Appendix A: TRUST Quick Reference Guides

TRUST Sample Reflective Questions

Note: Questions followed by an asterisk* have been identified as suitable for initial assessment/trust-building

Traditions & Practices

• Are there things about your spiritual, religious, cultural &/or healing traditions/practices/experiences you would like the healthcare team to be aware
  of? How might these affect how we work together?*
• What practices, activities, or issues are you inspired by/passionate about? How can these be integrated into your healing? What new practices,
  activities or issues might you like to explore?
• Do you have affiliation with any particular spiritual, religious, cultural, and/or healing tradition(s)? If so … Do you see it/them as a current source of
  strength? Of distress? How so? Are there aspects of/experiences with your tradition(s) that you feel contribute to your well-being? Compromise your
  well-being?
• What do/does your tradition(s) say about the nature of suffering? How do you feel about that?
• What gives you hope? How can we help you connect to your sources of hope?
• How are you creative in your daily life? Your coping? How can this creativity be applied to your current challenges? To your life in general?

Reconciliation

• Are there any unresolved issues you would like support in exploring at this time?*
• Are there situations, choices or actions of others in your life with whom you cannot currently make peace? How does this influence your sense of wellbeing? What do you wish to do with this awareness?
•  Do you find yourself focusing on past choices or actions that you regret? How does this focus influence your sense of well-being? What do you wish to
  do with this awareness?
• What does ‘reconciliation’ mean to you? What would ‘reconciliation’ look/feel like to you? What might be the benefits of reconciliation?
• Do your current spiritual/religious/cultural traditions play a role in finding reconciliation? What do their teachings say about ‘reconciliation’/
  ‘forgiveness’/‘non-attachment’/‘re-balancing’? Do they assist?/interfere? How so?
• Have you found anything positive arising from your painful experiences? (eg: development of inner strengths you didn’t know you had; closer
  relationships; deeper trust; lessons learned; deeper appreciation for the good times; a sense of purpose or meaning, more creative coping?) If so, how
  does/can this enhance your daily life amidst the difficulties you face? If not, does it feel okay, for now, to grieve the losses associated with your
  difficulties?
• What/who can sustain you until you feel more hopeful/peaceful? Do you see yourself being able to feel more hopeful/peaceful?

Understandings

• Are there particular personal beliefs or practices sustaining you/offering you comfort at this time? How can we help you draw upon these for strength?*
• Are you aware of any beliefs or questions that are distressing/compromising your well-being? If so, how do you wish to address these? Do you see it as
  possible to eventually transform them into ones that promote wellness?
• Are there particular spiritual, religious or cultural influences that influence or inform your understandings? How do you feel about these influences?
• What do you believe about the nature of suffering? How do you think these beliefs are influencing your current healing process?
• What gives your life meaning? Is there any meaning that you make in relation to your current difficulties? If so, what? How does this influence the
  way you navigate your circumstances?
• Has this experience prompted you to ponder your overall life’s purpose(s)? If so, what is your sense about it/them? How does this influence your wellbeing/your approach to life?/your healing process?

Searching

• Are there spiritually-oriented questions about your current difficulties that you would like an opportunity to explore?*
• How have your current difficulties influenced your beliefs? Are there any of your previously-held beliefs that you are currently questioning? How do you feel about questioning these beliefs? Does this type of questioning feel safe/unsafe? What/who contributes to this sense of safety/risk?
• What answers about life/death/spirituality are you currently seeking? How difficult is this searching?
• What/who is a source of disillusionment for you? Have you had an opportunity to grieve associated losses? If not, how might you do so?
• Has the imposition of others’ beliefs added to your distress? If so, how? How can you gain protection from these intrusions?

Teachers

• Are there people/groups/groups/resources you find helpful in exploring spiritual questions? How can they be involved in your healing process?*
• Who do you consider to be your spiritual teachers/mentors/leaders/companions?
• What readings and activities do you find personally inspiring or comforting? How might they contribute to your healing? How can you draw these
  resources into your regular routine?
• What new mentors, readings, activities and events would you like to access?
• What resources within yourself can you name and draw upon? What new internal resources would you like to develop?

                                                             (Scott Barss, 2012)