providers may submit an Epic in-basket message to: P AMB MHUN ADOLESCENT TRAUMA RECOVERY PROGRAM (10682)
• Referrals from outside of Allina Health can send an email to Katie.Rubedor-Green@Allina.com and Carrie.Chomicz@Allina.com

After the referral is placed, the adolescent and legal guardian attend a Group Consult session, which covers:

• education about the program
• assessment of whether the program is appropriate for the adolescent
• identification of a support person (if available).

The support person will be scheduled for a Group Consult session with the facilitator of the support person group.

Most participants use insurance to cover the cost of the groups. The program is only run at Allina's Hospital-Based Clinics (HBCs), so an additional facility fee is also charged. This fee varies according to specific insurance plans/policies.

If you are concerned about whether this program will be covered by your specific insurance plan/policy, please contact your carrier directly. The adolescent and adult group are billed as psychotherapy groups with the CPT billing code of 90853. The support person group for the adolescent program is billed as a multi-family group with the CPT billing code of 96202. All groups are offered at a Hospital-Based Clinic with the CPT billing code of 115459.

How do I know if my trauma is unresolved?

The presence of trauma-related intrusive memories, flashbacks and/or nightmares indicates that the memory is in an unintegrated and looping state.

People with unresolved trauma notice that their reactions are at times out of proportion with the given circumstances of compared to their peers. These may be both over-reactions and under-reactions.

People with unresolved trauma may be aware that their reactions and behaviors are related to past experiences due to triggered emotions, thoughts, images or sensations having similarities to what was experienced during an overwhelming event.

People with unresolved trauma experience triggers as intrusive events and may avoid people, places or things in an effort to avoid being triggered. People may also notice that feeling triggered may negatively impact their mood and relationships and contribute to anxiety and/or anger.

Is this an alternative to Partial Hospitalization or the Intensive Outpatient Program?

This program is not a replacement for Partial Hospitalization (PHP) or the Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). These higher-level programs help individuals stabilize before starting trauma therapy. PHP and IOP support people who may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, self-harm, daily hygiene or anxiety that interferes with school, work or appointments. They offer crisis services outside of group time. The Trauma Recovery Program does not provide support outside of the three one-hour group sessions per week. This program is meant for individuals who are stable enough to begin trauma-focused work. After consultation sessions confirm the program is a good fit, group sessions are scheduled.

What trauma-focused intervention is used in the Trauma Recovery Program?

The Trauma Recovery Program uses Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), an evidence-based trauma therapy. A group-based EMDR protocol is used, allowing participants to process their own traumatic memories in a group setting without sharing details of their experiences with others. For more information about EMDR therapy, visit www.emdria.org.

Do you offer groups for people who have all experienced the same traumatic experience?

No, we do not place people into groups based on having the same traumatic experience. Participants in the program come with many different types of trauma. During Stage One, the group focuses on how trauma has affected each person, and individuals quickly discover that they share many similar feelings and challenges, even if their traumatic events are different.

In Stage Two, each person works on processing a specific traumatic memory. Even though the memories are different, group members often relate to one another through common thoughts, emotions, body reactions and behaviors that come up during the recovery process.

Do I have to have a PTSD diagnosis to attend the program?

Many people attending the Trauma Recovery Program have a diagnosis of PTSD, but it is not required. The program is geared towards people experiencing trauma-related intrusive memories, flashbacks and/or nightmares. Anyone experiencing a distressing impact on emotions, behaviors and relationships due to the overwhelm of past events is welcome to participate in this program.

Will this group resolve all my trauma-related symptoms?

Most participants notice a decrease in their trauma-related symptoms, but everyone's healing process is different, so we cannot predict or guarantee specific results. Many individuals join this program because they want help with the persisting effects of trauma. They often appreciate having a chance to learn how trauma affects them, build skills to manage their symptoms, feel less alone and reduce the impact of certain traumatic memories.

Do you have an attendance policy?

Attendance concerns are addressed individually with the facilitator of each group and decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. Our experience is that participants with high attendance tend to gain the most from the program.

“I’m so glad I had the opportunity to do this work. It was hard and so worth every ounce of energy and time. I was able to put myself back in my past and actually feel what I encountered, rather than skipping over it or distracting myself. I learned very useful tools for self-regulation and modifying thoughts. I experienced a concrete shift in how I perceive and experience stressful situations.”

“I gained acceptance of past trauma and the ability to move past it without it interfering with daily life to such a severe level. I really enjoyed this group.”

“I was able to put my most traumatic memory in its place so it isn’t effecting me so negatively. This has been a life changing experience for me. This was an excellent program.”

“I was able to openly put into words memories that often trigger me. I feel like a different person from the start to finish of this group.”

“I actually completed a group by choice and liked it. It was helpful to relate to the others in the group and not feel judged. It was helpful to feel heard and supported.”

“This helped me be more connected with myself. I learned to have a deeper understanding of my own feelings in order to get past my trauma. Reminded me of my humanity and gave me more self confidence in my own relationship with myself. I learned to trust me.”

“I feel braver, I’m taking more (safe) risks that were outside my window of tolerance before. Normal, everyday life got easier to face. I’m not alone.”

“I was able to dive into my trauma safely. I had the tools and support to do this. It was hard but I got through and feel better for having done so.”

