Collective Trauma Research

A TRANSDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATION OF RESEARCH ON COLLECTIVE TRAUMA & HEALING

Trauma Studies & Research Introduction

Collective trauma research is inherently complex and multifaceted, requiring an approach transcending individual disciplines. This research must draw from various fields, including biology, neuroscience, psychology, cultural studies, anthropology, law, political science, indigenous knowledge, and sociology. Each of these disciplines offers valuable insights into collective trauma, yet when viewed in isolation, they provide only a fragmented understanding of the issue.

The Pocket Project seeks to bridge these diverse perspectives by integrating them into a comprehensive framework. By combining varied approaches, we aim to deepen our understanding of collective trauma and develop more effective strategies for awareness and integration. Through ongoing research, we strive to generate the data necessary for an evidence-based approach to inform policy and practice, ultimately fostering a more comprehensive response to collective trauma.

Collective Trauma & Democracy

Publication Date: 2022

In an innovative pilot project using SenseMaker, over 600 micro-narratives were analyzed to understand collective trauma integration in the context of democracy, crisis, and polarization. Collaborating with More Democracy, Research Institute for Sustainability Potsdam, Complexity Partners, Institute for Integral Studies as well as Cynefin Company were able to publish a comprehensive research report. Overall we found substantial shifts towards positive perceptions of democracy, enhanced self-efficacy, and improved dialogue skills, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed, co-creative communication in crises after a collective trauma integration process with 350 German citizens.

Epigenetic Study

Planned Publication Date: 2025

In our epigenetic study with the Helmholtz-Zentrum in München and the University Luxembourg we are investigating the effects of the Timeless Wisdom Training on epigenetic changes of participants. We aim to measure therapeutic interventions’ molecular impact, using advanced DNA methylation analysis to explore potential gene activity changes related to stress, trauma, and resilience. While the data analysis is still ongoing, first results are already out.

International Lab Reports

Publication Date: 2021 & 2025

The International Labs with over 30 global groups, explore intergenerational and collective trauma. We are using SenseMaker software to collect participant stories. This research builds on the previous labs from 2020/21, where over 70 narratives show first signs of positive impacts despite the challenges of engaging with collective trauma. Key areas of research included the possible increase of systemic awareness, compassion, and empowerment. To see the research report and further evaluations of the International Labs go here.

Global Social Witnessing Toolkit

Publication Date: 2024

The Global Social Witnessing Toolkit addresses the challenge of responding to the world’s suffering in a meaningful way. The toolkit was developed by diverse partners such as Prof. Matoba Kazuma from University Witten/Herdecke and funded by the EU. This research underscores the importance of staying emotionally connected and compassionate, even when faced with distressing news. The findings demonstrate how Global Social Witnessing fosters a deeper sense of connection and responsibility, enabling individuals to engage with the world more authentically and constructively.

Trauma-Informed Leadership Report

Publication Date: 2024

The Trauma-Informed Leadership research report provides valuable insights into the effectiveness of integrating trauma-informed principles in leadership roles. By systematically evaluating participant experiences and outcomes, the report highlights the positive impacts. The research underscores the importance of trauma awareness in leadership, showcasing how it enhances trust, safety, and empowerment within teams and communities. The findings contribute to our understanding of effective leadership strategies that support collective trauma integration to drive positive change.

Pocket Project Evaluation Reports

Publication Date: Since 2021 & ongoing

We value research and ongoing evaluation for Pocket Project activities because they provide essential insights on how to address collective trauma. Systematic evaluations measure the impact of our programs, identify areas for improvement, and ensure our methods stay relevant and effective. Continuous research and evaluation drive our commitment to excellence and innovation, enabling us to contribute meaningfully to the field of trauma healing. Here you find previous evaluations of several programs.

In an effort to step out of the familiar echo chambers of research, we combine a trans-contextual perspective informed by applied complexity to grow our shared understanding of collective trauma.

Collective Trauma Studies

In collective trauma studies, we grapple with the intricate web of suffering that extends into the communal bonds of society. Embedded within collective trauma is the paradox of representation: trauma mutes and silences, isolating individuals, families, and cultures, yet it also brings people together to find new meaning and language for the unspeakable. Traditional modes of representation falter when capturing the myriad voices and narratives converging in mass traumatization.

