Understanding Story-Informed Trauma Therapy

Telling the Whole Story

Each of us holds stories—some we share openly, and others that are tucked away, layered with pain, shame, or confusion. In the realm of trauma healing, these stories carry deep meaning. They reflect not just what has happened to us, but how we’ve come to understand ourselves in the aftermath. For those seeking healing, especially from early and unresolved trauma, one powerful approach has emerged: Story-Informed Trauma Therapy (SITT), created by Byron Kehler.

Unlike approaches that focus solely on managing symptoms, SITT gently guides clients toward healing by helping them tell, witness, and transform the stories of their lives. This model recognizes that trauma fragments not just memory, but meaning—and it is through the restoration of coherent, compassionate narrative that people can begin to experience lasting change.

In this blog post, we’ll walk through the heart of Story-Informed Trauma Therapy: its origins, process, effectiveness, and why it may be especially meaningful for those with a faith-based worldview.

A Brief History of Story-Informed Trauma Therapy

Byron Kehler, a trauma therapist, speaker, and trainer based in Oregon, developed Story-Informed Trauma Therapy after more than four decades of work with survivors of childhood abuse and neglect. His clinical experience, paired with deep insight into narrative formation, attachment theory, and the brain's response to trauma, led to the creation of a structured yet relationally rich therapy model grounded in the healing power of story.

Kehler observed that many traditional trauma therapies focused heavily on symptom reduction, emotional regulation, or behavioral change—important goals, but ones that often left core identity wounds untouched. He believed that real, sustainable healing requires us not just to calm the nervous system or shift thinking patterns, but to reclaim the truth of our stories and learn to tell them in ways that are seen, heard, and held with compassion.

From this insight, the framework of Story-Informed Trauma Therapy was born—an approach that invites clients to write and speak their trauma stories in the presence of a compassionate witness, helping integrate fragmented memories and cultivate a redemptive narrative.

What Is Story-Informed Trauma Therapy?

At its core, Story-Informed Trauma Therapy (SITT) is a narrative-based, attachment-aware approach to trauma healing that helps clients move from fragmented, often dissociated memories of trauma toward an integrated and redemptive understanding of their experiences.

In SITT, the telling of one's trauma story is not simply for the sake of remembering—it is for the sake of healing. Clients are guided to write and share their stories with an attuned listener who holds their pain with deep empathy and without judgment. This act of bearing witness is profoundly powerful: it allows for the reorganization of memory, the release of shame, and the restructuring of one’s identity.

What sets SITT apart is the belief that we do not just have one story—we have three:

1. The Story of What Happened (Trauma Story) – This includes the actual events, experiences, and injuries that occurred.

2. The Story We Told Ourselves to Survive (Defense Story) – Often these are the beliefs we adopted as children to make sense of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, such as “It was my fault,” or “I’m unlovable.”

3. The Story We Long to Tell (Redemptive Story) – This is the hopeful narrative that integrates truth, honors the wounds, and reclaims a sense of dignity, resilience, and healing.

SITT is structured but deeply relational. It honors the importance of co-regulation, community, and emotional attunement while guiding clients to confront difficult memories at a pace that feels safe and supported. Whether done individually or in a group setting, SITT provides a pathway toward meaning-making and freedom.

Key Components of the SITT Process

Story-Informed Trauma Therapy offers a step-by-step journey, but at every step, the process is infused with deep relational safety and client empowerment. Here are several foundational elements of the approach:

1. The Trauma Story

Clients are encouraged to write out the story of what happened to them—specifically, the traumatic events that still carry emotional weight. This is not a journal entry; it’s an intentional and structured recollection, meant to be read aloud in a safe, attuned setting. The goal is integration, not re-traumatization.

According to Kehler, “People need to remember what happened in the presence of someone who does not turn away.” (Source) That presence—the witness—helps the nervous system reprocess the story with a sense of safety and connection.

2. The Defense Story

As children, we often explain trauma in ways that preserve attachment, even if those explanations are false. For example, a child might think, “I must be bad if this happened to me,” rather than admit a trusted adult harmed them. These self-protective beliefs—while adaptive at the time—can become deeply embedded and limit our ability to receive love, accept truth, or experience healing.

The SITT process gently exposes these defense narratives and helps clients identify how those false beliefs have shaped their sense of self.

3. The Redemptive Story

This is not a forced “happy ending.” Instead, the redemptive story emerges naturally as clients begin to connect the dots between past wounds and current realities. With support, they begin to name truth, reclaim identity, and articulate who they are beyond what was done to them.

