10 Trauma-Informed Mentorship Practices You Can Use in Every Session

At Stable Moments, we know that healing happens in the small, consistent interactions that build trust, connection, and confidence over time.

While structured activities are an important part of sessions, there are countless opportunities for trauma-informed practices woven throughout, during greetings, transitions, and even within other activities. These moments of connection can be just as powerful as the planned parts of a session.

That’s where Mini Moments come in. These are simple, trauma-informed practices mentors can integrate naturally to support regulation, relationship-building, and growth. They don’t require supplies or preparation, just presence, curiosity, and intention.

Mini Moments help mentors model calm, create safety, and strengthen key life skill areas like self-regulation, responsibility, emotional awareness, and self-worth. 

Here are 10 Mini Moments you can try right away:

1. Session Starter: “Same Spot, Same Start” (🟦 Responsibility / 🟪 Healthy Relationships)

Consistency builds safety. Begin each session with something that feels familiar—meeting in the same spot, greeting your mentee with the same words or gesture, or asking a repeated question like, “What kind of day are we having today?”

This small ritual provides continuity between sessions, helping your mentee feel grounded, safe, and seen right from the start.

2. Humming for Calm (🟥 Self-Regulation)

Invite your mentee to hum quietly, like a busy bee. Humming slows breathing, activates the vagus nerve, and soothes the nervous system. You can hum during transitions, while cleaning up, or when things feel tense.

3. Breathing Buddy (🟥 Self-Regulation)

Have your mentee place a small stuffed animal or hand on their belly and watch it rise and fall as they breathe. It’s a gentle, visual way to learn how to calm their body.

4. Gratitude Share (🟨 Emotional Awareness)

At the end of each session, take turns sharing one thing you’re grateful for. Gratitude helps shift focus from what’s hard to what’s good and builds emotional awareness.

5. Grounding Game (🟥 Self-Regulation)

Play a quick 4–3–2–1 game: name 4 things you see, 3 things you hear, 2 things you feel, 1 thing you smell. Great for bringing everyone back to the present moment.

6. Power Pose (🟩 Self-Worth)

Stand tall like superheroes for 30 seconds. Shoulders back, hands on hips, big smiles. This simple pose builds confidence and signals safety and strength.

7. Nature Noticing (🟧 Independence)

Pause during outdoor sessions to notice the world around you. “What colors do you see?” “What sounds can you hear?” This fosters curiosity, mindfulness, and independent observation.

8. Emotion Colors (🟨 Emotional Awareness)

Ask your mentee to choose a color that matches how they feel today. No art supplies needed. They can imagine or point to a color in the environment. This helps them practice identifying emotions safely.

9. Silly Shake (🟥 Self-Regulation)

Shake out your arms, legs, and whole body for 10 seconds. It’s a quick way to release tension and reset the nervous system before starting or after finishing an activity.

10. Name That Strength (🟩 Self-Worth)

Invite your mentee to name one thing they like about themselves, or share something you’ve noticed they’re great at. Naming strengths builds positive self-concept and trust.

Why Mini Moments Matter

These small practices help mentors meet kids where they are, focus on regulating before relating, and build connection in everyday interactions. Over time, these moments become the foundation of safety, belonging, and growth.

Mini Moments Mentor Challenge

Each session, choose one Mini Moment from this list to weave into your time together. It could be how you start your session, a tool you use to help regulate, or a simple way to close with connection.

As you try them, notice:

🌱 How did it impact your mentee?

💭 How did it affect you?

✨ Could this same practice help you in your own day, outside of sessions?

These small, trauma-informed practices don’t just support the kids you mentor; they also help you stay grounded, present, and connected.

Healing happens in moments, and every time you choose presence over perfection, you’re creating safety and trust that lasts far beyond the session.