Coping With Collective Trauma

How can a community rise from the ashes of the LA fires

Reviewed by Davia Sills

Key points

• Collective trauma impacts large groups of people with societal implications.
• Coming together to help support each other is one of the most effective ways to heal from collective trauma.
• If you find yourself struggling with intense distress, consider using TIPP skills or grounding techniques.

I write this as both the Palisades and Eaton fires continue to rage, having killed, at this time, 24 people, displaced more than 100,000 people, and destroyed 12,000 structures across more than 60 square miles.

This is occurring on the heels of the election in a deeply divided nation, with the COVID-19 pandemic being not such a distant memory.

In light of these events, I have been thinking a lot about the psychological impacts of collective trauma.

Collective trauma, unlike individual trauma, which affects one person, impacts large groups of people with societal implications.

Only time will reveal the psychological and societal impacts of these cumulative traumas, experienced sequentially with so little time in between.

Any trauma, whether individual or collective, has the potential to negatively disrupt how an individual sees themselves, others, and the world, as well as their sense of trust, safety, and control—things that are essential to psychological well-being.

I have heard from many clients about how their trust in the government and other institutions has eroded, leaving them feeling immensely vulnerable.

Many clients have also spoken about their profound sense of powerlessness, which sometimes leads to hopelessness.

One of my favorite things to tell people, as a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in acceptance and commitment therapy, pronounced ACT instead of A-C-T, to emphasize the importance of action, is to do just that—take action.

ACT emphasizes both acceptance of events outside of our control and action, specifically actions that align with our values.

In this way, we can simultaneously accept things outside of our direct control, such as climate change, natural disasters, political events, and pandemics, and empower ourselves by focusing on what we can control.

So, if you find yourself struggling with collective trauma, find a way to mobilize. Resist the urge to fall into despair and withdraw into inaction.

Not only can it help to look for the helpers, but as Mr. Rogers said, it can help to become one.

But to help others, you must first help yourself.

First, ensure you and your loved ones are physically safe. I found myself evacuating last Tuesday in the middle of the night with my two young children before being able to return this week and resume working.

Second, tend to yourself emotionally. Acknowledge and validate the trauma you are experiencing. Honor your sadness. Honor the loss and grief you carry.

Your loss is valid even if you have not experienced a personal loss (e.g., losing a loved one or a home). Collective trauma carries with it a collective loss. Never minimize or invalidate your experience.

Third, seek community. Don't isolate. Coming together to grieve and help support each other is one of the most effective ways to heal from collective trauma. Connect with family, friends, neighbors, and community organizations.

Many therapists, like myself, are providing free support groups to help communities process their experiences. When I talk to clients about trauma, individual or collective, I talk about the importance of integrating the narrative of what happened into their story. Sharing your story in a community with others who have shared experiences can offer healing in a unique and profound way. As you share your story, whether in a group or on your own through writing or art (e.g., drawing, painting, poetry, song), try to focus on how you acted with agency and overcame adversity. Having some type of ritual, ceremony, or similar practice to commemorate loss with others can further facilitate healing.

If you find yourself still on edge, know that it is not only normal to experience anxiety and hypervigilance during a crisis but that it can be adaptive. As I write this, for example, the Santa Ana winds continue to howl outside, and the National Weather Service has issued a warning of a particularly dangerous situation, its most severe warning for parts of LA, including where I live. I find myself frequently checking the Watch Duty app, even throughout the night, to see if there are more fires, as well as monitoring how contained the existing ones are. I imagine I will be on edge for some time, perhaps even after the winds have subsided.

If you find yourself struggling with intense distress, consider using TIPP skills or grounding techniques. TIPP stands for temperature, intense exercise, paced breathing, and prolonged muscle relaxation. Temperature, for example, might involve holding onto an ice cube, holding a bag of frozen food to your head, or even dipping your head in a bowl of ice water.

If you need a physical way to release excess energy, try going for a brisk walk, running, jumping jacks, or climbing stairs; even intense dance might help. Paced breathing, which involves breathing in for a count of five and out for a count of seven, can help calm your nervous system. Progressive muscle relaxation, which involves tightening and then relaxing different muscle groups in your body, can also help you relax physically.

Grounding techniques, which involve coming back to the present moment through the senses, can also help ground you, as the name implies. Traditional grounding techniques include things like the 5-4-3-2-1 method (i.e., list five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste).

Seeking professional mental health support can help you process your experience and reduce the psychological impacts of collective trauma. You can find a therapist through Psychology Today's therapist directory.

If you need immediate assistance, California Hope offers crisis counseling for disaster survivors at 1-833-317-HOPE. There is also the Disaster Distress Helpline available at 1-800-985-5990.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide, call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or access the Crisis Text Line by texting 741741.