In many cases, this redemptive story includes spiritual insight, justice-oriented clarity, and a sense of calling or purpose that transforms the meaning of suffering.

4. The Role of Attuned Listening

A key hallmark of SITT is the use of an “attuned listener.” This is not a passive observer but an active, regulated presence who listens with empathy, asks clarifying questions, and provides grounded, non-anxious support. In group settings, others may serve as co-listeners and reflect back the truth and goodness they hear in the speaker’s story.

This practice reflects neuroscience findings on co-regulation and relational safety—two vital ingredients in trauma recovery (Siegel, 2012).

5. Writing and Reading Aloud

Putting the story in writing externalizes the trauma, helping reduce shame and disorientation. Reading the story aloud allows clients to own their narrative in a way that promotes both healing and empowerment. In many workshops, clients read their story to a small, supportive group or to a trained facilitator.

This act of voicing the story in the presence of compassionate others becomes a powerful antidote to the silence and secrecy that often surround trauma.

Who Is a Good Fit for Story-Informed Trauma Therapy?

SITT is particularly helpful for individuals who have experienced complex trauma, particularly during childhood—whether through emotional neglect, sexual abuse, spiritual harm, or repeated relational violations. The approach is ideal for those who sense that their trauma is still "living in their body" even after years of talk therapy or personal growth work.

Clients who benefit most from SITT often:

• Desire a deeper level of healing than symptom management

• Struggle with internalized shame or identity confusion

• Have fragmented or unclear memories of childhood trauma

• Long for meaning-making and resolution from their past

• Are ready to be honest and courageous in exploring painful stories

• Value relational safety and want to heal in the context of connection

SITT is also particularly well-suited to clients who have plateaued in traditional trauma work and feel like something deeper remains untouched. In many cases, they’ve done years of therapy but still carry a persistent feeling of “brokenness” that hasn’t yet shifted.

Because of its emphasis on story and redemption, SITT can be deeply meaningful for those coming from a faith-based background. The framework echoes themes found in many religious traditions: confession, lament, redemption, witness, and transformation. Clients who believe in a redemptive God may find great resonance in being invited to reclaim their story as part of a larger narrative of hope.

Who Might Not Be a Good Fit for SITT?

While powerful and transformative, SITT is not the right approach for everyone. It is a deeply reflective, longer-term therapy model that requires a commitment to personal exploration and a willingness to revisit painful memories—not just intellectually, but emotionally and relationally.

SITT may not be a good fit if a client is:

• In active crisis or currently experiencing ongoing abuse

• Actively struggling with unmanaged substance use, which can make it difficult to stay grounded and present in the work

• Unwilling or unready to engage in narrative or emotional exploration

• Seeking brief, solution-focused therapy or short-term symptom relief

This model is best suited to clients who are open to the longer arc of healing and are willing to work slowly and thoughtfully through their story. It does not require prior stabilization, as emotional regulation and safety are developed through the SITT process itself, especially in the presence of an attuned and compassionate therapist or group.

What to Expect in SITT Sessions

Story-Informed Trauma Therapy can take place in individual therapy or in small group settings, and each format brings unique strengths. Regardless of setting, SITT is designed to be relational, emotionally safe, and paced according to the client’s needs.

Here’s what clients can typically expect:

1. Establishing Safety and Attunement

The early phase of SITT focuses on building trust with the therapist or group. Clients are not rushed into trauma processing. Instead, time is spent cultivating emotional safety, naming coping strategies, identifying defense mechanisms, and helping clients learn to stay grounded during difficult emotions. Therapists offer co-regulation by remaining emotionally present, nonjudgmental, and attuned.

2. Writing the Trauma Story

Once a foundation of trust is in place, clients begin to write out their trauma story. This isn’t a casual reflection—it’s an intentional, structured account of what happened, often focused on early attachment wounds or formative experiences of harm. Clients are supported throughout this process, and writing is paced carefully to avoid overwhelm.

3. Reading the Story Aloud

One of the most distinct aspects of SITT is the practice of reading the story aloud to a compassionate witness—whether that’s the therapist, a co-therapist, or a small group. This moment can be incredibly vulnerable but also profoundly healing. For many, it’s the first time their story is spoken out loud in its entirety.

Listeners are trained to offer regulated, empathetic presence. They may offer brief reflections or affirmations, but the primary task is to bear witness without turning away.

4. Identifying the Defense Story

After the story is shared, clients are helped to explore the defense narrative—the subconscious beliefs they adopted in order to survive the trauma. These may include thoughts like “I deserved it,” or “If I had been better, they wouldn’t have left.” These beliefs are gently brought into the light and questioned with compassion, not criticism.

