As a coach working with young adults navigating life’s big transitions—finishing school, starting work, building independence—I’ve come to realise something important:
Behind the words “I don’t know what I’m doing” or “I just feel stuck,”
There’s often a deeper story.
Sometimes that story includes trauma.
Not Always the Trauma That Makes Headlines
Often, it’s the quieter kind:
- A difficult family dynamic
- Chronic stress or anxiety
- Emotional neglect
- School environments that felt unsafe
- Identity struggles that left lasting marks
These experiences don’t always come up right away. But they shape how a person sees themselves, how safe they feel to try, fail, and grow—and how they respond to the process of change.
That’s why I believe every coach should be trauma-informed.
Coaching Isn’t Therapy—But It’s Still Deeply Personal
Coaching is about helping people move forward.
But when someone’s nervous system is wired for survival, or their self-worth is tangled up in shame or fear, progress doesn’t always look like setting goals or making vision boards.
Sometimes:
- It looks like helping someone feel safe enough to dream again
- It looks like sitting with the mess without rushing to fix it
- It looks like slowing down when everything inside them says “run”
What It Means to Be Trauma-Informed
Being trauma-informed isn’t about diagnosing or treating trauma.
It’s about:
- Understanding how trauma might show up in a session (e.g. avoidance, perfectionism, shutdown, people-pleasing)
- Responding with care and curiosity, not urgency or pressure
- Knowing when to refer out to a therapist
- Always prioritising a client’s sense of safety and agency
This approach helps coaching become not just productive—but healing.
Trauma-Informed Coaching Builds Trust
For many people, just being listened to without judgment is powerful.
A trauma-informed coach:
- Listens between the lines
- Notices patterns and body language
- Respects boundaries
- Invites reflection instead of forcing it
- Moves at the client’s pace
When we coach this way, we build real trust.
And trust is the soil where growth happens.
Young Adults Deserve This Approach
Many of the young adults I work with are carrying more than just career pressure or uncertainty.
They’re carrying years of survival—of being small, quiet, or invisible.
Now, they want to learn to thrive.
Trauma-informed coaching makes space for this shift.
It says:
“You’re not broken. You’ve been adapting. And together, we can figure out what thriving looks like for you.”
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to be a trauma specialist to be trauma-informed.
You just need to lead with:
- Curiosity
- Humility
- Care
Because every coaching conversation holds the power to harm or to heal.
I choose healing.
If you’re a coach—or thinking of becoming one—consider how trauma-informed awareness could transform your practice.
The world doesn’t just need more skilled coaches.
It needs more safe ones.
Vanessa Nahas Coaching 
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