UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA (Mini lecture, group exercises, brainstorming and discussions) 7 Mbudzi kuzvarira pavanhu hunzi nditandirwe imbwa/Injobo ithungelwa ebandla. (Shona/Ndebele proverb meaning: ‘One finds security where there is support.’) TRAINER’S GUIDE • Respect boundaries – trauma, by definition, breaches people’s normal boundaries; it destroys their sense of protection, their sense of safety and their sense of self. It is important not to force people to respond in any way other than that which they choose; • People need to feel accepted and not judged – they need those around them to reaffirm them as having value; • People need to talk and be listened to; and • Always work with permission – never force a survivor to remember or to feel. Defining trauma (Discussion and mini lecture) The word ‘trauma’ comes from the Greek meaning ‘to pierce’ and literally means ‘to wound or injure’. Trauma has been described as not just any breakdown in coping strategies in the face of difficult life events. Rather, psychological trauma means a cut in the soul as a result of a horrifying life experience (Elbert & Schauer, 2002). In Shona, there is no one word that has been used to define it, but words and phrases such as matambudziko, kufunga kwakanyaya and kuneta pfungwa have been used to describe trauma. In Ndebele, they say yikuhlukuluzwa emoyeni. Different experts in the field define psychological trauma in different ways. However, what is important to emphasise is that it is an individual’s subjective experience that determines whether an event is or is not traumatic. Psychological trauma is the unique individual experience of an event or enduring conditions, in which: The individual’s ability to integrate his/her emotional experience is overwhelmed or the individual experiences (subjectively) a threat to life, bodily integrity, or sanity.(Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995, p. 60) This definition highlights that a traumatic event or situation creates psychological trauma when it overwhelms the individual’s ability to cope. The person feels emotionally, cognitively and physically overwhelmed. The circumstances of a traumatic event commonly include abuse of power, betrayal of trust, entrapment, helplessness, pain, confusion, and/or loss. Types of trauma (Mini lecture) Traumatic events may be classified into three categories: 1. Short-term traumatic events (single-blow). These are powerful, one-time incidents like accidents, natural disasters, crimes, surgeries, deaths, and other violent events; 2. Long-term traumatic events (repeated). These include chronic or repetitive experiences such as child abuse, neglect, combat, violence, the socio-economic situation, domestic violence, enduring deprivation, and being a political prisoner; and Module 7: Dealing with trauma, psychological healing and support 107