Structures and systems meant to provide solace may often perpetuate harm, revealing dominant norms that fail to address the root causes of trauma. This contributes to global polycrises, extracting from marginalized communities and eroding our shared future.

Applied complexity and assemblage theory, emphasizing the interplay of heterogeneous elements forming complex wholes, offer a potent lens for exploring this terrain. Collective trauma research illuminates our interconnectedness: everything is in conversation and relationship, even if we can’t feel it. Scientists become tender narrators, enabling navigation of the complexities of collective trauma, fostering shared understanding, and flourishing futures.

Urgent questions emerge: What constitutes healing on a collective scale? Who is responsible for nurturing our collective well-being? These questions demand a paradigm shift, challenging us to reimagine humanity in a traumatized world.

Meaning

Collective Dimension
Sociology-cultural

Time

Process Dimension
History-temporal

Power

Structural Dimension
Legal-political

Body

Individual Dimension
Psychology-biological

Towards a comprehensive understanding

Numerous disciplines and research efforts contribute diverse perspectives within the scientific field of collective trauma studies. To overcome disciplinary echo chambers and achieve a comprehensive understanding, the following framework positions different perspectives within the broader landscape of collective trauma research.

In the Pocket Project we draw on 12 thematic areas within collective trauma research all of those are related to different scientific disciplines. To give an orientation about the main focus of these thematic areas, their key terminology can be broadly positioned between Time, Body, Power and Meaning. Find a short definition and further information for each thematic area here:

Trauma-informed approaches encompass a comprehensive understanding of trauma’s effects on individuals and communities. A core element is to recognize trauma and the related systems as well as to mainstream practices of resourcing to cope with trauma. Integrating insights from psychology, psychiatry, and social theory, these approaches emphasize sensitivity to trauma’s pervasive impact. They employ holistic frameworks to guide therapeutic interventions and research methodologies to promote healing and resilience. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and practical applications, trauma-informed approaches seek to enhance understanding of trauma’s complex interplay with cultural, social, and ethical dimensions in various contexts, from personal recovery to community well-being. These approaches prioritize creating safe environments that validate survivors’ experiences and empower them through compassionate and informed care practices. Implementing trauma-informed principles helps to mitigate re-traumatization and supports long-term recovery and well-being.

Repair and restoration in the context of collective trauma encompasses multifaceted approaches aimed at addressing and healing the deep wounds inflicted on communities by shared traumatic experiences. This process acknowledges the interconnectedness of individual and collective suffering, drawing on insights from psychology, sociology, anthropology, and other disciplines to navigate the complexities of trauma’s aftermath. It involves creating supportive environments that facilitate healing, rebuilding trust, and fostering resilience among affected groups. By integrating diverse perspectives and methodologies, efforts in repair and restoration aim not only to heal immediate wounds but also to empower communities to rebuild a sense of identity, cohesion and hope for the future in the wake of profound adversity.

“All trauma is preverbal” encapsulates the essence of Bessel van der Kolk’s work on implicit and traumatic memory. Van der Kolk’s research emphasizes how traumatic experiences, particularly in early childhood, are encoded in sensory and emotional networks of the brain before language development occurs. This concept highlights the limitations of verbal expression in capturing the full breadth of traumatic experiences. Instead, traumatic memories often manifest implicitly through bodily sensations, emotions, and behavioral responses. Van der Kolk’s framework underscores the importance of non-verbal modalities in trauma processing and informs trauma-informed interventions that prioritize somatic experiencing and other non-verbal approaches to healing.

Inter- & Transgenerational Trauma has been researched since 1966. The first study was published by Canadian psychiatrist Vivian M. Rakoff, examining high rates of psychological distress among children of Holocaust survivors. Inter- and Transgenerational trauma encompasses both conscious and unconscious inheritance of traumatic experiences. Researchers like Vera Békés & Claire J. Starrs identify these traumas across generations, highlighting how historical traumas persist in familial and cultural narratives. They illustrate the enduring impact of past injustices on present-day individuals and communities and how it shapes psychological well-being.

