Therapeutic Spaces

One of the foundational truths of trauma is that, in the moment it occurs, the individual is rendered helpless to act in their own defense. For someone who has experienced complex or repeated trauma, this is even more crucial to understand. Having little or no ability to participate in your own defense — to make choices — is a profound loss of autonomy.

Therapeutic spaces should offer the opposite. They should empower clients to participate — in form, flow, and function — in ways that restore agency. The ability to make even small choices in the therapy environment helps return what was taken.

There are many subtle ways to present your office as a healing space — especially for trauma-informed therapists who are just starting out or those reimagining their clinical space. One simple example: offer multiple seating options. When welcoming a client into your therapy room, don’t go directly to the seating area. Let them pause, scan the room, and decide. They may glance to you for a cue. You can gently say, “Welcome… where would you like to begin?”

You might offer a traditional chair or couch — and also a mat, a rocking chair, or a soft floor cushion. The more a client becomes comfortable in your presence, the more they may begin to explore options and stretch their agency.

Another powerful way to support autonomy is by asking the client where they’d like to begin the session. It can be as simple as: “Hi X, I’m wondering where you’d like to begin our time today?” This allows them to take the lead in a meaningful, grounded way.

Not every client will be immediately comfortable making these kinds of choices. Trauma can overwhelm the nervous system, especially when choice was historically dangerous or absent. That, too, is a place to begin.

“I’m happy to sit here if you’d like to take this chair.”
“Would you like the blanket today?”
“Are you comfortable?”
“Would you like to refill your water before we begin?”
“I brought in some new fidgets — would you like to try one?”
“Would you prefer the blinds open, the lamp off, or the temperature adjusted?”

These are small, low-stakes invitations. Each one offers a gentle opportunity for a trauma survivor to express preference and reclaim agency. For trauma-informed clinicians — especially early-career therapists designing their first office — these gestures are foundational.

When clients are given consistent opportunities to choose and feel safe doing so, they form new patterns. Over time, small acts of independence can support greater healing, resilience, and autonomy.

Here’s hoping that someday, they prefer your favorite chair in the room.