If you suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, you know all too well that healing from collective trauma is essential. What is collective trauma? It’s the mental distress that comes from the entire history of humankind imprinted in your mind. It is from all the mass murder, genocide, slave trade, and other cruelties that humanity has grown accustomed to, and it is this negativity that must be erased before any healing can occur.
A group of Boston College students decided to form the National Center for Traumatic Stress Studies (NCFTCS) after looking for a way to help those victimized by trauma. They knew firsthand what it’s like to deal with mental health issues stemming from the trauma, and they wanted to provide their clients with a safe, therapeutic environment. Thus was born the first ever-Traumatic Stress Clinic. Today the NCFTCS has helped to design and implement many trauma-informed psychological and educational programs. They also conduct research, conduct training, and disseminate information on the topic.
How do we move forward from the collective trauma of the past? Healing from this dark time will require us to grow as individuals. We have to become aware of the value of love, and we have to start putting love into action every day. This will require that we develop our ability to work with our emotions and not against them. We have to learn to work with our feelings, and we have to find ways to let go of our old beliefs about others and life in general.
One of the keys to healing from collective trauma is in learning to promote healthy reactions to stressful situations. In other words, by promoting healthy reactions, the focus is on returning people to their normal state of being rather than encouraging them to embrace their past state of being.
Counselors should be present during the formation stages of collective trauma, as well. The formation stages of collective trauma typically include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, fear, exhaustion, guilt, and sadness. It is important for a counselor to offer encouragement during these stages, as well as confide in the client about the ways that they can help them move through the painful stages faster.
The formation of a collective trauma requires the presence of support systems. These can include friends, family members, and health professionals. It is important to promote collaboration during the recovery process, which means that when one is having difficulty overcoming a setback, they should be encouraged to ask for help. The healing process will be much quicker if the right resources are in place.