Trauma at any age is a cause of long-lasting and significant emotional damage. People who go on to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can suffer immensely and generally lack trust in others, causing problems in forming meaningful relationships. This article explores the importance of self-soothing techniques in helping to reduce distress in people with PTSD. These techniques include the use of a ‘safe space’, comfort items and a safety plan. This way of working with people affected by the disorder has been previously supported, and continuing to implement these structures may improve clinical outcomes. This article also highlights the importance of improving service-user satisfaction to encourage engagement in treatment by establishing therapeutic relationships that are built on safety and trust. A future recommendation would be for these techniques to be implemented in different clinical settings and applied to all mental health disorders.