Braveheart’s research on historical trauma explores how past injustices like colonization, slavery, and genocide shape collective identity and perpetuate suffering across generations. She emphasizes nuanced interventions that consider historical context and cultural specificity, aiming to disrupt cycles of injustice and promote an inclusive societal narrative. “Chosen Trauma,” a concept within historical trauma by Vamik Volkan, examines how specific past traumas forge collective identity and cohesion. These traumas influence intergenerational dynamics, revealing insights into how historical grief and humiliation persist and can be politicized by leaders. Volkan’s work underscores the enduring impact of collective historical experiences on societal psyches and intergroup relations.

Social trauma is a relatively new term introduced by Andreas Hamburger and others. It encompasses collective experiences of trauma within societies impacted by dictatorship, war, forced migration, and other forms of violence. It integrates clinical psychology, psychiatry, and social theory to explore how these traumatic events affect individuals and communities. This interdisciplinary approach addresses conceptual frameworks, therapeutic interventions, and research methodologies to understand and heal societal traumas. Through scholarly dialogue and practical insights, social trauma studies aim to illuminate the complex dynamics of trauma’s impact on cultural memory, social cohesion, and ethical considerations in post-conflict and post-traumatic contexts.

“Cultural trauma,” as conceptualized by Christopher Alexander, explores the collective resonance of historical wounds within cultural identities. Alexander’s work underscores how traumatic events of the distant past can imprint deeply on the cultural psyche, shaping shared narratives, values, and social structures. This notion extends beyond individual experiences to encompass the felt sense of trauma embedded within the collective consciousness of cultural groups. By examining the interplay between historical events and cultural identity formation, Alexander’s framework provides insight into the enduring impact of trauma on societal dynamics. It informs efforts to address historical injustices and foster collective healing.

Epigenetics & Trauma, pioneered by Dr. Rachel Yehuda’s groundbreaking research, delves into the complex inheritance of trauma dynamics across generations through the lens of epigenetics. Yehuda’s studies have elucidated how traumatic experiences induce epigenetic changes, influencing gene expression and potentially affecting the psychological well-being of descendants. By exploring the intricate interplay between environmental stressors and genetic predispositions, Yehuda’s work not only reveals the biological mechanisms of transgenerational trauma transmission but also underscores the profound implications for understanding resilience and vulnerability in populations exposed to trauma. Her research highlights the need for nuanced interventions that address both psychological and biological aspects of trauma’s impact on individuals and communities.

Memory and collective trauma intertwine deeply in understanding how societies remember and process shared traumatic experiences as researched by Angela Kühner. Collective trauma shapes cultural narratives and identities, influencing how communities interpret their past and present. Memory studies illuminate how these narratives evolve, impacting social cohesion and collective healing. By examining the construction of collective memory through various lenses—psychological, sociological, and historical—researchers explore how memories of trauma can be preserved, distorted, or suppressed. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for addressing unresolved trauma and fostering societal reconciliation. The memory of collective trauma serves as a pivotal lens through which societies reckon with their history and envision a more resilient future.

Complexity and collective trauma intersect profoundly in the study of how communities grapple with and respond to shared experiences of profound adversity. Collective trauma disrupts social cohesion, cultural identity, and historical narratives, creating a complex web of interrelated challenges. Assemblage theory offers a lens to understand how diverse elements—psychological, spatial, social, cultural, and historical—come together to shape and perpetuate collective trauma dynamics. This perspective underscores the interconnectedness of individual experiences within larger societal frameworks, revealing how trauma manifests through fragmented narratives and interconnected social structures. Researchers navigate this complexity through insights from psychology, system science, cognitive science, anthropology, and history.

Trauma intersects with bioethics through the complex ethical considerations surrounding the legacy of past injustices and their enduring impacts on health and well-being. Historical trauma, such as genocide, slavery, or colonial oppression, raises profound bioethical questions about responsibility, reparations, and reconciliation. These events have left lasting scars on affected populations, influencing health disparities, intergenerational trauma transmission, and cultural resilience. Bioethical frameworks provide critical insights into navigating these challenges and addressing issues of justice, autonomy, and dignity in the context of historical trauma. Understanding and addressing these bioethical dimensions is essential for promoting healing, equity, and ethical governance in societies reckoning with their traumatic pasts.

