Methods and apparatus for a three-stage atrial cardioversion therapy that treats atrial arrhythmias within pain tolerance thresholds of a patient. An implantable therapy generator adapted to generate and selectively deliver a three-stage atrial cardioversion therapy and at least two leads operably each having at least one electrode adapted to be positioned proximate the atrium of the patient. The device is programmed with a set of therapy parameters for delivering a three-stage atrial cardioversion therapy to the patient via both a far-field configuration and a near-field configuration of the electrodes upon detection of an atrial arrhythmia. The three-stage atrial cardioversion therapy includes a first stage for unpinning of one or more singularities associated with an atrial arrhythmia, a second stage for anti-repinning of the one or more singularities associated with the atrial arrhythmia, both of which are delivered via the far-field configuration of the electrodes, and a third stage for extinguishing of the one or more singularities associated with the atrial arrhythmia delivered via the near-field configuration of the electrodes.