5. Moving Toward the Redemptive Story

As healing progresses, clients begin to see their lives through a new lens. With clarity and support, they reframe their identity, reclaim their dignity, and begin to write a new story—not one that ignores the pain, but one that integrates it into a fuller, more compassionate picture of who they are.

In group settings, this phase is often marked by community reflection and a sense of collective affirmation.

6. Integration and Closure

Sessions gradually shift toward integration—connecting insights gained to current life, relationships, and faith (if desired). Clients are supported in building practices of emotional regulation, spiritual connection, and relational intimacy. Closure rituals may include writing a letter to their younger self, symbolically releasing shame, or receiving affirming feedback from the group.

The tone throughout the process is never rushed. As Byron Kehler teaches, “trauma happened in relationship and must be healed in relationship.” That spirit is central to each session, whether it’s session three or session thirty.

Effectiveness of Story-Informed Trauma Therapy

Story-Informed Trauma Therapy is rooted in principles supported by decades of trauma research—even if the specific method hasn’t yet been widely studied in randomized control trials. What SITT offers is a compelling and experiential integration of narrative therapy, attachment theory, polyvagal theory, and trauma neuroscience—woven together in a way that deeply resonates with many clients.

Here are several reasons why SITT is effective:

1. It Addresses the Core of the Trauma

Many trauma models focus on behavior, thoughts, or physiological symptoms. While valuable, these approaches can miss the deep story-based beliefs that shape a person’s identity. SITT goes beyond symptom relief to reclaim meaning, targeting the root shame narratives that often remain untouched.

For example, a client may have overcome panic attacks through EMDR or medication but still carry the belief, “I’m fundamentally broken.” SITT helps unearth and challenge that belief by revisiting the origin story and allowing a new one to form.

2. It Engages Both Brain and Body

Telling one’s story in a safe, relational environment engages the brain’s memory centers (particularly the hippocampus and amygdala), while emotional co-regulation calms the autonomic nervous system. This balance allows traumatic memories to be reprocessed in real time, helping the brain store them differently and with less emotional charge (van der Kolk, 2014).

The embodied nature of storytelling—speaking aloud, being witnessed, receiving affirming feedback—can create felt experiences of worth and connection, which are essential for trauma recovery.

3. It Creates a Corrective Emotional Experience

When a client shares their story and is met with compassion instead of dismissal, connection instead of isolation, and truth instead of distortion, the emotional brain gets a new message: You are not alone, and your pain matters.

This corrective experience rewires internal beliefs. Over time, shame loses its grip and clients begin to internalize love, dignity, and agency.

4. It’s Affirmed by Client Experience

Though formal research on SITT is still emerging, anecdotal outcomes are consistently powerful. Many clients describe SITT as the first therapy that helped them make sense of their trauma—not just in terms of symptoms, but in who they are and how they relate to the world.

Therapists trained in the model report lasting changes in client affect regulation, self-understanding, and relational patterns. This aligns with broader trauma literature showing that narrative-based, attachment-informed work tends to produce durable and transformative outcomes (Herman, 1992).

Length of Treatment in Story-Informed Trauma Therapy

SITT is intentionally structured as a longer-term therapy model, designed to support deep, lasting transformation. Unlike short-term interventions that focus on immediate symptom reduction, SITT invites clients to explore and rewrite the foundational narratives that have shaped their identity, relationships, and internal world.

The length of treatment can vary significantly depending on:

• The complexity and duration of trauma (especially chronic developmental trauma)

• Whether therapy is conducted individually or in a group setting

• The client’s readiness and willingness to engage the story work

• External factors such as support systems, faith practices, and daily stressors

  
  

1. Weekly Individual Therapy

In traditional weekly settings, SITT may unfold over many months or even years. Early sessions focus on emotional safety, regulation, and preparation for writing the trauma story. Later phases involve reading, processing, reframing, and integrating. A common rhythm may be weekly sessions for 12 to 24 months, though the pace is tailored to the client’s needs and capacity.

2. Intensive Story Workshops

Some therapists and programs offer SITT intensives—3- to 5-day retreats that immerse participants in the story process within a small group. These workshops can jump-start the healing process and often include time for story writing, reading, group processing, and personal reflection. While powerful, intensives are usually followed by continued therapy to support integration.