Thus, I define collective trauma via the multilevel crisis in representation inherent in trauma’s socialization and demonstrate how as trauma spreads, it interacts with existing political and economic factors.
Adam B. Lerner (Phd.), Associate Professor University of Massachusetts Lowell, Political Science

Trauma isolates individuals, yet it can also seep out, affecting those who surround and bear witness and, in doing so, shape political communities.
Emma Hutchison (Phd.), Associate Professor University Queensland, Political Science and International Studies

Collective memory of traumatic events is a dynamic social psychological process that is primarily dedicated to the construction of meaning.
Gilad Hirschberger (Phd.), Professor University Reichman, Psychology

While trauma research has become more comprehensive in the last decade, what is missing are references to a holistic process of trauma integration.
Thomas Hübl (Phd.), Academy of Inner Science, Pocket Project Co-Founder

Dissociation prevents the trauma from becoming integrated within the conglomerated, ever-shifting stories of autobiographical memory, in essence creating a dual-memory system.
Bassel van der Kolk (Phd.), psychiatrist, author, researcher and educator

There is a tendency of “[...] over- or under-emphasizing psychological processes“ when „[…] addressing ‘trauma for the collective identity.’
Angela Kühner, Professor Internationale Hochschule, Social Work

Cultural trauma occurs when members of a collectivity feel they have been subjected to a horrendous event that leaves indelible marks upon their group consciousness, marking their memories forever and changing their future identity in fundamental and irrevocable ways.
Jeffrey C. Alexander, Professor Yale University, Sociology

I call a time collapse a phenomenon that occurs when ideas, perceptions, feelings, as well as defenses connected with a chosen trauma collapse into ideas, perceptions, feeling and defenses connected with a current political or military conflict.
Vamık D. Volkan emeritus professor of psychiatry at the University of Virginia

This glossary is designed to serve as a comprehensive guide to key concepts, terms, and theories related to collective trauma, trauma healing and collective trauma integration. Each entry in this glossary provides a clear definition of the term and references to key scientific publications. Our intention is to offer precise language and concepts to facilitates a deeper understanding and more effective communication within the field.

Adaptive Capacity

The ability of individuals or groups to adjust to situations also in the context of trauma and recover.

Adaptive Strategies

Methods used by individuals and groups to cope with and adapt to traumatic experiences.

Affective Synchrony

Alignment of emotional states with another person or within a group, fostering collective empathy.

Anticipatory Grief

Grief is experienced in anticipation of future loss or trauma. Therefore it is called Anticipatory Grief.

Archetypal Trauma

Trauma that is deeply rooted in collective archetypes and myths.

Attachment Trauma

Trauma resulting from disruptions in early attachment relationships.

Attunement

A harmonious responsiveness between individuals, crucial for healthy development and trauma recovery.

Autonomic Regulation

The process of regulating the autonomic nervous system, often disrupted by trauma.

Behavioural Activation

Techniques to increase engagement in positive activities to combat trauma symptoms.

Bio-Psycho-Social Model

An approach that integrates biological, psychological, and social factors in understanding trauma.

Biopsychosocial Spiritual Model

An integrated approach considering biological, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects of trauma.

Body Memory

Physical manifestations of memories stored in the body.

Boundary Setting

Establishing and maintaining personal limits (boundaries) to protect against retraumatization.

Cognitive Reframing

Changing the way one thinks about a traumatic event to alter its emotional impact.

Collective Effervescence

The shared emotional energy experienced by a group, often during rituals or communal events.

Collective Grief

The shared experience of grief within a community following a traumatic event.

Collective Despair

Collective despair occurs when a group loses faith in and hope for some or all aspects of their social world and feel powerless to do anything about it.

Collective Memory

The shared pool of memories held by a group, influencing their identity and trauma response.

Collective Resilience

This is the ability of a community to recover and thrive after trauma.

Collective Unconscious

A concept by Carl Jung that refers to shared structures of the unconscious mind among beings of the same species.

