6.10 What is a trauma-informed approach?

The eight steps are as follows. 1. Create structure in sports sessions. 2. Check how the athletes are feeling at the beginning and end of practice. 3. Ask for feedback often – and without repercussions. 4. Use strength-based communication and language. 5. Prioritise consent for physical contact. 6. Use person-first language. 7. Create a ‘reset’ routine for athletes who might struggle to manage their emotions due to trauma. 8. Commit to prioritising connection. The eight roles in creating trauma-informed environment are as follows. Using positive language helps the athlete to recognise what coaches see in them that they may not yet see themselves. Key points include ensuring you refer to athletes in a way that reflects their identity. Next. Creating a clear, consistent structure for sessions can help to eliminate the stress for athletes of not knowing what is going to happen next. Next. Always ask an athlete before touch correction is used and explain exactly where your hands will go as you are correcting them. Try other forms of explanation first. Next. If you ask athletes to do exercises that require touch between them, explain how they should ask for consent during the exercise and give alternatives to physical contact. Next. According to research, intense moments of repeated connection can help change the brain. Every coach has the opportunity to do this through moments of simple, human connection such as nods of acknowledgement, or eye contact when speaking. Next. This gives you a better understanding of the mood and energy in your athletes. This gives athletes the power to influence their environment. This also gives you different ideas on how you can coach more effectively. Next. Using language such as ’athletes with disability‘ instead of ’disabled athletes‘ is important because it centres the human first and the disability second. Next. Coaches often respond to negative emotional behaviour by asking the athlete to remove themselves from the activity and calm down. This may be the exact opposite of what their brain needs. Instead, rhythmic, and repetitive experiences can be more soothing, following a stress response. The correct matches are as follows. 1. Create structure in sports sessions. This matches with. Creating a clear, consistent structure for sessions can help to eliminate the stress for athletes of not knowing what is going to happen next. 2. Check how the athletes are feeling at the beginning and end of practice. This matches with. This gives you a better understanding of the mood and energy in your athletes. 3. Ask for feedback often – and without repercussions. This matches with. This gives athletes the power to influence their environment. This also gives you different ideas on how you can coach more effectively. 4. Use strength-based communication and language. This matches with. Using positive language helps the athlete to recognise what coaches see in them that they may not yet see themselves. Key points include ensuring you refer to athletes in a way that reflects their identity. 5. Prioritise consent for physical contact. This matches with. Always ask an athlete before touch correction is used and explain exactly where your hands will go as you are correcting them. Try other forms of explanation first. If you ask athletes to do exercises that require touch between them, explain how they should ask for consent during the exercise and give alternatives to physical contact. 6. Use person-first language. This matches with. Using language such as ’athletes with disability‘ instead of ’disabled athletes‘ is important because it centres the human first and the disability second. 7. Create a ‘reset’ routine for athletes who might struggle to manage their emotions due to trauma. This matches with. Coaches often respond to negative emotional behaviour by asking the athlete to remove themselves from the activity and calm down. This may be the exact opposite of what their brain needs. Instead, rhythmic, and repetitive experiences can be more soothing, following a stress response. 8. Commit to prioritising connection. This matches with. According to research, intense moments of repeated connection can help change the brain. Every coach has the opportunity to do this through moments of simple, human connection such as nods of acknowledgement, or eye contact when speaking.