The Phoenix Trauma Response Model (PTRM): An Integrative and Innovative Approach to Trauma Recovery and Growth

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2026

DOI

10.25779/2zw8-j465

Publication Title

Journal of Human Services Scholarship and Interprofessional Collaboration

Volume

3

Issue

1

Pages

45-60

Abstract

Trauma is increasingly understood as a developmentally consequential experience that shapes identity, regulation, and relational functioning across the lifespan. Although trauma-informed care, resilience theory, posttraumatic growth, and narrative approaches have expanded understanding of recovery, few frameworks articulate a structured developmental progression that integrates prevention, intervention, and intergenerational transformation within a unified model. The Phoenix Trauma Response Model (PTRM) addresses this gap by introducing a cyclical, phase-based framework organized around four interrelated processes: Recognition, Reframing, Reclamation, and Replication of Strength. Central to the model is the construct of conversion potential, defined as the structured capacity to translate distress into purposeful and relational contribution. This conceptual paper synthesizes areas of convergence and divergence across existing trauma frameworks and identifies theoretical gaps addressed by PTRM. The model is operationalized through observable indicators and measurable progression across phases and is illustrated through applied clinical and interprofessional implementation examples. Grounded in ecological awareness and attention to social determinants of health, PTRM positions trauma recovery as both personal and communal, emphasizing sustained transformation rather than symptom reduction alone. Implications for counseling, human services education, and collaborative systems of care are discussed.

Rights

© 2026 The Authors.

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ORCID

0000-0002-8898-3499 (Robins)

Original Publication Citation

Holloman, L. S., Robins, L. B., Willis, T., Morris, C. V. The Phoenix Trauma Response Model (PTRM): An integrative and innovative approach to trauma recovery and growth. Journal of Human Services Scholarship & Interprofessional Collaboration, 3(1), 45-60.  https://doi.org/10.25779/2zw8-j465

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