Community Healing Circles

Gatherings focused on collective storytelling and mutual support for trauma healing.

Community Resilience Building

Efforts to strengthen a community’s ability to withstand and recover from trauma.

Compassion Fatigue

Emotional exhaustion experienced by people working in care, particularly those who help trauma survivors.

Complex Trauma

Exposure to multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature.

Coherence

A state of logical and consistent alignment in thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This is important in trauma recovery.

Coherent Heterogeneity

It is about acknowledging the differences within boundaries that ensure coherence. It is about embracing as much diversity as possible without fragmenting or becoming incoherent.

Cultural Humility

A respectful approach that acknowledges and values cultural differences in trauma responses and healing.

Cultural Memory

The shared pool of memories and history held by a cultural group, shaping their collective identity.

Cultural Resilience

The ability of a cultural group to recover and thrive despite trauma.

Cultural Retraumatization

Re-experiencing trauma due to cultural insensitivity or oppression.

Cultural Safety

Creating an environment where individuals feel safe to express their cultural identities during trauma recovery.

Cultural Shadow

The aspects of a culture that are hidden or repressed, often containing traumatic elements.

Cultural Trauma

A type of collective trauma that affects the foundational identity and memory of a cultural group.

Dark Lake

A metaphor used to describe the deep and often hidden aspects of collective trauma.

Dehumanization

The process of depriving individuals or groups of their humanity. This is often a factor in collective trauma.

Desensitization

A gradual reduction in emotional response to trauma through repeated exposure.

Dialogical Process

Engaging in open dialogue to process and integrate traumatic experiences.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A severe form of dissociation often resulting from extreme trauma.

Eco-Trauma

Trauma-related to environmental destruction and ecological crises.

Ecology of Paradigms

The co-existence of different sientific paradigms within a broad ecology of practise.

Embodied Awareness

The practice of becoming deeply aware of bodily sensations and experiences as a way to process and heal trauma.

Emotional Contagion

The spread of emotions within a group. This often amplifies collective trauma.

Emotional Dysregulation

Refers to difficulty in managing and responding to emotional experiences.

Emotional Regulation

Techniques to manage and control emotional responses to trauma.

Empathic Distress

Stress resulting from empathetic engagement with others’ trauma.

Empowerment-Based Approaches

Methods that focus on increasing individuals’ and communities’ sense of control and agency in the aftermath of trauma.

Energetic Coherence

A state where the energy fields of individuals and groups are harmonized, often contributing to collective healing.

Epigenetic Trauma

The idea that trauma can affect gene expression and be passed down to future generations through epigenetic changes.

Existential Trauma

Trauma that challenges one’s fundamental beliefs and meaning in life.

Expressive Arts Therapy

Using creative arts to process and express traumatic experiences.

Family Systems Theory

An approach that views individual trauma within the context of family dynamics.

Forensic Memory

The use of memories in legal contexts, also related to collective trauma.

Fragmentation

The breaking apart of memories, emotions, or identity due to trauma.

Genocidal Trauma

Trauma resulting from genocide. This affects survivors and future generations.

Global Social Witnessing

The practice of being present and bearing witness to global events and traumas in a compassionate and engaged manner.

Group Constellations

A therapeutic method that explores the dynamics within a group or family system to uncover and address collective traumas.

Group Dynamics

These are interactions and psychological processes within a group.

Healing Collective Trauma

Efforts and practices aimed at addressing and healing the wounds caused by collective traumatic experiences.

Healing Communities

Groups or networks focused on collective trauma recovery.

Healing Justice

A framework that integrates social justice and healing practices for trauma recovery.

Healing Rituals

Ceremonial practices that communities use to process and integrate traumatic experiences, often involving collective participation.

Historical Amnesia Narrative

A Historic Amnesia Narrative involves the deliberate or unconscious forgetting and distortion of significant historical events in collective memory. This often leads to an incomplete or biased understanding of history, particularly in relation to traumatic or controversial events.

Historical Trauma

The cumulative emotional and psychological wounding over the lifespan and across generations, resulting from massive group trauma experiences.

Holistic Healing

Approaches that consider the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—in trauma recovery.

