About this resource
This checklist turns commonly described trauma-informed principles into practical prompts for before, during and after a session. It is designed for practitioner reflection and supervision, not for use with clients.
Purpose
To turn trauma-informed principles into practical session prompts.
Who it is for
Primary profession: Counsellors and therapists. Also relevant for social workers, youth workers.
Client or participant group: Practitioners and support workers planning or reviewing their own sessions.
Practice setting: Practitioner planning, reflection and supervision.
Suggested uses
- Planning sessions with new clients
- Self-reflection after a session
- Supervision and peer reflection
- Team training on trauma-informed practice
Instructions for practitioners
- Use the before section when planning a session.
- Keep the during prompts in mind as you work.
- Complete the after section as a short reflection.
- Bring patterns to supervision.
Accessibility considerations
Designed for practitioners and suitable for supervision discussions.
Scope and limitations
This checklist supports reflection and does not replace training in trauma-informed or trauma-specific practice. Follow your organisation's policies and seek supervision.
Higher-risk topic: use only within your training, supervision and organisational procedures.
Research basis
Trauma-informed practice prioritises safety, trust, choice, collaboration and empowerment, and avoids re-traumatising people. A strong working alliance and routine progress feedback are among the most consistent predictors of good outcomes in therapy.
- Flückiger, C., Del Re, A. C., Wampold, B. E., & Horvath, A. O. (2018). The alliance in adult psychotherapy: A meta-analytic synthesis. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 316–340. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000172
- Kezelman, C., & Stavropoulos, P. (2012). Practice guidelines for treatment of complex trauma and trauma informed care and service delivery. Adults Surviving Child Abuse (now Blue Knot Foundation). https://professionals.blueknot.org.au/resources/publications/practice-guidelines/
- Lambert, M. J., Whipple, J. L., & Kleinstäuber, M. (2018). Collecting and delivering progress feedback: A meta-analysis of routine outcome monitoring. Psychotherapy, 55(4), 520–537. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000167
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA's concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach (HHS Publication No. SMA 14-4884). SAMHSA. https://store.samhsa.gov/product/samhsas-concept-trauma-and-guidance-trauma-informed-approach/sma14-4884
What is included
A 2-page printable A4 PDF, including a practitioner notes page with the research basis (version 1.0).
Originality
Original Practitioner Plus content: wording, activity structure and layout were created for this resource. No third-party worksheets, illustrations or text were reproduced.
