Trauma, Bearing Witness and the Work of Showing up
Trauma is often described as both an event and a wound, something that happens to a person and something that stays with them. What stands out most to me from our course discussions is how trauma is not simply stored in memory but in the body, behavior, and relationships. Bessel van der Kolk argues that trauma “rewires” the nervous system, shaping one’s capacity for connection, safety, and self-regulation. This concept becomes especially relevant when thinking about the systems and institutions, schools, juvenile justice programs, community centers, where individuals are expected to function as though trauma is not silently directing their every response. Recognizing the embodied nature of trauma invites us to rethink not only how we treat it but how we relate to people living in its aftermath.
One question that continues to trouble me is: Are our systems truly equipped to recognize trauma, or do they unintentionally punish its symptoms? In working with youth affected by the juvenile justice system, many practitioners report seeing behaviors, withdrawal, aggression, impulsivity, that are labeled as defiance rather than hypervigilance or survival responses. Research by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) suggests that trauma-informed juvenile programs lead to lower recidivism and improved emotional health, yet implementation across states remains uneven. Evaluating these programs reveals both promise and limitations: while trauma-informed care trainings have increased awareness among staff, they often fall short without structural changes such as reduced caseloads, consistent mentoring relationships, and spaces for youth to process emotion safely. Awareness alone is not enough; trauma-responsive systems require material and relational transformation.
Cultural competency also plays a crucial role in how we interpret trauma. Scholars like Thema Bryant emphasize that trauma cannot be separated from cultural context. What is perceived as “acting out” in one cultural frame may be a culturally rooted coping mechanism or a response to intergenerational stressors. Programs that ignore the historical and communal dimensions of trauma risk retraumatizing the very people they aim to help. For example, a standardized therapeutic model may be less effective for communities with collective healing traditions that prioritize family, storytelling, or spiritual practices. Being culturally attuned does not simply mean being aware of cultural differences, it requires humility, listening, and a willingness to allow communities to lead their own healing processes.
Another essential dimension of engaging trauma work is acknowledging the emotional toll it takes on practitioners. Vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue are not abstract concepts but daily realities for those in helping professions. If we are to sustain ourselves in this work, we must view self-care not as an optional luxury but as an ethical obligation. This means moving beyond surface-level self-care strategies and addressing systemic issues: workloads too heavy to allow reflection, workplace cultures that discourage vulnerability, and support systems that are inadequate. Effective self-care in trauma-heavy environments includes supervision grounded in empathy, peer support, reflective practice, and policies that protect workers’ mental health. We cannot show up authentically for others if we are slowly eroding from within.
Ultimately, my stance is that trauma-responsive practice must be relational at its core. Whether in classrooms, community programs, or justice systems, people heal in the presence of safety, respect, and attuned connection, not checklists or bureaucratic procedures. The heart of trauma work lies in bearing witness without judgment and honoring the resilience people carry despite harm. If we want to build systems that truly support healing, we must shift from asking, “What is wrong with this person?” to “What has happened to them, and how can we walk with them toward restoration?” This shift is not just therapeutic; it is profoundly human.
References:
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking.
Bryant, T.-D. (2022). Homecoming: Overcome fear and trauma to reclaim your whole, authentic self. TarcherPerigee.
National Child Traumatic Stress Network. (n.d.). About child trauma. https://www.nctsn.org/what-is-child-trauma/about-child-trauma
Ko, S. J., Ford, J. D., Kassam-Adams, N., Berkowitz, S. J., Wilson, C., Wong, M., Brymer, M. J., & Layne, C. M. (2008). Creating trauma-informed systems: Child welfare, education, first responders, health care, juvenile justice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 39(4), 396–404. https://doi.org/10.1037/0735-7028.39.4.396
Figley, C. R. (Ed.). (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. Brunner/Mazel.