When the Effects of Trauma are All Around

This post originally was published on September 11, 2018, on the ICTG blog.

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These days it can feel as though there are few places to turn where you do not encounter the impacts of trauma in some form. Whether you are marking the 17th anniversary of 9/11 today or the one-year anniversaries of hurricanes Irma, Harvey, and Maria, or you are preparing for the incoming storms of Florence or Olivia, you are in the thick of your own crises related to flooding, violence, fire, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, death, or terminal illness – it can be hard not to feel overwhelmed and even hopeless amid the chaos of heartache. 

Trauma, of course, is not new. Though it may be decades or even centuries since events like the ones we face today have occurred, the sustainable practices of resiliency remain the same across time and demographics. Here are some of the ways leading field experts, journalists, and scholars are naming them today: 

Pediatrician and leading Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) scholar, Dr. Nadine Burke-Harris on the prescription plan for countering adversity: 

• Consistent sleep
• Regular exercise
• Good nutrition
• Practicing mindfulness
• Maintaining mental health
• Fostering caring relationships

Collective traumatologist,Dr. Jack Saul, on the four themes most typical of a functional community resilience and recovery approach: 

• Focus on building community and enhancing social connectedness among the concentric circles of impacted persons
• Commitment to collectively telling the story of the community's experience and response
• Practicing re-establishing the rhythms and routines of life and engaging in collective healing rituals
• Arriving together at a positive vision of the future with a renewed sense of hope

Pastoral theologian, Dr. John Swinton, on the relational and spiritual practices for formation through and beyond loss: 

• Listening to Silence
• Lament
• Forgiveness
• Thoughtfulness
• Hospitality

These practices are not merely about being "good" or "healthy." They are proven to be the skills and practices that sustain individuals, families, and groups through widely ranging forms of loss. To learn more about how you or your organization can practice skills for resiliency, browse ICTG's downloadable guides, training materials, or contact us to learn more. 

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​Rev. Dr. Kate Wiebe serves as the Executive Director of ICTG. She is an organizational health consultant and pastoral psychotherapist. She lives with her family in Santa Barbara, CA.