How Will the Trauma of the Pandemic Affect Mental Health?

WHAT IS, HOW DO YOU IDENTIFY COLLECTIVE TRAUMA FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS EXERCISE?

COLLECTIVE TRAUMA IS A MASS TRAUMA SITUATION THAT AFFECTS THE ENTIRE POPULATION.

SO THE DANGERS OF COLLECTIVE TRAUMAS OPPOSED TO JUST INDIVIDUAL TRAUMA, WHAT WE DEAL WITH ON AN INDIVIDUAL LEVEL, IS THAT IT HAS THE POTENTIAL OF UNRAVELING OUR SOCIAL FABRIC.

AND GIVING A SENSE OF A LACK OF BELONGING AND A LOSS OF COMMONALITY.

SO THIS CAUSES ANOTHER TYPE OF STRESS WHEN WE FEEL THIS LARGE SCALE TRAUMA IS UNDERMINING OUR SOCIAL FOUNDATION.

AND IT IS SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY, AND THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY AWARE OF.

IT HAS AN IMPACT ON THEM OVER TIME.

SO LET ME ASK YOU.

SOMETIMES IT IS GOOD TO GET A FEW REAL LIFE EXAMPLES.

AND YOU HAVE BEEN THERE ON THE GROUND, SO TO SPEAK, IN THESE CREDIBLE CASES OF MASS TRAUMA.

AFTER 9/11.

YOU'VE BEEN ABROAD.

YOU'VE DEALT WITH ISSUES AND YOU'VE OBSERVED ISSUES IN PLACES LIKE KOSOVO AFTER THE WAR THERE.

TELL ME HOW IT MANIFESTS THERE.

WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENED IN 9/11.

WHAT WAS THE TRAUMA AND HOW DID YOU TREAT PATIENTS?

HOW DID YOU SORT OF ENVISION THE COLLECTIVE HEALING THAT YOU TALK ABOUT, TRYING TO GET OUT OF THOSE HUGE EVENTS?

WHAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE THEN?

IN A DISASTER SITUATION, WE'RE LOOKING BEYOND JUST THE INDIVIDUAL THERAPY THAT CAN BE OFFERED TO A CERTAIN PART OF THE POPULATION.

WHAT IS MOST NEEDED IS FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES THEY'RE FACING.

SO WE CALL THIS FAMILY AND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE THAT NEEDS TO BE STRENGTHENED.

IN MANY OF THE PLACES AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING AFTER 9/11 AND IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES POST DISASTER, POST-WAR, THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO DO IS FIND WAYS OF CREATING SUPPORTS FOR THE FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES SO THEY CAN ADDRESS THE CHALLENGES THEMSELVES.

THIS WAS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AFTER 9/11.

WE WERE ABLE TO MOBILIZE COMMUNITIES IN NEW YORK CITY TO SAY THESE ARE THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FACING WEST DON'T NECESSARILY NEED A THERAPIST TO COME IN AND HELP US.

WE'RE ACTIVE.

WE'RE NOT PASSIVE VICTIMS.

WE KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED BY THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND WE CAN BEGIN TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS