Religion and Spirituality After Trauma

Traumatic events often leave survivors with a number of challenging questions long after the initial shock and horror are processed. These questions and concerns cut to the heart of a person's individual, cultural and social identity, and involves a consideration of life's meaning and purpose. Frequently, regardless of a person's religious background or orientation, these questions center around religious and spiritual belief systems that are a part of the person's cultural milieu. Issues that trauma survivors frequently struggle with include grief and mourning, the encounter with death, the encounter with evil, and questioning the existence of God. This presentation will focus on these commonly encountered issues in clinical work with trauma survivors, including how they are dealt with during the process of healing and recovery. The role of culture and ethnicity will be discussed in the context of medical healing and psychotherapy, along with the challenges of interpersonal and social reintegration for the survivor.