25 PTSD Worksheets for Trauma Therapy (Printable PDF)

Traumatic experiences are often difficult to process for any individual. Trauma therapy is one way to help people process traumatizing events, allowing them to manage any lasting symptoms or experiences of trauma that may follow. Outside of therapy, there are also other tools that one can use, such as PTSD worksheets. Using such materials can help us learn more about trauma, how it affects people, and ways to process and manage it. Here are 25 of the best PTSD worksheets that can be used alongside trauma therapy.

25 PTSD Worksheets for Trauma Therapy

These trauma therapy worksheets are designed to help kids and teens throughout their recovery. They allow one to describe their experience, teach grounding techniques and self-care methods, and encourage a sense of normalcy after the trauma.

1. Circle of Control

In the Circle of Control worksheet, kids and teens learn the importance of focusing on things they can do something about and letting go of things that are outside of their control. Worrying about uncontrollable problems can cause an excessive amount of negative thinking and emotions. By focusing on what you can control, you can achieve a greater sense of productivity, self-empowerment, and inner peace. This worksheet can help those who have trouble expressing themselves verbally learn how to let go of the need to control everything.

2. Grounding Techniques

Learning how to regulate one’s emotions is part of trauma therapy, whether you are a child, teen, or adult. And grounding techniques are a great way to do just that. This handout teaches you how grounding can help and offers clear examples of grounding strategies, such as the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. This handout is especially helpful in individual or group settings.

3. My Trauma Story

People who have gone through trauma don’t often talk about their thoughts and feelings regarding the experience. But by sharing with a trusted individual, it becomes easier to process the trauma, get the support they need, and use healthy coping mechanisms. The My Trauma Story worksheet helps individuals discuss their traumatic experiences through writing as well as identify some helpful coping skills, including mindful distraction, emotional release, and relaxation.

4. Building Resilience

Experiencing trauma is stressful and difficult, which is why building resilience is essential for mental well-being. This helps people thrive and adapt. This resilience worksheet can be used alongside therapeutic techniques by allowing individuals to answer specific questions that build their resilience.

5. 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Technique

One commonly used grounding technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, which allows kids, teens, and adults to use their five senses to focus on the present moment. This worksheet lets you write down things you can see, hear, smell, touch, and taste, which can result in a feeling of calmness, especially if you are feeling worried, stressed, or anxious.

6. Trauma Coping Statements

Coping with trauma involves taking important steps to feel better and relieve oneself from stress. One such strategy that can be used within and outside of therapy is trauma coping statements. This worksheet is a great resource for practicing positive coping statements that can help manage symptoms of trauma.

7. Self-Care Wheel

There are different areas of our lives where we can practice self-care, including physical, emotional, mental, social, practical, and inspirational. Self-care is especially important for individuals who have experienced traumatic events. This Self-Care Wheel handout is useful for discovering new ways to take care of yourself, including following a good diet, getting enough sleep, practicing forgiveness, and more.

8. What is Trauma?

Learning more about trauma gives people who have experienced it the knowledge to manage the symptoms. Trauma is developed when a person goes through an event that threatens their safety and security. Our What is Trauma poster also lists down common trauma symptoms to watch for and strategies to overcome trauma. This can be used in group or individual settings, and it is an excellent resource for young people and parents.

9. Positive Habits for Trauma

People who have lived through a traumatic experience may handle trauma in various ways. Encouraging healthy coping skills helps in relieving negative emotions, maintaining positive relationships, and healing. This worksheet can help individuals become aware of unhealthy coping behaviors and learn how to replace them with healthier alternatives, such as grounding, developing resilience, and mindful distraction.

10. Preparing for Trauma Triggers

Distressing events can lead to psychological trauma, such as natural disasters, accidents, or illnesses. Symptoms of trauma can be exacerbated by certain triggers. Some people may choose not to acknowledge these triggers, but this only prevents full recovery and healing. This worksheet allows people who have experienced trauma to recognize their triggers, explore how they handle them, and identify specific coping skills. Using this worksheet may also lessen the impact of triggers.

11. My Trauma Triggers

For those who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, it is possible to develop a mental health condition called PTSD. This can cause individuals to feel moody, have trouble sleeping, and have a difficult time enjoying things. This worksheet can help children and teens with symptoms of PTSD identify specific triggers and create a personalized plan for healthy coping. This is best done in conjunction with treatment from a mental health professional.

12. Trauma Self-Care Checklist

To recover from trauma, it is essential that people know how to take care of themselves. People who have experienced trauma can use this checklist to plan and track healthy habits. They can start by referring to the “Ideas for Self-Care” section and then proceed with drafting up a self-care strategy. It helps to practice these steps to self-care throughout the week and then check one’s progress.