3. Phased Progress

The SITT journey can be divided into loose phases:

• Preparation Phase: Building trust, teaching regulation, introducing the framework (often 4–8 sessions)

• Story Writing Phase: Creating and refining the written trauma story (varies widely, 6–12 sessions or more)

• Story Reading & Processing Phase: Sharing aloud, receiving feedback, identifying defense story (4–10 sessions)

• Integration Phase: Developing redemptive narrative, applying insights to daily life, closing rituals (ongoing)

  
  

SITT respects each client’s unique timeline. There is no expectation to "finish" quickly. In fact, one of its key strengths is slowing down the healing process so that it becomes sustainable, embodied, and deeply transformative.

Clients who are looking for a short-term, solution-focused approach may find this model to be more than they’re seeking. But for those ready to journey through the deep places of their story, SITT offers a powerful and hope-filled path forward.

Why Faith-Based Clients May Find SITT Meaningful

Story-Informed Trauma Therapy resonates deeply with many faith-based clients, especially those from Christian traditions, because it honors the profound connection between pain, redemption, and identity. It offers a therapeutic space where spiritual truths can be integrated—not forced—into the healing process.

Here’s why SITT is often a natural fit for people of faith:

1. It Values the Power of Story

In many faith traditions, stories are sacred. The Bible itself is a collection of narratives—stories of creation, fall, rescue, lament, exile, and restoration. SITT taps into this same rhythm: it acknowledges the brokenness of the world while holding space for the redemptive work of God in a person’s life.

Clients are not asked to erase their pain, but to bring it into the light where truth and grace can meet. The process echoes spiritual themes of confession, healing, and transformation.

2. It Affirms Human Dignity

Even when trauma has distorted a client’s view of themselves, SITT holds fast to the belief that each person is inherently valuable and made for connection. Therapists trained in this model treat clients not as broken people to be fixed, but as beloved image-bearers whose stories deserve to be heard.

For Christian clients, this affirmation often parallels core theological beliefs: that God sees, hears, and redeems; that wounds are not the final word; and that love is stronger than shame.

3. It Allows for Spiritual Integration

If desired by the client, spiritual practices—such as prayer, Scripture reflection, and listening for the voice of God—can be woven into the therapy process. This might look like identifying moments in the trauma story where God felt absent or present, naming theological beliefs that have shaped the defense story (helpfully or harmfully), or imagining how God views the client’s redemptive story.

Importantly, SITT never imposes faith or religious language. But when clients bring a faith background, the process creates room for spiritual healing alongside emotional and psychological growth.

4. It Aligns with Redemption and Resurrection

SITT doesn’t offer shallow reassurances like “everything happens for a reason.” It acknowledges the reality of evil, injustice, and suffering. But it also leans into the possibility that something new can grow from what has been broken.

In this way, it echoes the Christian narrative of resurrection—not as a bypassing of pain, but as a transformation of it. As one client shared, “I didn’t just survive my story. Through God’s grace, I’m now living a new one.”

Conclusion & Call to Action

Your story matters.

Not just the parts you’ve shared freely, but the ones you’ve kept hidden… the parts that still sting when remembered or feel tangled in shame. Story-Informed Trauma Therapy offers a path—not around your story, but through it—with the help of a compassionate guide and a redemptive framework.

Whether you’ve experienced complex trauma or simply sense there are stories within you that have not yet been told, SITT can offer a safe and sacred space to find your voice, reclaim your worth, and begin again. It doesn’t promise quick fixes, but it does offer something better: healing that is deep, durable, and anchored in truth.

If you’re a person of faith, SITT may speak to the longing you carry for redemption—not just healing from pain, but transformation through it. As Henri Nouwen once wrote:

“The great mystery of ministry is that we are called to make our own limited and very conditional love the gateway for the unlimited and unconditional love of God.”

In many ways, SITT is this kind of ministry. It offers a therapeutic experience where love, truth, and presence help rewrite what trauma once wrote in fear.

Interested in Exploring SITT?

If you’d like to learn more about Story-Informed Trauma Therapy or begin your own journey with a trained therapist, we invite you to connect with our practice. We have clinicians trained in trauma-informed and faith-integrated approaches, and we’d be honored to walk with you.

📩 Contact Us to schedule a free consultation 

🌐 Visit restorationnola.com for more information 

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Your story deserves to be heard. And your healing can begin with telling it.

References

• Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence—from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic Books.

• Kehler, B. (n.d.). Story-Informed Trauma Therapy. Retrieved April 19, 2025, from https://storyinformed.com

• Leaf & Stone Counseling. (n.d.). FAQs: What is Story-Informed Trauma Therapy (SITT)? Retrieved April 19, 2025, from https://leafandstonecounseling.com/faqs

• Siegel, D. J. (2012). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

• van der Kolk, B. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.

• Nouwen, H. J. M. (1989). In the name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian leadership. Crossroad Publishing Company.