Working with Goals and Trauma in Youth Mental Health

There is good evidence of the value of working with goals in youth mental health services and settings. As such, goal-oriented practice is seen as a core component of good mental health interventions. Yet, there is debate among clinicians and academics about whether working with goals is a valid approach with clients who have experienced trauma. In this paper, I will explore the impacts of trauma and argue that working with goals, including the use of tools that facilitate these practices, such as the Goal-Based Outcome (GBO) tool, is as vital when working in trauma-informed interventions, as with any other mode of practice or client group.