When applying a trauma-informed lens to assessment, what core principle directly addresses the potential for clients to be re-victimized by the process itself?

The core principle that directly addresses the potential for clients to be re-victimized by the assessment process itself is Empowerment, Voice, and Choice. When applying a trauma-informed lens to assessment, the entire process of gathering information about a client's needs, strengths, and challenges (the *assessment*) is conducted with an understanding of the widespread impact of trauma and how to avoid causing further harm. Re-victimization, in this context, refers to the experience of a client feeling harmed again, or having past traumatic experiences re-triggered or re-enacted, specifically by the methods or dynamics of the assessment itself. Trauma often involves a profound loss of control, a feeling of helplessness, and a silencing of one's voice. When an assessment process does not prioritize these elements, it can inadvertently re-enact these disempowering dynamics, leading to re-victimization. The principle of Empowerment, Voice, and Choice directly counters this potential by ensuring the client is an active participant in the information-gathering process, rather than a passive recipient. This means fostering a sense of strength and capability (empowerment), actively listening to the client's perspective and validating their experiences (voice), and offering them meaningful options regarding the assessment format, the type and depth of information shared, and the pace of the interaction (choice). For example, an assessor might explicitly state, "You don't have to share anything you're uncomfortable with," or "We can take a break whenever you need to." By providing these elements, the assessment becomes an experience of regaining agency, which is inherently healing and directly prevents the process from mirroring the powerlessness of past trauma, thereby ensuring it does not become a source of re-victimization.