An Exploration of Collective Trauma:

What is collective trauma?

Collective trauma is defined as trauma that is experienced by large groups of individuals that can be inherited across generations and communities. Some examples can include but are not limited to hate crimes, war, extreme poverty or extended lack of resources, violence, genocide, lack of natural resources or environmental destruction.

The manifestation of collective trauma in communities:

Collective trauma is often a self perpetuating cycle. Communities that have historically been exposed to our plagued by collective traumas, such as gang violence, acute poverty, physical destruction, or lack of opportunities and access to education and public services, are at a higher risk to continue to experience collective trauma. Some tell tale signs of collective trauma in a community are the break down of social norms and systems, the deterioration of family units and interpersonal relationships and the loss of social norms.

A brief intro to treating collective trauma:

Currently, the most widely practiced methods for treating collective trauma include:

• • Acknowledging that collective trauma is no less pervasive than individualized trauma.

  • Trauma has a significant impact on the development, health and well-being of citizens in a community.

  • Trauma-informed care must become a standardized practice.

  • Trauma must be addressed medically.

  • The community must find a group support system that satisfies their mental needs and provides validation.

The concept of professionals treating or preemptively preparing to treat collective trauma in communities is a relatively new one. For most of our history, there has been very little focus on collective trauma in scientific or political circles. However, in the last several years individual communities and members of statewide and national governing boards have started to recognize the importance of investing in learning about and implementing collective trauma healing practices. These professionals have begun to acknowledge that trauma is not always an individualized experience, and that trauma can and often does manifest across populations of varying sizes. In fact, many people have called for a massive shift in the way that trauma is classified and have demanded that collective trauma be described as an epidemic and not a one off diagnosis that applies only to one or two individuals in a community.