Navigating a Global Crisis: A Collective Trauma
One silver lining of this pandemic, if you can even call it that, is the fact that we were “all in this together”. And when I say that I mean we all shared a collective experience that in some way affected our lives. As stated by Hirschberger (2018), “collective trauma is a cataclysmic event that shatters the basic fabric of society, elevating existential threat and a crisis of meaning” (Hirschberger, 2018. p. 1). Trauma occurs when the traumatic event changes the way you view the world. However, everyone also processes an experience differently.
Personally speaking, this pandemic has put many things in perspective for me including, what is important to me, how to balance my work life and having a greater appreciation for all the freedoms I used to have pre-pandemic. I too, find myself questioning my purpose and meaning and would be lying if I said I did not feel a tad lost after two years of COVID. How has the pandemic changed your perspective on your own life and life in general? The concept of time, loss, major life events, and opportunities (just to name a few) have all been disrupted or put on hold. What is going on in our world has left me confused and anxious of what the future holds for us.
Did you know…..
There are a multitude of therapeutic modalities that can be used to conceptualize your experienced problem(s), therapeutic goals, intervention strategies, and research methodologies? If you find yourself in the same boat as me and searching for purpose, perhaps looking into Existential therapy might be right for you. Below is an excerpt from the book, Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, that briefly describes this theoretical orientation.
The existentialist, on the other hand, is more interested in helping the client find philosophical meaning in the face of anxiety by choosing to think and act authentically and responsibly. According to existential therapy, the central problems people face are embedded in anxiety over loneliness, isolation, despair, and, ultimately, death. Creativity, love, authenticity, and free will are recognized as potential avenues toward transformation, enabling people to live meaningful lives in the face of uncertainty and suffering. Everyone suffers losses (e.g., friends die, relationships end), and these losses cause anxiety because they are reminders of human limitations and inevitable death.
I would like to end this blog post by sharing a poem I came across, called “We are not in the same boat”, which is an anonymous and insightful take on the collective trauma we have undergone as a society. Although everyone was affected by the pandemic in one way or another, it is important to understand the privilege you may have had during this experience, in comparison to others. I challenge you to take some time to reflect on this!
We Are Not in the Same Boat: A Poem About COVID-19
I heard that we are in the same boat.
But it’s not like that.
We are in the same storm, but not in the same boat.
Your ship can be shipwrecked and mine might not be. Or vice versa.
For some, quarantine is optimal: a moment of reflection, of re- connection.
For others, this is a desperate crisis.
For others it is facing loneliness.
For some, a peace, rest time, vacation.
Yet for others, Torture: How am I going to pay my bills? Some were concerned about a brand of chocolate for Easter. Others were concerned about the bread for the weekend, or if the noodles would last for a few more days.
Some were in their “home office”.
Others are looking through trash to survive.
Some have experienced the near death of the virus, some have
already lost someone from it, some are not sure their loved ones are going to make it, and some don’t even believe this is a big deal. Some of us who are well now may end up experiencing it, and some believe they are infallible and will be blown away if or when this hits someone they know.
So, friends, we are not in the same boat.
We are going through a time when our perceptions and needs are completely different.
And each one will emerge, in his own way, from that storm. Some with a tan from their pool. Others with scars on the soul (for invisible reasons).
It is very important to see beyond what is seen at first glance. Not
just looking. More than looking...
Seeing.
See beyond the political party, beyond religion, beyond the nose on your face.
Do not underestimate the pain of others if you do not feel it.
Do not judge the good life of the other, do not condemn the bad life of the other.
Don’t be a judge.
Let us not judge the one who lacks, as well as the one who exceeds. We are different ships looking to survive.
Let everyone navigate their route with respect, empathy and responsibility.
Reference:
We are not in the same boat . (n.d.). Retrieved from https://institute.mercy.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/We-are-not-in-the-same-boat_-A-poem-about-COVID-19.pdf