13. PTSD Symptoms Worksheet

PTSD includes various symptoms that may have a negative impact on a person physically, mentally, and emotionally. By utilizing your strengths and expressing yourself, it’s possible to cope in a positive way. Using this PTSD symptoms worksheet can help you express what you’re feeling so that you can gain a better sense of self-awareness about your condition and how to manage it.

14. 2-4-6-8-10 Grounding Technique

Another grounding technique we have on this list is the 2-4-6-8-10 exercise. This strategy allows individuals to calm down by focusing on positive thoughts and the things around them. This removes any stressors and triggers. This worksheet helps instruct one on how to do the grounding technique. After completing the exercise, it helps to proceed to the additional grounding exercises in the worksheet that can be used for any situation.

15. Healthy Ways to Manage Trauma

Trauma can sometimes manifest as symptoms like nightmares, intrusive thoughts, mood swings, and loss of concentration. This can make one feel helpless. By using this worksheet, it becomes easier to cope with trauma. It can be used as a learning resource or a daily guide since it includes strategies like mindful distraction and practicing optimism or self-compassion.

16. Positive Self-Statements for Coping with PTSD

Positive self-statements can help replace any negative thoughts that can result from having PTSD. Whenever you feel a trauma trigger affecting you, it helps to recite or read a positive self-statement from this handout aloud. Keep it somewhere where you can always see it, whether that’s the wall by your desk or on your phone as your wallpaper.

17. Trauma Symptoms Checklist

By recognizing the symptoms of trauma, it becomes possible to work towards seeking help and healing. People with PTSD can use this symptoms checklist to build their self-awareness by identifying trauma symptoms that they experience daily. These symptoms can range from pain in the body to changes in appetite. It helps to identify the most common symptoms you experience to identify any patterns.

18. Building Resilience

Developing one’s resilience can increase one’s ability to adapt to various stressors and challenges in life. This handout is a great resource for building resilience in 10 different ways. It also includes positive statements and encourages focusing only on things that are in one’s control.

19. My Peaceful Place

Imagining a peaceful place can do wonders for managing the stress and anxiety that often accompany PTSD symptoms. It can be a place that you have already visited in the past, but it can also be an imagined place that exists only in your mind. What’s important is that it has the ability to make you feel happy and refreshed. This worksheet can provide immediate relief if you are triggered by negative thoughts. One should describe their peaceful place in detail, including the things they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste.

20. Positive Self-Talk for Trauma

Positive self-talk is an important tool for trauma survivors. It helps them cope by focusing on their abilities and good qualities. Practicing positive self-talk can empower individuals to make changes that will benefit their lives. This worksheet can supplement CBT lessons or social skills group therapy sessions. Individuals can identify all the positive messages they can find and write down three more that make them feel good.

21. Post-Traumatic Growth

Post-traumatic growth is all about healing from a traumatic experience, ultimately finding meaning and purpose from one’s struggle. Positive coping strategies, social support, and high self-esteem have been shown to result in higher levels of post-traumatic growth. This worksheet allows people who have gone through trauma to find the lessons from their experience and build their personal strengths in the process.

22. Physical Symptoms of Trauma

Sometimes trauma manifests as physical symptoms, such as fatigue, poor concentration, and an elevated heart rate. This worksheet can help individuals learn more about the physical symptoms that they are feeling and encourage them to seek the right help.

23. Coping with Trauma

Some trauma triggers can remind people of certain traumatic events. Experiencing such triggers can cause them to behave irrationally or to lash out. Developing coping skills for trauma is crucial. By using this Coping with Trauma worksheet, individuals can better identify things that trigger negative emotions. They can also choose the right coping skills for their symptoms, including relaxation, mindful distraction, and others.

24. Trauma Management Strategies Tracker

Trauma management strategies are necessary for people who have experienced trauma to get the support they need and regain control of their lives. Using this tracker, they can write down coping skills to practice for certain trauma triggers and then rate the response. This will show whether one’s coping skills are effective in managing the trauma symptoms.

25. My Gratitude Exercises

People who show gratitude regularly are able to experience more satisfaction and happiness in life. The same goes for individuals who have gone through traumatic experiences. Using this worksheet can help people practice gratitude by listing down what they’re thankful for. It can help counteract many negative emotions and encourage a sense of thankfulness despite the circumstances.

Summary

Knowing the right PTSD exercises to do can help individuals who have experienced trauma tremendously. Recovery does not just take place in therapy. It also has so much to do with the work done outside the therapist’s office. These healing from trauma worksheets can contribute to one’s healing journey no matter what stage they are in.