Reading Response- week 3 Chloe Thorne ct2994@nyu.edu

I found it interesting to read these two texts together. Both had similar understandings of the functions and effects of trauma. Judith Hermen set out four clear ‘stages of recovery’, 1. to establish safety in the present, 2. to revisit the past and grieve, 3. to see a future and 4. justice (p.9). Bessel Van Der Kolk seemed to have a different approach to stage two
stating:

‘Many treatments approached for traumatic stress focus on desensitising patients to their past, with the expectation that re-exposure to their traumas will reduce emotional outbursts and flashbacks. I believe that this is bases on a misunderstanding of what happens in traumatic stress. We must most of all help our patients to live fully and securely in the present. In order to do that, we need to help bring those brain structures that deserted them when they were overwhelmed by trauma back. Desensitization may make you less reactive, but if you cannot feel satisfaction in ordinary everyday things like taking a walk, cooking a meal, or playing with your kids, life will pass you by.’ (p.73)

Despite this difference both saw the healing of trauma as the restoration of social relations. Truth and Repair, (it seems) however although critical seemed to lean on the discourse of rights and legal system (Chapter 4) as a path for justice whereas The Body Keeps the Score proposed rhythm and movement as its path to social repair.

Issue of power of voice, equality, justice

I felt hopeful about Van Der Kolk proposed treatment of rhythm and moment as the harm even I have experienced in speaking out about domination and oppression within institutions where law and power protect themselves only courses more trauma. Herman confronts the risks of speaking out straight on too, with the story of Sarah Super (p.14) who despite receiving the ‘best that the conventional justice system offers’ received exclusion from her community. If Super, it is pointed out was black or disabled, it is likely this path to justice would have been harder. Sarah Super says, “I saw how that silence isolates survivors, protects perpetrators, and allows for the community to support rape culture as ignorant, passive bystanders.” (p.15) Although Herman suggests Super found a path back into her community for a group of survivors, I feel like from what I read of this book is still a problematic, possibly reformist politics. Whereas I think (still not worked through enough) I see more potential for justice in Van Der Kolk’s proposition of rhythm and movement as its path to social repair. Herman’s main point that Justice is about equality in the power of voice is very interesting thought.
One reason for being critical of Herman’s (seeming) reliance on rights is that rights always rely on the victims speaking up and deep trauma as we have learnt often has a freezing effect. Rights also must be given and by definition could be said to exclude, and in some circumstances could be ableist. It could be asking too much of the survivors.

Both books mentioned shame and the isolation trauma can course. Van Der Kolk writes ‘As a result shame becomes the dominant emotion and hiding the truth the central preoccupation’. (p67) This reminded me of the need to be able to deal with complex emotions and not judge called for in the books Brick by brick and Dreaming Disability Justice. They both practice what Van Der Kolk suggests traumatised people need to be supported in making room for ‘In other words: If an organism is stuck in survival mode, its energies are focused on fighting off unseen enemies, which leaves no room for nurture, care, and love.’ (p76)

We live in a society where it feels easier to exile someone than deal with the messiness of addressing our problems. Much of British culture is passive-aggressive and revolves around the meaningless goal of appearing ‘nice’. As a result, we often avoid conflict with our neighbours and friends, because conflict is seen as aggression, deemed to be a lower- class trait. But not all conflict is bad, and middle- class politeness can be just as controlling and harmful, papering over the structural issues that divide our communities. Sitting with the complexity of human emotions is essential for us to truly be in community with each other, while conflict is necessary aspect of shifting power and transforming behaviour. We all need to be willing to be challenged.

P.199 Brick by Brick, Cradle Community

Crip emotional intelligence means not taking it personally sometimes, when another disabled person is short with you, is fumbling for words, is frustrated. Instead, you might assume that they just threw up for eight hours, …………..Im not talking about excusing verbal abuse; Im

talking about the ways in which we cut each other slack. I’m taking about the ways we start from the assumption that someone might be dealing with a lot of pain…Im talking about the gift we give each other of seeing what the able bodied imagination refuses to see: that sick……lives, and the stress we hold from places where ableism rubs up against them til they chafe are normal.

Care Work, Dreaming Disability Justice, Piepzna Samarasinha

I liked the expanded definition of rape, to rape culture, Hermen set out. I also liked that she used real stories and case studies. The emotion in her work was more arresting.
Trauma in both works allowed for patriarchal violence to be through with other forms of oppressions and dominance such as colonial and disability justice. This opens up a lot for me.

Personal note:

My mother’s mum, and my mum’s stepmother both committed suicide while my mum was young. She refuses to ever discus either of them but remembering them has always seemed important to me and I know it’s not a coincidence this happened to women in this culture. These writings really helped me on a personal level have compassion for mum mums’ immobility though.

I also have an auto immune disease I developed a few months after a deeply traumatic experience of dominant harassment in the workplace. I thought the readings might be too triggering to read at first, but I couldn’t put them down once I started.

I had better stop there anyway before Im sued for slander.