Hope Theory

A psychological framework emphasizing the role of hope in trauma recovery.

Human Rights Violations

Acts that cause trauma through the infringement of fundamental rights.

Humanitarian Response

Efforts to provide aid and support to trauma-affected populations.

Identity Reconstruction

This is about rebuilding a sense of identity after a traumatic disruption.

Implicit Memory

Unconscious memories that influence behaviors and emotions, often formed during traumatic experiences.

Inner Science

The study and practice of inner awareness and consciousness, particularly in relation to trauma healing.

Intersubjectivity

The shared understanding and mutual influence of subjective experiences within a group.

Intra-action

Intra-action understands agency as not an inherent property of an individual or human to be exercised but as a dynamism of forces in which all designated ‘things’ are constantly exchanging and diffracting, influencing and working inseparably.

Intergenerational Healing

Healing practices that address trauma across multiple generations.

Intergenerational Transmission

The passing of trauma and its effects from one generation to the next.

Intrusive Thoughts

Unwanted and distressing thoughts related to trauma.

Liminal Space

The transitional phase between trauma and healing, often characterized by uncertainty and transformation.

Memory Erasure

This is the intentional or unintentional forgetting of traumatic events.

Memory Reconsolidation

A process by which existing memories are recalled and then stored again, potentially in a modified form, which can be used therapeutically to alter traumatic memories.

Meaning Making

The process of constructing meaning in life, particularly when it has been disrupted by collective trauma.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction

Often implemented as a therapeutic approach that uses mindfulness to help individuals cope with trauma.

Moral Injury

Damage to one’s sense of morality and ethics due to involvement in or witnessing of traumatic events.

Multisystemic Therapy

An intensive family- and community-based treatment for trauma-related issues.

Narrative Disruption

The breaking of personal or collective narratives due to trauma.

Narrative Exposure Therapy

This therapeutic approach focuses on helping individuals make sense of their trauma by guiding them through the process of constructing a clear and organized narrative of their past experiences.

Narrative Healing

The use of storytelling and narratives to process and integrate traumatic experiences.

Neurofeedback

A technique that uses real-time monitoring of brain activity to help individuals self-regulate and heal from trauma.

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. This is important in trauma recovery.

Participatory Action Research of Collective Trauma

Research involving community members in studying and addressing collective trauma.

Patriarchal Trauma

Trauma resulting from patriarchal systems and gender-based oppression.

Peritraumatic Experience

The experience of trauma as it occurs, which can influence later trauma responses.

Phenomenology

The study of conscious experiences, important for understanding individual and collective trauma.

Polyvagal Theory

A theory explaining how the autonomic nervous system mediates the relationship between emotions and social behavior, particularly in trauma.

Positive Psychology

A field of psychology focusing on strengths and resilience in the context of trauma recovery. This is the transitional phase between trauma and healing, often characterized by uncertainty and transformation.

Post-Memory

The relationship that the generations after those who witnessed cultural or collective trauma have to the experiences of their forebears.

Post-Traumatic Growth

Positive psychological changes that can occur as a result of struggling with highly challenging life circumstances.

Psychoeducation

Providing information about trauma and its effects to help individuals and communities understand and cope.

Psychodrama

A therapeutic approach that uses guided drama and role-playing to work through trauma.

Psychological First Aid

Immediate support is provided to trauma survivors to stabilize them emotionally and psychologically.

Reciprocal Altruism

Helping others with the expectation that they will help in return, promoting collective resilience.

Reconciliation

The process of restoring relationships and community cohesion after trauma.

Relational Field

The dynamic interactions and relationships within a group or community, important in collective trauma.

Reparative Justice

Efforts to repair the harm caused by trauma through compensation, acknowledgment, and reform.

Resilience Building

Efforts to increase the capacity of individuals and communities to withstand and recover from trauma.

Resilience Narrative

Narratives that grow resilience for individuals, groups, and collectives to integrate and deal with trauma.

Resilient Identity

A sense of self that remains strong and adaptive despite trauma.

Resonance

A deep, empathic connection with others’ experiences, fostering collective understanding and healing.

Restorative Practices

Approaches that seek to repair harm and restore relationships within a community affected by trauma.

