The trauma and healing of consciousness

Abstract

Background: Throughout my graduate coursework, several classes focused on trauma. Considering my experiences, I searched to gain insight into group level trauma adoptees face due to our unique status and common societal factors that influence adoption. Exploring the trauma literature, I found that none of the terms quite represented the complex characteristics of adoption.

Objective: Realizing the limitations of current trauma definitions, I sought to name group trauma for adoptees and thereby legitimize and validate my and other adoptees' experiences.

Participants and setting: I am the sole participant. The research was conducted in St. Louis, Missouri.

Methods: In this autoethnography, I recount academic experiences that have shaped my emerging and interconnected identities as an adoptee and social worker. I analyze the traumatic and empowering impacts of gaining more information about adoption as a politically and economically influenced system.

Results: Examining my intertwined adoption and academic journeys, I propose a trauma and healing of consciousness framework to understand trauma for groups of individuals like adoptees whose trauma is not recognized using historical, collective, or intergenerational models.

Conclusions: The term trauma of consciousness expands existing theories of trauma while including social groups for whom group trauma was not previously recognized. Understanding the trauma of consciousness is imperative because healing cannot begin until the existence of the trauma is recognized. Further exploration on the trauma of consciousness is needed to recognize its impact and to develop creative interventions that can provide hope and enable people to move forward.

Keywords: Adoption; Adoption microaggressions; Autoethnography; Personal narrative; Trauma.