Collective Trauma Therapy & What it Means to Heal
Trauma Therapy & Healing
As a therapist practicing full-time throughout the pandemic, I can attest to the quote below about trauma therapy. I can’t speak to the world at large, but at least in my small part of the world, (well, Texas, which isn’t very small) therapists have been quite busy while the larger population sought to heal from unprecedented (we’re all tired of this word) times.
“In 2021, the world searched for healing.”
Google
Even therapists are searching.
But the sentiment is the same no matter where we are. We’ve all been searching for healing. Like, ALL of us. Even therapists.
Therapists don’t usually go through the same crisis simultaniously with our clients. In fact, we are encouraged to have already “done our own work,” meaning we have gone through our personal therapy on the issues we treat as clinicians. And if it just so happens that a therapist has a client who is going through something similar, the therapist is encouraged to refer out or seek supervision while working with said client.
That’s been tricky as of late.
Not only are we going through our own experience of the pandemic, but all our friends are going through it, our families, our therapists, our therapist’s therapists, and everyone we know.
This is collective trauma.
I was in grad school when I learned about collective trauma in a Crisis Counseling class. We studied collective trauma in-depth: mass shootings, natural disasters, war, etc. We learned tools and skills to provide counseling and therapy for people who have experienced the impact of collective trauma. We felt well prepared to handle what came our way.
Yet, many of my colleagues have agreed. We were not prepared for (waves hands wildly) this. Whereas we were once in shock and isolation, we seem to be finding our footing. That’s what humans generally do. We adapt to the world we’re thrown into.
However, adaptation is not healing.
So, what does it mean to heal?
According to Google’s Year in Search 2021, “This year, searches for “how to heal” reached an all-time high.” Even as an anxiety specialist / trauma therapist, this question can be challenging to answer. So, let’s start with rephrasing the question: What does it mean for you to heal?
I invite you to unclench your jaw, relax your shoulders, take a couple of deep breaths, close your eyes, and deeply reflect on this question:
What would healing be for me with trauma therapy?
This question can be quite complicated, so here are a few things to consider:
- The first step to healing is stabilization. This can be done with the help of a trained trauma therapist who helps you regulate the emotions and the sensations in your body.
- Learning to utilize internal resourcing will help you along in the process of healing. Many individuals don’t know how to access their internal resources until they begin therapy, and that’s ok. We weren’t born with a playbook.
- Healing from trauma, collective or otherwise, isn’t a linear process. Some moments will be more challenging than others. You can relapse or regress before moving further ahead.
- Sometimes you can be proactive in the healing process, and other times you just need to rest. Listening to what you need takes skill. Honoring what you need takes commitment.
- It’s ok to redirect your goals in and outside of therapy to triage whatever chaos may be current in your life.
- You can heal from two things at once. That can mean healing your relationships while healing past trauma, healing your mental health while healing your body, etc.
- Healing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s much safer to process trauma with another person than to just sit with it and let it fester in mind and body.
- Without the guidance of a trained trauma therapist, you may end up reinforcing harmful narratives that keep you stuck in pain.
- A trauma counselor or EMDR therapist can help you quiet the noise in your head, calm the dysregulated feelings in your body, and help you develop internal resources you can utilize outside of therapy as you go about your daily life.
- You can learn to access your own internal wisdom to help you heal.
Lessons from the past two years of collective trauma therapy
The past two years have been hard for all of us. They’ve been dangerous and draining. They’ve also been incredibly inspirational as what I’ve gleaned the most from all of this is:
People can be so damn resilient.
I’ve witnessed pain, anger, rupture, isolation, and disconnection. I’ve witnessed individuals lose loved ones to break-ups, divorce, and death. I’ve also witnessed compassion, connection, and growth. I’ve had the honor of witnessing strength and healing throughout each chaotic day.
I’ve witnessed clients heal from past trauma entirely unrelated to the pandemic in the very midst of the pandemic.
I’ve witnessed downright heroism and the toll it can take on those sacrificing for us (special shout out to our hospital workers and teachers). As challenging as it’s been for all of us, I’m more inspired than ever to continue my work as a trauma therapist, because I get to intimately and consistently witness how possible it is to heal.
I don’t know what the other side looks like. I suppose none of us really do. But I know we’re ready to heal, and I know that we can.
And if you’re ready to heal, you can find out more about trauma therapy here.
Rebecca Phillips, MS, LPC
I’m a licensed professional counselor in Frisco, Tx who serves clients throughout the entire state of Texas. More specifically, I’m an EMDR therapist who specializes in anxiety and trauma. And let’s face it, we’ve all experienced collective trauma at this point. My hope is that you are finding healing in your own way throughout all of this. If you need more help, please reach out. I’d like to be of assistance in any way I can- whether that’s by working with me or another trauma specialist.