Weight lifting can be a transformative tool for healing, empowerment, and self-discovery. For individuals who’ve experienced trauma, it can help them reconnect with their bodies, build strength, and foster resilience. 

This journey is best done with a thoughtful, trauma-informed approach. Coaches who understand this can create a safe and supportive environment that encourages growth on physical, psychological and emotional levels.  

Here are three key questions every trauma-informed weight lifting coach should consider asking a new or prospective client. 

1. About Moving Towards Safety and the Environment:
"Are there sounds, environmental factors, or particular settings that feel overwhelming unsettling or unsafe to you?"  

Safety is foundational for anyone healing from trauma, which can heighten sensitivity to environmental factors such as loud noises, crowded spaces, or unpredictable settings. These triggers can make weightlifting—or any physical activity—feel overwhelming or even unsafe. 

Why It Matters  

Trauma has significant impacts on the nervous system, and can contribute to experiences of hypervigilance, dissociation and/or overwhelm. A gym environment filled with clanging weights, bright lights, or bustling activity may amplify these physiological experiences. By identifying what feels unsettling or distracting, coaches can make adjustments to ensure the space feels more welcoming, responsive and supportive.  

This question also empowers individuals to advocate for their needs—a crucial step in rebuilding a sense of agency after trauma. When people feel safe in their surroundings, they are better able to focus on their healing journey.   

2. About Goal Setting:
"What are 2–3 goals that feel important to you?" 

Goal setting is an integral part of any movement journey, but for someone healing from trauma, it’s essential to approach it with care and flexibility. This question invites individuals to identify goals that resonate with them personally—whether those goals are physical, emotional, or even relational—and ensures that their priorities guide the process. 

Why It Matters

Trauma can disrupt a person’s sense of control over their life. Traditional fitness goals—such as lifting a specific weight or achieving a certain physique—may feel rigid or disconnected from what truly matters to them and are often rooted in our socialization in a culture that promotes toxic norms around bodies and exercise. Trauma-informed goal setting emphasizes intrinsic motivation and adaptability rather than external benchmarks or pressure.  

3. About Body Connection:
"How would you describe your connection (or relationship) to/with your body, if you're comfortable sharing?"  

Trauma often disrupts how people experience and relate to their bodies. Some may feel disconnected from physical sensations (called dissociation), while others may experience heightened sensitivity or discomfort during movement. This question opens up space for individuals to share their experiences so coaches can tailor their approach in ways that honor those feelings.

Why It Matters  

The body holds memories of trauma that can surface during physical activity in unexpected ways—whether through emotional responses or discomfort during specific movements. Understanding how someone feels about their connection to their body helps coaches meet them where they are and support them in building trust with themselves through weightlifting.

Growth and Healing

Weight lifting is more than just a physical activity—it’s an opportunity for growth, healing, and self-discovery. By asking these three questions—focused on safety in the environment, meaningful goal setting, and body connection—coaches can create an experience where individuals feel supported both physically and emotionally.