Session duration was 50 minutes, conducted in the therapist's office. Client expressed a desire to work on trauma but reported fear of discussing it in detail, stating, "I don't think I can handle going through it all again." Client reported symptoms of nightmares, flashbacks, and hypervigilance, and shared concerns that retelling the trauma might worsen these symptoms. Therapist reassured client that trauma healing does not require reliving the pain and introduced a stabilization-first approach, focusing on present symptoms and building resources before addressing trauma details. Client identified present-day triggers, including crowded places and sudden loud noises. Therapist guided client in creating a safe place visualization, which she described as her grandmother's garden, and spent time building this image for use as an anchor during triggering moments. Nervous system regulation techniques, including slow breathing and body awareness, were practiced to help client build internal safety. Client appeared relieved and stated she feels capable of working through this process. Homework assigned includes practicing the safe place visualization daily and noticing triggers without judgment. Future sessions will continue focusing on stabilization and regulation until client feels ready and resourced for trauma processing. Next session scheduled for next week.
SIMPLE Note Example
Trauma Treatment Without Reliving the Pain
Client worked on trauma healing using a stabilization-first approach, focusing on present triggers and nervous system regulation.
Generated SIMPLE Note:
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Client Session Summary:
Here's the summary of this client session. Remember, Quill does not record the client session. A therapist would provide a summary (like the one below) after the session is over, and then Quill would generate a note similar to the one above.
We had a 50-minute office session today. Nina came in and said she's been wanting to work on her trauma, but she's really scared of having to talk about it in detail. She said quote 'I don't think I can handle going through it all again' unquote. She's been having symptoms, nightmares, flashbacks, hypervigilance, but the idea of retelling the story feels overwhelming, and she's worried it'll make things worse.
I reassured her that trauma healing doesn't have to mean reliving the pain. We can work on the symptoms and help her feel safer in her body without doing intensive trauma narrative work. I explained that we'd use a stabilization-first approach, focusing on what's happening for her now and building up her resources before we ever go near the details. She seemed really relieved to hear that.
We started by identifying her present-day triggers, situations, sounds, smells, or feelings that set off the trauma response. She said crowded places and sudden loud noises are big ones. Then we worked on resourcing, I asked her to think of a place, real or imagined, where she feels completely safe. She described her grandmother's garden, and we spent some time building that image in detail so she could use it as an anchor when she feels triggered. We also did some nervous system regulation work, practicing slow breathing and noticing where she feels calm or neutral in her body, so she can start to build a sense of safety from the inside out.
Her homework is to practice going to her safe place visualization once a day, and to notice her triggers this week without judgment, just tracking them. We'll keep working on stabilization and regulation, and we won't move into trauma processing until she feels ready and resourced enough. She said she feels like she can actually do this now. We'll meet again next week.
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