The SPIM 30 Model, developed by Dr Ralf and Irina Vogt at the Trauma Institut Leipzig, is an advanced, integrative psychotrauma therapy model designed for working with individuals and groups experiencing complex trauma, severe dissociation and the effects of interpersonal violence.
Developed and refined through more than 15 years of clinical practice and research, SPIM 30 is a specialised European model that has been taught within professional training programmes across Europe, the UK, Russia and Japan.
The model can be adapted for therapeutic work with children, young people and adults, providing a structured and comprehensive framework for understanding and treating the psychological and relational impact of trauma.
Who is SPIM 30 for?
SPIM 30 has been developed particularly for complex presentations associated with interpersonal, developmental and relational trauma, including:
- Childhood abuse and neglect
- Sexual and physical violence
- Domestic abuse and interpersonal violence
- War, displacement and early uprooting
- Chronic relational trauma
- Bereavement, parental separation and significant relational disruption
- Bullying and social trauma
- Family dysfunction
- Attachment trauma
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Complex trauma and Complex PTSD
- Dissociative disorders, including DID-type presentations
An Integrative and Relational Approach
At the heart of SPIM 30 is an understanding that trauma does not occur in isolation. Many traumatic experiences involve violations of psychological, emotional, physical or sexual boundaries within relationships, and these experiences can profoundly affect a person’s sense of safety, identity, connection and relationship with themselves and others.
The model brings together principles and techniques informed by psychodynamic psychotherapy, Gestalt therapy, EMDR, family therapy and psychoanalytic theory.
Rather than focusing solely on traumatic memories or symptoms, SPIM 30 provides a framework for understanding the whole person — including their internal world, relationships, protective responses, dissociative processes and the ways they have learned to survive overwhelming experiences.
The aim is not simply to reduce symptoms, but to support greater integration, safety, connection and psychological freedom.
Therapeutic interventions in SPIM 30 include
- Body based (somatic) methods – body orientated therapeutic work for stabilisation to regulate the autonomic nervous system and reorient the client to the here-and-now of their experience, movement based desensitisation, movement throughout sessions to work with “Beseelbare Objects” (objects which can be animated in different ways to suit the therapeutic work)
- Psychological methods – psycho-education, exploring the unconscious mind into conscious awareness through externalisation, using symbolic and atmospheric representations through imaginative and experiential techniques
- Interactive methods – the transference lies at the heart in this relational approach, different exercises are used to enable a good enough therapeutic relationship and projections are externalised through objects. The SPIM 30 model allows for creative ways to work with the perpetrator introjects by externalising their impact and their influentional power to keep the client stuck.
Dr Ralf developed a severity of degree model which allows the therapist and client to identify and make sense of 7 different regulation states depending on the severity and frequency of experiences of boundary transgressions in man-made traumas.
Key features of this therapy model are working with “Parts” (Dissociation) to explore different aspects of self, working with trauma related internal roles. Differentiation between everyday manger parts, traumatised victim child part, protector parts, perpetrator introject parts allows the therapist and client to have a good overview of the client’s system.
SPIM 30 allows for different transference states to be externalised and understood, extensive psycho-education enables a deepening of knowlege about how trauma affects brain function, memory, emotions and behaviour. The structured, trauma processing method uses imaginative work, trauma scene focused exercises and movement based desensitisation.
This model by Dr Ralf Vogt captures unique aspects which allows clients to come fully on board with the therapeutic work as they are invited participate in appropriate body-oriented, psychological and interactive exercises to process their trauma.
SPIM-30 UK 