Rituals of Remembrance

Ceremonies that honor and remember traumatic events, promoting collective healing.

Rupture and Repair

The process of experiencing and then healing breaches in relationships or social bonds caused by misattunement.

Sacred Witnessing

The practice of bearing witness to others’ trauma in a sacred, respectful manner.

Secondary Traumatization

Trauma which is experienced by those who are exposed to the trauma of others.

Self-Compassion

Treating oneself with kindness and understanding in the face of trauma.

Sensory Processing

The way sensory information is interpreted, which can be altered by trauma.

Sense & Meaning Making

The process of understanding and deriving meaning, important after traumatic experiences.

Shadow Work

The process of exploring and integrating repressed aspects of the self, often related to trauma.

Shared Reality

The collective perception and understanding of events within a community.

Social Capital

The networks and relationships that provide support and resources in trauma recovery.

Social Ecology

The study of how individuals interact with their social environments.

Social Fragmentation

The breakdown of social bonds and community cohesion, also due to trauma.

Social Healing

Efforts to heal social relationships and structures affected by trauma.

Social Field

The social field is a distinct entity and a powerful leverage point for effecting systems change.

Social Synchronization

The alignment of behaviors, emotions, and actions within a group, facilitating collective coordination as well as resilience.

Sociocultural Integration

The process of incorporating diverse cultural experiences and perspectives into a cohesive community.

Somatic Experiencing

A therapeutic approach that focuses on bodily sensations to process and release trauma.

Somatic Healing

Healing practices that involve the body and physical sensations to address trauma.

Spiritual Bypassing

Using spiritual beliefs or practices to avoid addressing psychological trauma.

Spiritual Trauma

Trauma that affects an individual’s spiritual beliefs and practices.

Structural Racism

Systemic discrimination that contributes to collective trauma among marginalized groups.

Structural Violence

Social structures that harm individuals by preventing them from meeting their basic needs.

Survivor Advocacy

Efforts to support and empower trauma survivors in seeking justice and healing.

Survivor-Led Initiatives

Programs and movements led by trauma survivors to promote healing and resilience.

Survivor's Guilt

Feelings of guilt experienced by those who have survived a traumatic event that others did not.

Systemic Healing

Approaches that address trauma at individual, community, and institutional levels.

Systemic Oppression

Widespread discrimination and inequality that contributes to collective trauma.

Systemic Trauma

Trauma that affects the entire structure of a community or society.

Terror Management Theory

A theory that explores how humans cope with the fear of death, often heightened by trauma.

Therapeutic Alliance

The collaborative relationship between a therapist and a client, crucial for effective trauma therapy.

Time Collapse

Time collapse is a phenomenon that occurs when ideas, perceptions, feelings, as well as defenses connected with a historic (or chosen) trauma, collapse into ideas, perceptions, feelings, and defenses connected with a current political or military conflict.

Time Expansion

Time expansion, its inverse, is the reversal of the time collapse phenomenon so that one can focus again on the issue at hand.

Trauma Activation

This refers to triggers that cause re-experiencing of trauma symptoms.

Trauma Bonding

Traumatic bonding is a strong emotional attachment between an abused person and his or her abuser.

Trauma Integration

The process of incorporating traumatic experiences into one’s overall life narrative in a healthy way.

Trauma Narration

The telling and retelling of traumatic experiences to process and make sense of them.

Trauma Response Network

Systems and support structures in place to respond to trauma within a community.

Trauma Stewardship

The practice of caring for oneself and others while engaging in trauma work.

Trauma Vortex

A cycle of recurring trauma symptoms that can trap individuals and communities.

Trauma-Informed Advocacy

Efforts to promote policies and practices that recognize and address the impacts of trauma.

Trauma-Informed Art

These are Creative expressions that acknowledge and process trauma.

Trauma-Informed Care

Approaches to care that recognize and address the effects of trauma on individuals.

Trauma-Informed Communities

Communities that incorporate trauma awareness into their practices and policies.

Trauma-Informed Conflict Resolution

Approaches to resolving conflicts that consider the impact of trauma.

Trauma-Informed Correctional Practices

Approaches within the correctional system that recognize the impact of trauma.

