Trauma Headlines

One of the most difficult parts of trauma therapy is knowing where to start.

Many people have experienced multiple traumatic events over the course of their lives and struggle to organise those experiences into a form that can be discussed with a therapist. The Trauma Headlines Worksheet provides a simple, structured way to begin that process without needing to write out every detail.

Instead of revisiting entire memories, this worksheet helps you create short "headlines" that capture the key events that continue to affect you today.

The worksheet guides you to briefly record:

• The approximate year and your age at the time
• What happened
• Who was involved
• The primary emotion you experienced
• How distressing the memory feels now

It also includes practical clinical advice to help you complete the exercise safely, minimise overwhelm, and use coping skills before and after the task.

This resource is commonly used during the preparation phase of trauma therapy and can help you and your therapist identify the memories that may require further processing.

Whether you're preparing for EMDR, organising your trauma history, or beginning trauma-focused treatment, this worksheet provides a practical first step toward making sense of your experiences.