🥅 SMART Goals (trauma-informed adaptation)
Using the SMART goal framework in a trauma-informed way is powerful—but it requires sensitive adaptation to honor the unique pace, safety needs, and neurobiological realities of trauma survivors.
✅ 1. TRAUMA-INFORMED SMART GOALS: ADAPTED DEFINITION
Traditional SMART Goals:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic (or Relevant)
- Time-bound
Adapted for trauma-informed coaching, here’s a version more aligned with safety, pacing, and healing:
- S – Self-Defined & Safe: The goal is clearly defined by the client, not imposed. It must feel emotionally and physically safe to approach.
- M – Meaningful & Measurable-ish: The goal reflects the client’s values and healing path. Some goals (like "feel safer in my body") may need creative or gentle ways of tracking progress.
- A – Attuned & Adaptive: Goals should match the client's nervous system capacity (window of tolerance) and be adjustable as needed.
- R – Regulated & Relevant: The goal supports nervous system regulation or a relevant step in their personal healing journey.
- T – Trauma-Paced & Time-Sensitive: Timeframes are flexible. Instead of pressure, there’s a rhythm or check-in point (e.g., "I’ll revisit this in 2 weeks").
✏️ 2. EXAMPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED SMART GOALS
💬 Emotional Regulation:
"I want to practice a grounding technique that works for me, 3 times per week, for 10 minutes, over the next month—starting with ones that don’t feel threatening like walking or brushing my cat."
🛑 Boundary Setting:
"I will practice saying 'Let me get back to you' instead of giving an immediate 'yes' when someone asks for my help, at least once in the next two weeks."
🤲 Self-Compassion:
"Each morning for the next 14 days, I will write down one kind thing I can do for myself, to build self-kindness."
🤝 Relationship Repair:
"Over the next month, I’ll reach out to one safe person to share something vulnerable and track how it felt afterward—no pressure to keep doing it if it feels unsafe."
🧠 Shame Healing:
"I’ll keep a list of moments this month when I feel I’m 'too much' or 'not enough', and note what part of me is speaking—not to fix it, just to notice."
🧭 3. AREAS OF TRAUMA HEALING (useful for goal-setting)
Here’s a breakdown of healing areas, drawn from trauma-informed coaching, polyvagal theory, IFS, and somatic psychology:
| AREA | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
| Safety & Stabilization | Feeling emotionally and physically safe enough to heal (includes environment, people, and internal safety) |
| Nervous System Regulation | Expanding the window of tolerance; learning to downshift from hyper- or hypoarousal |
| Boundaries & Assertiveness | Saying yes/no with confidence, trusting intuition, reclaiming agency |
| Attachment & Relationships | Healing from relational trauma; building safe, secure connections |
| Shame & Inner Critic Work | Disarming toxic shame, building self-worth, relating to inner parts with compassion |
| Self-Compassion & Inner Child Work | Nurturing exiled parts; becoming a safer inner caregiver |
| Trauma Narrative & Meaning-Making | Making sense of what happened, integrating without reliving |
| Embodiment & Body Trust | Reconnecting with the body; tolerating sensations, reclaiming pleasure or neutrality |
| Identity & Life Vision | Who am I without trauma? Reclaiming lost dreams, voice, values, purpose |
| Pacing & Restorative Rhythms | Learning to live in cycles of rest and action; resisting productivity addiction |
| Joy, Play, and Creativity | Reintroducing fun and aliveness as part of healing |
📋 4. INTAKE & GOAL-SETTING QUESTIONS FOR TRAUMA-INFORMED COACHING
Use these to assess where you are, what you need, and how you see your coach helping:
🌱 Safety & Foundation
- What makes you feel safe enough to open up?
- Are there environments, topics, or practices that feel unsafe or activating for you?
- How do you know when you’re starting to feel dysregulated?
🧭 Life Assessment
- Which areas of your life feel most impacted by trauma right now? (e.g., relationships, self-esteem, work, rest, boundaries, emotions)
- What would healing look like for you—not in theory, but in how you live or feel?
