Many people come to coaching having lived through trauma or prolonged stress. When trauma symptoms interfere with daily life, coaching can complement therapy—not replace it. Therapists and coaches each work within their own scope of practice to support whole-person wellbeing.
Trauma-informed coaching recognizes that past experiences—especially those that overwhelmed our sense of safety or control—can shape how we think, feel, and relate today. It doesn’t diagnose or treat trauma or PTSD, but it supports post-traumatic growth—the process of learning, connecting, and finding meaning after hardship.
By understanding how the nervous system and relationships influence behavior, coaching helps clients build awareness, stability, and new patterns of resilience. Sessions create a safe, structured space to explore how stress, emotion, and behavior interact—and how to move forward with clarity, self-trust, and intention.
Trauma isn’t just what happened—it’s what remains. It’s the lasting impact of experiences that overwhelmed our sense of safety, control, or belonging. Trauma can result from a single event, repeated stress, or long-term environments where we were or felt unseen or unsafe.
Its effects often live in the body and nervous system, showing up as anxiety, shutdown, irritability, perfectionism, or a sense of being constantly “on guard.” Trauma can influence how we relate to ourselves and others, how we handle conflict, and how we experience joy.
Trauma is far more common than most people realize. According to the Sidran Institute for Traumatic Stress Education & Advocacy, about 70% of adults in the United States have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives. Of those, roughly 20% go on to develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)—but many more live with ongoing stress responses, relationship challenges, or emotional patterns shaped by earlier experiences. Globally, research suggests that most people will face at least one potentially traumatic event during their lifetime, and resilience—not pathology—is actually the most common outcome.
Trauma isn’t defined only by dramatic events—it can also stem from what was missing: safety, attunement, or consistent care. Chronic criticism, emotional neglect, or walking on eggshells can quietly shape the nervous system in the same way as overt harm. These experiences, sometimes called relational or developmental trauma, can affect how we trust, communicate, and regulate emotion later in life.
Trauma-informed coaching helps clients notice these patterns without shame, build self-compassion, and learn new ways of relating to themselves and others.
Most people have experienced trauma in some form, and coaching can be an important part of post-traumatic growth. If symptoms of PTSD or severe distress are present, I’ll help you connect with a licensed mental-health provider so coaching can safely support—not replace—therapeutic care.
When someone close to us has experienced trauma, it often affects the whole family system. Their reactions—withdrawal, irritability, emotional shutdown—can be signs of protection, not rejection. Coaching can help you understand trauma’s impact on relationships, communicate with empathy, and stay grounded in your own regulation.
For couples or parents, sessions focus on co-regulation, boundaries, and rebuilding safety through everyday connection. When symptoms of PTSD are present, coaching can work alongside therapy to support recovery rather than replace it.
We live in a time of collective stress—constant news cycles, political polarization, and social division can leave people feeling anxious, powerless, or angry. This “ambient trauma” activates the same nervous-system responses as personal crises. Over time, it can lead to fatigue, numbness, or reactivity.
Trauma-informed coaching helps clients recognize when they’re overwhelmed, reconnect to what they can influence, and restore a sense of agency and meaning. Grounding, boundaries around media exposure, and purposeful action can all help transform helplessness into resilience and contribution.
Trauma can shape our relationship with money just as it shapes our relationships with people. It can lead to cycles of scarcity, over-control, avoidance, or impulsive spending—all rooted in the nervous system’s attempt to feel safe. Financial stress can also re-activate old survival patterns, making decision-making or planning harder. Trauma-informed coaching helps clients recognize these patterns without shame, regulate stress responses, and rebuild a sense of agency and stability around money.
