Trauma Worksheets

This worksheet is designed to be completed, at least in part, in conjunction with your client’s primary mental health professional. It should be completed when they are in a calm mindset and have the headspace to think about their trauma triggers and recall times in the past they have been triggered. This should therefore be a supportive environment where your client feels safe, such as in a session with you.

Different people will have different coping skills that work for them, but some common strategies include breathing exercises, grounding techniques, distracting activities, engaging in a hobby, journaling, talking to a peer or family member, or leaving a situation.

Warning signs that someone has been triggered could include trouble breathing, sweating, chest or abdominal pain, sudden change in mood, anger, increased sensitivity to noise, light, or certain tastes or smells, feeling disconnected from the current time or place, or feeling scared or anxious. Again, these warning signs will differ from person to person so it’s important for your client to think about the signs that are specific to them.