The Response Summer 2021 - 16

FEATURE
Trauma from a
Cultural Perspective
Insights from Dr. Paula Sanchez, PhD, LPC
Dr. Sanchez has rendered treatment to hundreds of individuals
suffering from acute chronic, or complex traumas. She has also
conducted research with individuals with limited English
proficiency and experiencing re-traumatization as they are released
from prison. Thus, she continues providing teaching, mentoring,
and supervision to new therapists entering the field, focusing her
teachings on trauma-informed care.
T
rauma, the Greek word for " wound, " is used today
to refer to both physical and emotional wounds. A
traumatic event can leave psychological scars long after
any physical injuries have healed. A multitude of traumatic
events can result in long-term impairment.
An unstable or
unsafe environment, separation from a parent or caregiver,
serious illness, domestic violence, and sexual, physical, and
verbal abuse all can result in complex trauma that impacts an
individual's emotional stability.
The experience of trauma differs from ethnicity to ethnicity.
If we are to effectively respond to trauma, we must open
our awareness of its cultural aspects. For Hispanic/Latinx
immigrants to the United States, separation from family
members, cultural roots, and the inability to communicate in the
16 THE RESPONSE // SUMMER 2021
new language can have a traumatic impact. The loss of culture
and limited English proficiency inhibits immigrants from
expressing their needs and can lead to a sense of disconnection
from societal norms. The migration experience itself carries
with it significant trauma including the lack of food, water,
and shelter, the overwhelming fear of the unknown, sexual
and/or physical abuse, and threats to the family unit during
the journey. If the migration results in family separation, the
loss of family members adds to the trauma.
Trauma can be especially devastating to immigrant children,
who have experienced loss and displacement at a young age.
These fragile youth will carry the wounds into adolescence and
young adulthood. The transition to a new home or removal
from a perceived safe environment may lead to psychological
distress. Frequent transitions, a common experience for
immigrants, results in a lack of trust and the belief that
" everyone is going to leave me. "
Children and adolescent
immigrants, to protect themselves from the pain of trauma,
may become withdrawn and reluctant to communicate. These
youth, to escape from the hidden pain, may turn to substance
use or gang involvement. Gangs become a safe place since they
offer youth a sense of belonging and protection.
The Response Summer 2021

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