Topic
Trauma
Trauma-informed psychoeducation for clients learning about the nervous system, dissociation, and regulation skills.
Reviewed by Grounded Scribe ·
Each psychoeducation page is checked against current Australian source authorities (RANZCP, APS, AASW, OT Australia, Beyond Blue, Headspace, Black Dog Institute) and updated at least annually.
Working with trauma starts with safety and a shared frame. The handouts here give clients vocabulary for what is happening in their body (window of tolerance, fight/flight/freeze/fawn) and concrete tools (grounding, breath) for the moments when symptoms are loudest. None of these replace structured trauma therapy.
Handouts in this topic
Window of Tolerance
Understanding your optimal zone for processing emotions and stress, and what happens when we move outside it.
Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn: Stress Responses
Understanding the four main ways our nervous system responds to perceived threats.
5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique
A simple sensory-based technique for managing anxiety and staying present.
Breathing Exercises for Calm
Simple breathing techniques to activate your relaxation response.
Safety Plan Template
A structured plan for managing crisis situations and suicidal thoughts.
Frequently asked questions
Are these resources safe to give before formal trauma therapy starts?+
Psychoeducation handouts that name the nervous-system response (Window of Tolerance, Fight/Flight/Freeze/Fawn) are generally appropriate as part of stabilisation. Avoid handouts that ask clients to recall or detail traumatic content outside a structured therapeutic frame.
What if grounding techniques activate a client?+
Some clients with complex trauma find interoceptive focus distressing. Eyes-open external grounding (naming objects, holding cold water) is generally safer than breath- or body-focused techniques. The 5-4-3-2-1 handout is built around external sensing.