Navigating Trauma in the BIPOC Community
As a collective team of therapists, we understand that trauma within the community is a deeply rooted issue affecting individuals on multiple levels. In this blog post, we aim to explore the various forms of trauma prevalent in Black, Brown and Indigenous communities, and how it can show up in our daily lives.
Understanding Trauma: The term "trauma" is frequently used, yet as Resmaa Menakem eloquently states on a Breakfast Club Interview, "Trauma exists in stuckness.” This sensation of being stuck is a layered, persistent, and enduring reality. Trauma, at its core, encompasses the psychological and emotional responses to distressing events or experiences. Traditionally, we tend to associate trauma with occurrences like accidents, natural disasters, interpersonal violence, and events that significantly disrupt lives. Nevertheless, trauma also encompasses historical events such as colonization, slavery, genocide, forced relocation/displacement, and cultural suppression etc. All of these experiences leave a lasting imprint on the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of a person.
Trauma is also embedded in the body and nervous systems, leading to a range of physical and emotional responses. This can include heightened stress responses, chronic inflammation, increased cortisol levels, and disruptions in the body's regulatory systems. Over time, these effects can contribute to a variety of physical and mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and long-term health conditions. Recognizing and addressing the impact of trauma on the body and nervous systems is crucial for holistic healing and well-being.
How to manage the impact of Trauma - Reflect, Release, and Restore:
Reflect: Take a moment to recognize those areas in your life where stress, anxiety, & anger etc show up. Pay close attention to the thoughts, emotions & physical sensations that surface during these moments. And don't forget to locate where in the body you feel these emotions most intensely. This self-reflection is your initial step toward understanding how stress and trauma show up in your life.
Release: After recognizing the sources of stress, it's important to practice releasing and regulating the nervous system. This might include being in nature-foot to land noticing the details of the smells, sounds, and feelings of being connected in this way. Mindfulness practices such as: breath work, tapping, meditation, drumming, chants, mantras, & prayer can also offer space for us to release. For many of us, going to therapy wasn't acceptable or normal due to the stigma placed on us in our upbringing. Furthermore, even if it was considered, access to such services was often limited. As a result, many of us discovered healing through creative avenues like storytelling, writing, music, rap, art, dance, and more.
Big Krit states, “"I felt like hip-hop was my therapy. Music's always been my therapy."
Seeking support from trauma-informed and culturally affirming therapists who specialize in body-mind connection models like ancestral healing, EMDR, somatic experiencing, and brainspotting etc can be transformative. Moreover, physical activities such as breath work, chair yoga, stretching, gentle movements, walking, or working out are powerful tools to release the tension that trauma and stress can accumulate in the body.
Restore: Restoration is a crucial step in healing. It involves reconnecting with your community and finding support among people who understand your experiences. Being in community with others who share similar experiences can provide a profound sense of belonging and understanding. Building support networks can help individuals feel less isolated and more empowered. Reconnecting with cultural and spiritual practices can be empowering. Consider participating in healing circles and reconnecting with your indigenous roots.
Restoration also means re-defining our relationship with rest. Rest is a complex experience for us, in part because many of us weren't allowed to rest or we’ve been labeled as lazy. As a result, we've become workaholics or we constantly keep busy because sitting and doing nothing can feel unproductive. However, the truth is, rest is incredibly productive for us. Scientific evidence shows that rest can enhance the following: cognitive function, stress reduction, physical recovery, enhanced creativity, immune system support, and pain management.
Navigating trauma in the BIPOC community is a deeply personal journey. Understanding the various forms of trauma, and how trauma shows up in our bodies, is the first step in healing. By implementing the three R’s Reflect, Release, and Restore, individuals can work towards healing and fostering a sense of resilience.
Remember, healing is not linear, and it's crucial to approach it with compassion and patience while navigating through your healing journey.
