Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment
A structured, compassionate approach for healing complex trauma and fragmentation developed by Janina Fisher
When Clients Live in Crisis, TIST Offers a Path Forward
Over the past 30 years, I have worked with some of the most complex and challenging trauma cases. These are clients who feel overwhelmed by emotion, consumed by shame, driven by suicidal or self-harming impulses – and whose symptoms often make therapy feel chaotic, unpredictable, or even unsafe.
Many of these clients have been labeled “untreatable” by systems that don’t understand their survival adaptations. Many therapists understandably feel overwhelmed by such clients and unsure how to help them. Traditional approaches often focus on memory processing, but that is impossible for individuals who are unstable or cannot tolerate emotion or sensation.
"TIST was developed at the request of a hospital system for the chronically mentally ill who could not help a group of suicidal, self-destructive patients who presented such a danger to themselves that they had been on locked psychiatric units for as many as ten years! Not only was it successful with the hospital patients, it has since been taught around the world. There are now over 300 therapists who have been certified in this approach."
Janina Fisher
Creator of TIST
What is TIST?
The Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment model is a trauma-informed parts model that integrates principles and techniques drawn from Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems, clinical hypnosis, and cognitive restructuring methods. It offers a clear, practical, and neurobiologically grounded path to healing. By re-framing extreme behaviors and inner fragmentation as protective responses to trauma, it combats shame and self-loathing, and it changes the client’s relationship to the symptoms.
TIST is designed to work with clients who have experienced prolonged trauma, especially in early life. These clients often suffer from emotional flooding, shame, dissociation, and extreme inner conflict. Many are caught in cycles of suicidality, addiction, or self-harm.
TIST helps clients recognize their symptoms as adaptive responses to trauma held by fragmented parts—and teaches them to relate to those parts with compassion, rather than fear or shame.
The model is uniquely suited for clients with:
- Complex PTSD
- Borderline or narcissistic personality disorders
- Eating disorders and addictions
- Suicidal ideation or chronic self-harm
- Traumatic attachment and relational difficulty
- Identity confusion, inner conflict, and shame
TIST is also ideal for clients who have been stuck in therapy, unable to make progress or develop healthy therapeutic relationships.
What you will learn in a TIST Training
The online TIST training course, produced by the Academy of Therapy Wisdom, offers a blend of theory, experiential learning, and step-by-step clinical strategies to help you implement the TIST model right away.
Identify signs of trauma-related fragmentation and self-alienation
Understand symptoms as implicit emotional memories held by parts
Help clients relate to their difficulties as communications from traumatized parts
Use mindfulness strategies to facilitate compassion for wounded parts
Build internal secure attachment between client and part
Facilitate the healing of traumatic experience and traumatic attachment
Why TIST Now?
As clinicians, we are increasingly better trained but still see many clients whose trauma cannot be resolved through traditional talk therapy or even EMDR, IFS, SE, and SP.
TIST provides an unusual combination of stabilizing and healing. It is ideal with clients who are unsafe, suicidal, addicted or eating disordered, but it also offers them a chance to more deeply heal once they are more stable.
TIST gives clinicians the tools to work with those parts of the client that have never had a voice – and to help clients begin to build reparative internal relationships grounded in curiosity, compassion, and care.
In a world where trauma is both more understood and more prevalent, TIST is a model for now.
Global Access, Local Wisdom
TIST is produced by the Academy of Therapy Wisdom and offers the training live and online in English to therapists around the world. TIST is also offered in multiple languages by organizations in other countries, making this powerful model accessible to therapists around the world.
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The Academy of Therapy Wisdom TIST Certification Pathway
The TIST Certification Program is a three-level training designed to deepen your skills at every stage of your client’s trauma work. While many clinicians find that Levels 1 and 2 provide enough tools to significantly enhance their practice, Level 3 is required to become a Certified TIST Practitioner.
