Trauma Reaction Cards Checklist
Client Name:_______________________
Behavior Reactions
 Hitting
 Fighting
 Running away
 School Problems
 Avoiding people, places,
things, or sensations related to
the trauma
 Hurting your own body
 Taking out your feelings on
people you care about
 Trusting others too quickly/
Inappropriate boundaries
Body Reactions
 Feeling like you are re-
experiencing the trauma
 Jumpy or Easily Startled
 Body Feeling Shaky
 Trouble with sleep
 Low energy
 Body or muscles tense
Feelings Reactions
 Guilty
 Angry
 Ashamed
 Numb
 Rejected
 Not enjoying the things used to
 
Brain & Thinking Reactions
 “Everyone is unsafe”
 “The world is a bad place”
 Difficulty Concentrating/
Focusing
 Thinking nothing good will ever
happen
 Thinking about the trauma
often
 
Available for FREE download at www.TraumaReactionCards.com
Trauma Reaction Cards Checklist by Beth Richey, LCSW. PATENT PENDING. All rights reserved.
Date:______________________
 Arguing  Not Listening /Defiance
 Cursing  Breaking Things
 Crying  Outbursts of anger
 Lying  Bathroom Problems
 Acting younger than you are  Isolating yourself from others
 Unsafe sexual practices  Trying to end your life
 Stealing  Trouble with eating
 Tantrums  Using drugs/alcohol/cigarettes
 Difficulty separating from  Trouble getting along with
caregivers others
_________________________ _________________________
 
 Being on guard or constantly  Feeling disconnected from
alert your body
 Trouble with eating  Hyperactive
 Feeling short of breath  Nightmares
 Bellyaches/Nausea  Headaches
 Body Feeling of Panic _________________________
 
 Having worries  Sad
 Nervous/anxious  Moody/Irritable
 Depressed  Helpless
 Betrayed  Hopeless about Future
 Easily Upset  Not caring about others
 Feeling different from others  Embarrassed

 Not trusting others  “It’s my fault” or blaming self
 “I am bad”  Memories/Flashbacks
 Forgetting parts of the  Tring to keep feelings/
trauma thoughts of trauma out of head
 Thinking about the safety of Thoughts about what
loved ones happened pop into you head
 Thinking about dying/  Pictures of what happen pop
wanting to die into your head
