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About FIRST®The Evidence

Trauma affects everyone differently.
But traumatic memories don't have to control your life.

Experiencing trauma can activate the brain's survival responses, commonly known as fight, flight or freeze. For some people, reliving traumatic memories can trigger these responses many years later, causing ongoing emotional and physical distress.

How FIRST® Works

A therapy built around one idea: that traumatic memories can change.

FIRST is a brief, structured therapy — typically three to four sessions, each sixty to ninety minutes. It is designed to ease the distress that traumatic memories can cause and to support lasting emotional recovery.

It is not exposure therapy. Clients are not asked to relive their trauma in detail. The pace is gentle, and the therapist only moves forward when the client is ready.

Who FIRST® Is For

For people living with the ongoing effects of trauma

FIRST® may be appropriate for people experiencing:

  • Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or emotional triggers connected to past trauma

  • Persistent anxiety or physical stress responses that began after a traumatic event

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or post-traumatic stress symptoms

  • Trauma-related distress that has not fully resolved with other approaches

Discover the evidence