Objectives
By the end of this module you will be able to:
- Describe trauma in plain language using the GGN Three Questions.
- Explain the difference between being trauma-informed and treating trauma.
- Name the four parts of the GGN Steady Ground Promise.
- Introduce the five GGN Steady Ground Habits.
Lesson
What trauma is, in plain language
GGN describes trauma in plain language with three questions, the GGN Three Questions: What happened? (an event or set of circumstances), How was it lived? (whether the person experienced it as harmful or threatening), and What did it leave? (lasting effects on their wellbeing). This plain-language description is GGN's own, informed by public health guidance listed in the References.
That description holds an important lesson for supporters. Two people can go through the same event and experience it very differently. What matters is not whether you think something should be traumatic, but how it was experienced by the person in front of you.
How trauma and grief can meet
- The loss itself may be frightening. Sudden deaths, accidents, violence, suicide, overdose, disasters, and deaths in which a person witnessed suffering can all be experienced as traumatic.
- The circumstances around the loss may add harm. Examples include a frightening hospital stay, a police investigation, media attention, or being treated unfairly by systems.
- Earlier experiences may come back. A new loss can stir old trauma, such as childhood abuse, war, migration, or discrimination.
- You often will not know. Many people never tell others about past trauma. That is one reason trauma-informed habits are used with everyone, not only with people we know have been through something.
Trauma-informed is not trauma treatment
Treating trauma is clinical work done by licensed professionals. Being trauma-informed is something everyone can do. It means organizing how we act so that we are less likely to cause harm and more likely to support safety, choice, and trust.
| Trauma-informed supporters do | Trauma-informed supporters do not |
|---|---|
| Make things predictable and explain what will happen. | Diagnose anyone with PTSD or any condition. |
| Offer choices and accept "no." | Ask for graphic details about a death. |
| Let people share at their own pace. | Try "techniques" to make someone process memories. |
| Respect culture, faith, and identity. | Assume they know what someone needs. |
| Connect people to professional help and crisis lines. | Replace professional care. |
The GGN Steady Ground Promise
GGN sums up what trauma-informed support aims to do in four plain promises:
- Notice that many people carry hard experiences, and that people can and do find their way through them.
- Watch gently for signs that someone may be affected, without probing or labeling.
- Build care into how things are done, not only into what we say.
- Do no further harm, by avoiding anything that repeats the hurt.
The five GGN Steady Ground Habits
GGN translates trauma-informed ideas into five everyday habits for people supporting the bereaved. Each module of this program explores them in depth.
| Habit | In short |
|---|---|
| Predict | Make things as predictable as you can. Say what will happen before it happens. |
| Ask | Ask before you act, offer choices, and accept the answer. |
| Pace | Let the grieving person set the pace and depth of what they share. |
| Respect | Honor culture, faith, identity, and history, and check your assumptions. |
| Connect | Stay steady, connect people to each other, and connect them to professional and crisis help. |
These habits are GGN's own. They reflect values widely shared in trauma-informed practice, such as safety, honesty, choice, collaboration, peer support, and respect for culture and history.
GGN practiceThe Steady Ground Pause (about 2 minutes, before any support conversation)
A short pause for helpers to use before walking into a hard visit, phone call, or meeting. Stop for a moment outside the door, in the car, or before you dial. Notice your own state: "Am I rushed? Anxious? Tired? Sad?" Name it to yourself without judgment. Let your feet rest on the ground and your shoulders drop if they are raised. Set an intention in one sentence: "I'm here to be steady and kind, not to fix this." Choose one Steady Ground Habit to lead with today. For example: "I'll ask before I offer help," or "I'll let them set the pace." Remind yourself of your safety net: "If I hear anything about suicide or danger, I'll use 988 or 911." Then go in. Notes: Supporters who arrive steadier help others feel steadier. If you cannot get steady, it is okay to reschedule a non-urgent visit or bring a calmer companion.
Fictional storyFictional Story 1.1: The Reyes family gathering
Carmen's brother Luis died in a workplace accident. At the family gathering after the funeral, an uncle asks Carmen loudly, in front of everyone, "So did he suffer? What exactly happened to the body?" Carmen freezes, then leaves the room. Later, a cousin says, "She's too sensitive. We're family." Questions to consider:
- What about the uncle's question might have been experienced as harmful?
- How do the GGN Three Questions help explain why Carmen reacted the way she did?
- Which Steady Ground Habits could the family use?
Discussion: A loud, public question about suffering and the body may bring frightening images to mind and leave Carmen with no choice about what she shares. The event is the same for everyone in the room, but Carmen's experience of it, as Luis's sister, may be very different. The family could use Pace (let Carmen decide what and when to share), Ask ("Would you like to talk about Luis, or would you rather just be with us?"), and Respect (accept her response rather than calling her too sensitive).
Reflection Prompts
- Think of a time someone's well-meant question or comment landed badly for you. What would have helped instead?
- Why might it be important to use trauma-informed habits even when you do not know someone's history?
- Which of the five Steady Ground Habits feels most natural to you? Which is hardest?