Practical Guidance

Practical Guidance

• Ask permission before touching or discussing sensitive topics
• Avoid assumptions or minimizing language
• Normalize a wide range of experiences, even if they are very different than your own lived experiences
• Accept "no" without pressure

You are not here to fix trauma—you are here to avoid harm and provide a steady presence.

Here are some examples of Trauma Informed Care conversations and documentation examples:

Pregnancy After Loss

Doula Language: "Some people feel extra worry after a loss. You can share as much or as little as you want. What would feel most supportive today?"

Documentation: "Provided emotional support related to prior pregnancy loss; validated feelings and focused on current support needs."

Miscarriage or Missed Abortion

Doula Language: "I'm sorry you're going through this. We can move at your pace, and you don't need to explain anything unless you want to."

Documentation: "Provided grief support and emotional presence following pregnancy loss."

Abortion Support

Doula Language: "People have many reasons for their decisions. My role is to support you without judgment. How are you feeling right now?"

Documentation: "Offered non-judgmental emotional support related to abortion care."

Surrogacy Context

Doula Language: "Support can look different in surrogacy. Would you like me to focus on your needs, coordination, or both?"

Documentation: "Clarified support role in surrogacy context and aligned care with patient preferences."

Emotional Distress (Non-Crisis)

Doula Language: "Many people feel overwhelmed during this time. Would it help to talk about what's been hardest, or focus on coping today?"

Documentation: "Provided emotional support for reported stress; discussed coping strategies."

Mental Health Escalation

Doula Language: "What you're describing sounds really heavy. With your permission, I can help loop in the care team for extra support."

Documentation: "Patient expressed emotional distress; concern flagged to clinical team with patient consent."

Home Safety

Doula Language: "Some people don't feel fully safe at home. You can skip this if you want. Do you feel safe right now?"

Documentation: "Asked about home safety using trauma-informed language; no immediate concerns disclosed."

Fertility Journey

Doula Language: "Fertility experiences can bring up a lot. Would you like support around that, or focus elsewhere today?"

Documentation: "Acknowledged fertility history and provided emotional support as requested."

Unexpected Changes in Birth Plan

Doula Language: "Things don't always go as planned. I'm here to support you through what's happening right now."

Documentation: "Provided emotional reassurance during unexpected change in birth course."

When a Client Declines to Answer

Doula Language: "That's completely okay. We can skip it or come back later if you want."

Documentation: "Respected patient choice to decline discussion; continued supportive care."