🎯 Goal Direction
- What’s something you wish felt easier or more possible in your daily life?
- If we were successful working together, what might be different 3 months from now?
- Are there specific behaviors, patterns, or reactions you'd like to shift?
💡 Strengths & Resources
- What are some coping strategies or resources that have worked for you in the past?
- Who or what helps you feel more grounded or supported?
🧑🤝🧑 Expectations from Coaching
- What kind of support do you need from me as a coach? (e.g., holding space, keeping you accountable, offering tools, validating)
- What are your fears, if any, about entering this kind of coaching relationship?
- Do you prefer a structured approach, a fluid one, or a mix?
💬 5. HOW TO CO-CREATE TRAUMA-INFORMED GOALS WITH CLIENTS
Start with safety, not productivity: Focus on goals that stabilize rather than push toward performance.
Use visual metaphors or scales: Like: "On a scale from 0–10, how much self-compassion do you feel daily?" Or: "If healing were a landscape, where are you today? What’s ahead?"
Normalize flexibility: Let them know changing or dropping a goal is part of healing, not a failure.
Track patterns, not perfection: Instead of “doing X every day,” focus on noticing change: “How often did you feel safe enough to say no this week?”
TRAUMA-INFORMED COACHING INTAKE FORM & SMART GOAL WORKSHEET
A printable coaching intake form or SMART goal worksheet tailored for trauma-informed coaching
🏡 SECTION 1: CLIENT FOUNDATION & SAFETY
1. What makes you feel emotionally or physically safe? (e.g., quiet space, time alone before sessions, certain rituals)
2. What feels unsafe, overwhelming, or off-limits right now?
3. What do you need from me (your coach) to feel supported? (e.g., directness, warmth, clear structure, check-ins)
4. How do you typically respond to stress or emotional overwhelm? (freeze, fawn, flight, fight, shutdown, dissociate, etc.)
5. How do you know when you're starting to feel dysregulated or flooded?
6. Do you prefer structure, fluidity, or a combination in coaching sessions?
📊 SECTION 2: TRAUMA IMPACT & HEALING AREAS
Which of these areas feel most impacted by trauma (check all that apply):
- Emotional regulation
- Boundaries & assertiveness
- Self-worth & shame
- Relationships & attachment
- Body connection/embodiment
- Nervous system regulation
- Identity & purpose
- Pacing & rest
- Creativity, joy & play
- Safety & stability
- Trauma narrative (meaning-making)
Which 2–3 would you like to focus on first? Why?
What are some things you wish felt easier or more possible in your daily life?
What would healing look like for you in real life terms? (e.g., being able to say no, feeling calm around others, trusting yourself)
✅ SECTION 3: SELF-AWARENESS & STRENGTHS
What are some practices or tools that have helped you in the past?
Who or what helps you feel more grounded or hopeful?
What are some of your strengths you’d like to bring into this process?
What are your fears or hesitations about this coaching process?
🔹 SECTION 4: SMART GOAL WORKSHEET (TRAUMA-INFORMED)
Goal Name: ____________________________________
1. Self-Defined & Safe (Specific) What is the goal you want to focus on? Why does it matter to you? Does it feel emotionally or physically safe to work on this?
2. Meaningful & Measurable-ish How will you know you're making progress? (Feelings, changes in behavior, journaling, scale 0–10, etc.)
3. Attuned & Adaptive (Achievable) Is this goal realistic for your current nervous system capacity? What’s the smallest version of this goal you could start with?
4. Regulated & Relevant Does this goal support you becoming more regulated or connected to yourself? How does it fit your values or long-term healing?
5. Trauma-Paced & Time-Sensitive What’s a gentle timeframe or rhythm to revisit or check in on this goal? (e.g., "once a week reflection" or "revisit in one month")
Potential Obstacles & Support Plan What might get in the way? What could help you stay compassionate if you don’t follow through?
🌿 SECTION 5: GOAL TRACKING & REFLECTION
A. Week in a year (1/52)
B. Action Taken?
C. What Helped?
E. What Got in the Way?
F. Self-Compassionate Note