Trauma-Informed Design

Designing environments and services with an understanding of trauma’s effects.

Trauma-Informed Disaster Response

Emergency responses that consider the impact of trauma on affected populations.

Trauma-Informed Education

Educational practices that recognize and address the effects of trauma on students.

Trauma-Informed Governance

Policy-making and policy research that considers the impact of trauma on communities.

Trauma-Informed Immigration Policy

Immigration policies that acknowledge the trauma experienced by migrants.

Trauma-Informed Journalism

Reporting that is sensitive to the impact of trauma on survivors.

Trauma-Informed Leadership

Leadership practices that incorporate an understanding of trauma.

Trauma-Informed Meditation

Mindfulness practices adapted to be safe and effective for trauma survivors.

Trauma-Informed Outreach

Community outreach efforts that are mindful of trauma’s effects.

Trauma-Informed Parenting

Parenting approaches that consider the impact of trauma on children and families.

Trauma-Informed Policy

Policies that integrate an understanding of trauma into their framework.

Trauma-Informed Policy-Making

The process of creating policies with an awareness of trauma’s impact.

Trauma-Informed Social Work

Social work practices that recognize and address the effects of trauma.

Trauma-Informed Care Systems

Systems that incorporate an understanding of trauma into their operations and services.

Trauma-Informed Technology

The use of digital tools and platforms, designed with an understanding of trauma’s impact.

Trauma-Informed Urban Planning

Designing urban environments with consideration of trauma’s effects on residents.

Traumatic Grief

Intense grief reactions following a traumatic loss.

Trust Building

Efforts to restore trust within communities and between individuals after trauma.

Vicarious Trauma

Trauma experienced by those who are exposed to the trauma of others.

Witness Consciousness

The practice of observing and being present with one’s own and others’ trauma experiences.

Witness Trauma

Trauma experienced by those who witness traumatic events, even if not directly affected.

Witnessing

The capacity to be with and to witness events, people, places, and moments of time.

Collective Trauma Research

A TRANSDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATION OF RESEARCH ON COLLECTIVE TRAUMA & HEALING

Trauma Studies & Research Introduction​

ongoing research & evaluations

Collective Trauma & Democracy

Publication Date: 2022

Epigenetic Study

Planned Publication Date: 2025

International Lab Reports

Publication Date: 2021 & 2025

Global Social Witnessing Toolkit

Publication Date: 2024

Trauma-Informed Leadership Report

Publication Date: 2024

Pocket Project Evaluation Reports

Publication Date: Since 2021 & ongoing

In an effort to step out of the familiar echo chambers of research, we combine a trans-contextual perspective informed by applied complexity to grow our shared understanding of collective trauma.

Collective Trauma Studies

Meaning

Time

Power

Body

Towards a comprehensive understanding

Thematic Areas of Collective Trauma Research

Trauma-Informed Approaches

Repair & Restoration

Individual Trauma (Traumatology)

Intergenerational Trauma

Historical Trauma

Social Trauma

Cultural Trauma

Epigenetics & Trauma

Memory & Trauma

Complexity & Trauma

Bioethics

GLossary

Adaptive Capacity

Adaptive Strategies

Affective Synchrony

Anticipatory Grief

Archetypal Trauma

Attachment Trauma

Attunement

Autonomic Regulation

Behavioural Activation

Bio-Psycho-Social Model

Biopsychosocial Spiritual Model

Body Memory

Boundary Setting

Cognitive Reframing

Collective Effervescence

Collective Grief

Collective Despair

Collective Memory

Collective Resilience

Collective Unconscious

Community Healing Circles

Community Resilience Building

Compassion Fatigue

Complex Trauma

Coherence

Coherent Heterogeneity

Cultural Humility

Cultural Memory

Cultural Resilience

Cultural Retraumatization

Cultural Safety

Cultural Shadow

Cultural Trauma

Dark Lake

Dehumanization

Desensitization

Dialogical Process

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Eco-Trauma

Ecology of Paradigms

Embodied Awareness

Emotional Contagion

Emotional Dysregulation

Emotional Regulation

Trauma Studies & Research Introduction