At Serenity Knolls in Forest Knolls, California, we understand that painful experiences often sit beneath the surface of addiction and mental health struggles. For this reason, we have curated SEQUOIA, a trauma-informed clinical framework that shapes how our team supports people throughout the course of treatment.
Set in the San Geronimo Valley of Marin County, our residential rehab center gives adults the space and support to address addiction and the effects of trauma together.
What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-informed care is an approach that recognizes how deeply past trauma can affect the way a person thinks, feels, and relates to others. Many people who struggle with addiction have lived through a traumatic experience, and when the effects of that trauma go unaddressed, it can make symptoms of substance use and mental health concerns more frequent or severe.
Rather than addressing symptoms separately, trauma-informed care centers every interaction on a foundation of safety, trust, and choice so that treatment leads to full healing.
What Is SEQUOIA?
SEQUOIA is our trauma-informed clinical framework, named for the seven principles that guide care at every stage:
- Safety
- Emotion regulation
- Quality relationships
- Understanding
- Ownership
- Integration
- Accountability
By following these principles, our team can help you feel safe, understand how trauma has affected you, build healthier relationships, and take an active role in your own healing.
In practice, this means learning emotion regulation and coping skills, rebuilding trust in yourself and others, and integrating what you learn so that it holds up well beyond your time in our care. This framework runs throughout your time at our Forest Knolls rehab center, from your first assessment through your transition out of care, so the support you receive stays consistent and coordinated.
Who Can Benefit from Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-informed care at Serenity Knolls is designed for adults age 18 and older who are struggling with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions while also suffering from the effects of trauma. This can include people who are affected by posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the effects of complex or repeated trauma, assault-related trauma, and moral injury.
Care is offered through focused tracks for specific populations, including veterans and first responders, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals. This allows us to shape care based on the specific needs of each population, with discussion topics focused on areas relevant to each group’s lived experiences.
How Does Trauma-Informed Treatment Work at Serenity Knolls?
Trauma-informed care is woven into our detox and residential levels of care, so support begins the moment you arrive. Because our medically supervised detox is available on-site, you can stabilize safely before moving into residential care without transferring between facilities.
Your care plan is built around evidence-based, trauma-focused therapies, which may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and the Seeking Safety model.
Somatic and experiential therapies help you reconnect with your body and practice new skills, and throughout treatment, you work closely with experienced clinical staff members, many of whom understand recovery firsthand. Family programming and lifetime alumni support keep you and your loved ones connected long after treatment ends.
Begin Healing at Serenity Knolls in Marin County
Trauma does not have to define your future. At our rehab center in Marin County, California, our experienced team is ready to help you address the root causes of addiction and move toward lasting recovery.
To learn more about trauma-informed care through SEQUIOA, reach out to us today and take the first step toward healing.
This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical team at Serenity Knolls.
