When working with young children who have been through a traumatic event.

I'm sorry ______________________________ happened.

You must feel ______________________________.

You are safe here.

We will do everything we can to keep you safe.

Things will get better.

It’s OK to cry.

Your family loves you.

We love you./We care about you.

I feel ________ about what happened./I feel ___________, too.

It looks like/sounds like you are feeling _________________________.

I need to keep you safe. I need to keep all the children safe.

Hmmmm, how do you feel about that?

Tell me about _________________________________.

And then what happened?

Are you OK?

Words That Are Not Helpful

Don’t feel like that!

Don’t cry.

Don’t talk like that!

Everything will be OK.

Don’t talk about it. Just go outside and play!

You need to get over it!

I’m sure it wasn’t that bad!

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