Stages of Trauma and Recovery

Integration

The integration phase may be the most challenging. One day, victims may announce their recovery. Another day, they may fear that they will never be what they consider to be normal again.

Eventually, most victims' intrusive memories and emotional turmoil lessen. Many victims are amazingly resilient and redefine their experiences and their lives by tapping into an inner strength they may have never known they had. When sexual assault is integrated into a victim's life as a significant life event among many other experiences, many individuals call themselves survivors, overcomers, or thrivers rather than victims.