Collective healing is a system to help people recoup and recover from collective trauma. Collective healing serves as a guide or roadmap for health practitioners working in emergency response to a major natural disaster or large-scale political abuse. The collective trauma refers to the collective experience of witnessing a tragedy, such as the hurricanes in Florida, the earthquake in New Orleans, or the plague in Africa. In each case, it is a collective experience that involves many individuals. As they go through this together, they will likely share their personal feelings on collective trauma and how they managed to survive the trauma.
Collective healing is most definitely not a “quick fix.” It must be treated as a system, a series of steps, each of which is as important as the last. There are guidelines for handling post-traumatic stress disorders. The first step in collective trauma recovery is acknowledgment. Once an individual has become aware that they have been in a traumatic event, it will be easier for them to accept help from other people. However, if there is no willingness to offer help, it is best to seek it through support groups, therapy, or counseling.
Another step in collective healing is education. When people come together after a natural disaster or a political situation, it is natural for them to share their experiences. However, they may not know how to handle their feelings or what to do when things go wrong. This is where collective healing comes into play. Professionals in mental health professions working in these situations work with the collective trauma by educating individuals on how to deal with their feelings.
A final step in collective healing is crisis intervention. This is done by professionals working in these communities, such as psychologists, nurses, and social workers. These experts can identify the root cause of an emotional problem to be addressed before it becomes out of control.
The steps mentioned here are just a few of the many professionals available who can assist with collective trauma recovery in affected communities. Since mental health professionals working with these issues are highly trained, they are often the only ones capable of restoring normal lives to those whose lives have been disrupted due to a natural disaster or political violence. It may take time before the community completely recovers, but at least those living in the area have access to professionals prepared to help. Some communities may need to rely on long-term care centers for some time. This transition should be handled with sensitivity and care since care is more about finding the right balance between care and distress than simply handing out paltry funds.