Pathway overview:
Level 1 – Foundational Training
Level 2 – Fluency & Application to Complex Presentations
Level 3 – Certification (Currently offered in English only by the Academy of Therapy Wisdom)
Level 1 :
Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors
Level 1 is the entry point to the TIST model. It introduces the core framework: how trauma survivors develop fragmented selves still frozen in time and anticipating the worst. You will learn how to help clients make sense of their symptoms as parts driven by survival responses developed in the context of trauma. Using mindfulness-based techniques, you will be able to help your clients notice the parts instead of being driven by them, acknowledge and validate their parts, and befriend them. Visualization techniques provide avenues for also healing their wounds.
- Includes
- 6 pre-recorded modules
- 6 live sessions with Janina
- Downloadable workbook & clinical tools
- Certificate of completion
- Invitation to join Janina's monthly supervision group
Level 2 :
Building Internal Safety and Connection
Level 2 builds on the foundation of Level 1 and helps participants become more fluent, flexible, and confident as TIST therapists. We address the relational skills necessary to help clients build trust with parts whose trust has been broken.
You’ll learn how to help clients work with protector parts who drive self-harm, suicidality, resistance to treatment, addictive disorders, and paranoia. These techniques reduce internal polarization and deepen your presence with clients navigating overwhelming symptoms. Level 2 helps you embody the model so your clients not only understand it – they feel it.
- Includes:
- 6 pre-recorded modules
- 6 live sessions with Janina
- Downloadable workbook & clinical tools
- Certificate of completion
- Eligibility to join the TIST Provider Directory
- Topics covered:
- The Building Blocks of a Skilled TIST Therapist
- The Art of Working with Protector Parts
- The Do’s and Don’ts of TIST
- Challenges with DID Clients
- Extreme Cases: Ritual Abuse, Trafficking, Malevolent Abuse
- Resolution of Traumatic Memory
Level 3 :
Certification Training
Level 3 is for clinicians who are ready to demonstrate mastery of the TIST model. This advanced training consists of six small-group practice sessions facilitated by an experienced Senior Facilitator. These dynamic, supportive groups (capped at 6 participants) allow you to apply the model in real time with colleagues, receive thoughtful feedback, and demonstrate step by step that you have mastered the techniques.
TIST 3 also provides twelve hours of live, interactive sessions with Janina Fisher over the course of the training.
- Includes:
- 6 pre-recorded modules
- 6 live sessions with Janina
- Downloadable workbook & clinical tools
- Certificate of completion
- Eligibility to join the TIST Provider Directory
- Topics covered:
- What Does it Mean to Be a TIST-Certified Therapist?
- The ‘Flow’ of TIST
- The Do’s and Don’ts of TIST
- Healing the Legacy of the Past
- Note: Level 3 is currently offered in English only by The Academy of Therapy Wisdom. We are actively working to offer this training in additional languages.
Monthly Supervision Group
Available to participants who have completed Level 1
Once you’ve completed Level 1, you’re eligible to apply for Janina Fisher’s monthly online supervision group – a dedicated space for deepening your clinical confidence, refining your use of the TIST model, and staying connected to a supportive community of fellow practitioners.
- Each month, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Present clinical cases and receive thoughtful, TIST-informed feedback
- Ask real-time questions about challenges in your practice
- Learn from others working with complex trauma using the same model
- Stay engaged with Janina’s teaching and clinical insights throughout the year
Whether you’re just starting to apply TIST or looking to grow your fluency over time, this group offers a consistent anchor for ongoing learning and connection.
Get Listed in the TIST Therapist Directory
After completing Level 2, you will be eligible to join the official TIST Therapist Directory – a public, searchable resource for clients, clinicians, and organizations seeking trauma-informed care. After Level 3, you’ll receive the full Certified TIST Practitioner emblem on your listing and priority in the Directory.
If you’ve completed your level and would like to be listed, please contact us.
- The directory offers:
- Professional credibility as someone trained in a leading trauma model by Janina Fisher
- Referrals and visibility among colleagues, organizations, and clients seeking trauma-informed care and specifically TIST
- Connection to a global network of like-minded clinicians using TIST in clinical and community settings
- Increased trust and confidence from clients who recognize TIST as a specialized, evidence-informed approach
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to complete all three levels to work with TIST?
