Clinicians · 2 minute read · Conversation guide
Shared Decisions When Choosing Trauma Treatment
Use plain-language options and client priorities to make a treatment decision together.
Use plain-language options and client priorities to make a treatment decision together. The examples below are starting points to adapt to your scope, client, and setting.
Begin with the decision
A client may be deciding whether to start treatment, which approach to try, or how to schedule care. Name the actual decision before presenting options. Ask what the person hopes will change and what they want to avoid. Time, financial demands, prior experiences, accessibility, culture, and support all matter.
Explain choices without a sales pitch
Describe reasonable options in ordinary language, including expected demands and uncertainty. A decision aid can support a conversation; it does not replace an individualized assessment. Avoid presenting one technique as the only path or promising a particular timeline.
Sample conversation
“We have a few possible ways to approach this. What matters most to you when choosing care? Would it help if we compare what each option involves and decide together what to try first?”
Revisit the decision
Invite questions and check understanding in the client’s own words. Agree on a next step, document the decision and its rationale as appropriate, and revisit it when goals, circumstances, or preferences change. A client can decline or request more time.
A practical decision check
Before closing, ask the client to name their priorities and describe the next step in their own words. Offer time to consider an option without pressure. If a decision cannot be made today, agree on what information is missing and when you will revisit it. When access or affordability limits a preferred option, explain available alternatives rather than implying the choice is unlimited. Use interpreters and accessible formats when needed.