“I was finally able to come to terms with what happened to me and move forward with my life. This was one of the hardest things I have done in my life, but I realize it has helped me heal.”

“I was able to talk about my trauma and go into details and feelings. I realized that trauma is similar regardless of the “what” and being part of this group helped me understand trauma. I remained sober throughout. I’m so happy to have gone through this therapy. Made a huge difference in dealing with my trauma and not feeling alone. First time in group therapy and really enjoyed it.”

“Doing this work in a group helped me feel supported as I tackled something really hard.”

“Thank you for providing this space for healing. I have been trapped by my trauma and feel there are parts of me that have had stunted development due to my trauma. I’m excited to see what life looks like through unfiltered lenses. Hopeful for new possibilities and most of all, I look forward to experiencing joy!”

“This has been an incredible gift. Thank you for helping me get to where I am today. Even though it was hard for years, I feel stronger for having gone through it because of this group.”

“The support from the group members, the validation, knowing I’m not alone in feeling the weight of the past on me were all helpful. I am now able to identify and notice others poor behavior and act accordingly.”

“I found confidence in myself that I didn’t even know I had. I’m able to leave my home easier without having to give myself a whole pep talk or calm myself down from panic.”

“The 1st stage of group is extremely beneficial to learning how to comfortably move through the EMDR work. I learned how to recognize my panic/anxiety and how to better live with it, and coping skills that I’ll never forget… extremely helpful.”

“Feeling accepted, supported, and like you’re not alone was helpful. I learned coping techniques for when anxiety/PTSD throw you out of your window of tolerance. I’m proud I worked through a traumatic memory.”

“I’m proud of picking my most traumatic memories to process through. Hearing feedback from others in the group after processing was immensely helpful.”

“My first experience with EMDR was not good as I was not properly prepared and did not have the proper coping strategies, then this time I prepared myself mentally and with the group taught coping prior and clear expectations. It is a life changing experience.”

“I was able to cope better after the traumas I have experienced and were triggered. The physical feelings I was experiencing made everyday things so hard to do. This experience helped my body understand I wasn’t in it anymore.”

“I’m proud that I am able to set and keep healthy boundaries. I learned healthier ways of dealing with the traumas I experienced. I have a better understanding of how and why I’ve developed certain coping mechanisms. Processing different traumas, connecting with others who have been through similar traumatic situations, and the support and encouragement of others who are also going through their process were helpful in this program.”

“I learned how to set and maintain boundaries. How to stand up to others crossing/disrespecting boundaries. I created a safe visual space to retreat to in times of stress/fear.”

“I have the tools to battle my trauma and I’m going to continue to learn and grow.”

“I healed a lot of childhood and adult trauma.”

“Thank you. That does not seem like enough for the way this program changed my life.”

“I learned to recognize when I am in and out of the window of tolerance. It was helpful seeing other people have similar issues even if they are derived from different traumas. Thanks, I thought the group was very helpful and set me up well to continue with my regular therapist.”

I’m proud of being able to identify triggered and develop more of a mind body connection. I was ablet o be vulnerable. It was helpful being around and learning from people who are validating and have been through trauma themselves.”

“Learning about the window of tolerance and how the brain reacts have been the most helpful/important part for me. Also doing EMDR was an amazing experience.”

“I feel proud of my vulnerability and feeling safe with other people – for real. It was helpful building and being a part of a group. Understanding, experientially, what this therapy has to offer – the change possibilities are real and I know that without any question now.”

“I was able to trust more. I was able to share my story in an authentic way with much trust put upon the space and the support of the group members that I grew to trust. This was something that was very hard for me previously. I was able to trust myself to handle situations that might arise without hypervigilance at all times. The skills building stage was really helpful in preparing us for the processing stage. I learned a great deal about EMDR and how effective it is in treating trauma. It was especially helpful to do it in a group setting as the parallel processing was greatly beneficial. I can’t say enough about this modality for treating trauma and PTSD.”

“I feel proud that I stuck with it and that I actually finished the program. I also feel like I have gained some strength and self confidence on what I shared. I also liked the first half with the grounding techniques, it led to a successful second half.”

“I learned about the window of tolerance, how to identify my emotions and where I feel them within my body. I also learned how to regulate my emotional and many more. It was helpful to process my trauma and find peace with my life experiences. I can’t believe how much progress I have made in this program.”

“I developed many useful skills and tools to help me overcome my fears and anxieties. I also feel I have completed moved past some of my traumas. It was helpful to connect with others in a group setting and processing similar traumas together seemed to be the most helpful.”

“I made friends, learned to open up about deep pain and be more proactive about my wellbeing. I think the format of the program was good. Time to learn, ground, trust, before really processing. I’m surprised by how much I learned at my age and experiences with therapy and groups in the past. I am able to experience more joy. And I am more able to express my needs and set boundaries. I also learned much from other group members.”

“I can deal with others better. I am not as anxious. The tools we were given were helpful. My first thought was what did I get myself into. I’m very thankful that I stuck with it.”

“Thank you! I am much less reactive than at the start. The most helpful was feeling normal in my experiences, sharing, showing up.”

“It was helpful knowing I’m not alone and we all are struggling. I’m proud of being able to have more control and have more dual awareness.”