No. Many clinicians find Levels 1 and 2 provide enough tools to significantly transform their work. However, Level 3 is required for those seeking full TIST Certification and the Certified TIST Practitioner designation.
Is this program appropriate for newly licensed clinicians or those in training?
Yes. Many early-career therapists find TIST especially helpful for building confidence and structure when working with complex clients. The model is accessible and can be integrated into your practice immediately.
Can I join if I’m not a licensed mental health provider?
TIST is designed primarily for licensed or pre-licensed mental health professionals. However, somatic practitioners and trauma-informed coaches with significant experience may be considered. Please contact us to confirm eligibility.
What if I’ve already trained with Janina?
Janina offers many trainings in trauma-related topics, but not all of them are TIST trainings. The TIST program is a structured, in-depth training in the TIST method. Many clinicians return to take TIST even if they have taken other more general trainings.
Is the training self-paced or live?
Each level includes six pre-recorded modules that you can watch on your own time, plus six live sessions with Janina Fisher for integration, Q&A, and demonstration. All sessions are recorded.
Will I have access to the recordings if I miss a live session?
Yes. All live sessions are recorded and available for on-demand viewing afterward. We understand time zones and schedules vary.
How much time should I expect to commit each week?
Most participants spend about 2–3 hours per week watching content, reflecting, and integrating the material.
How interactive are the live sessions?
Janina’s live sessions include clinical teaching, examples, and optional participation. There is always time for questions and application to your own client work.
Can I take a break between levels, or do they need to be completed consecutively?
You are welcome to take each level at your own pace. Many participants pause between levels to integrate the material.
Do I receive a certificate after each level?
Yes. Each level includes a certificate of completion. Full certification is awarded after completing all three levels.
Is there an exam or assessment at the end of each level?
No formal test is required. However, Level 3 includes small-group practice and clinical feedback to support integration and certification eligibility.
What happens after certification?
No formal test is required. However, Level 3 includes small-group practice and clinical feedback to support integration and certification eligibility.
Can this training count toward supervision hours or CE credit?
CE credit is at the discretion of the organization producing the training. The Academy of Therapy Wisdom offers CE credit for Levels 1 and 2.
What makes TIST different from IFS or other parts-based models?
TIST is a trauma-informed parts approach that also integrates somatic and hypnotic techniques into the work. It focuses less on traumatic memories of the parts and more on traumatic attachment and reparative experiences. It has been informed by IFS and other parts models but can also be used for stabilization
Do I need experience with IFS, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, or ego state work?
No. Prior experience with parts or somatic work may be helpful but is not required. TIST integrates these approaches and makes them accessible for all clinicians.
Can I use TIST in group therapy or psychoeducational settings?
Yes. Many clinicians adapt TIST language and principles for use in groups, workshops, or trauma-informed education.
Will I be able to apply this with clients right away?
Yes. The training is designed for immediate application. You’ll receive exercises and client-facing tools to begin using TIST-informed strategies in your sessions.
Is Level 3 offered in other languages?
Currently, Level 3 is only available in English. We’re actively working to expand this to additional languages.
Will I have access to Janina between sessions?
Live sessions include time for questions, and clinicians who complete Level 1 can apply to join Janina’s monthly supervision group for ongoing support.
Is there a community or peer group option?
While the main training is self-contained, many participants connect during live sessions. Monthly supervision groups and peer practice circles may be available to deepen engagement.
Can I pay in installments or request a group discount?
Yes. Group and institutional pricing is available. Please reach out to the organization offering the training to discuss payment options or custom enrollment plans. The Academy of Therapy Wisdom also offers a BIPOC discount.
What if I want to retake a level?
Returning students are always welcome. Discounts may be available for those repeating a level to deepen their learning or prepare for certification
Take the Next Step
Whether you’re just beginning your trauma training or you’re ready to refine your skills with advanced supervision, the TIST Certification Program offers a clear, compassionate, and practical route to becoming the clinician your clients need you to be.