Healing Roots: The Power of Community and Spiritual Practice

The healing process involves more than just the body; it also involves the soul. The wisdom of our ancestors lives in our blood, and when we heal spiritually, we break the chains of generational trauma.

History Of Trauma in the Community

In African American communities there has been a long history of spirituality as a source of strength and survival through the trauma of slavery, segregation, and systemic racism. During hardship prayer, church, and faith-based rituals have proven crucial for coping. A number of spiritual practices have been effective tools for releasing and healing emotions, for example, call-and-response worship, gospel singing, and laying on of hands (Black Preaching Styles: Teaching, Exhorting, and Whooping, n.d.). These practices provided a sense of hope and identity within the community bringing us closer towards justice, strength, and unity.

Disparities in economic stability, access to quality education, and safe neighborhoods can further eat away at one's mental well-being. Daily experiences of microaggressions contribute to chronic stress, while continuous exposure to police violence and criminal justice inequities often leads to PTSD, trauma, and even a desensitization to ongoing abuse.

Our community is still confronting the deep and persistent impacts of slavery, a trauma that has been inherited through generations. Although this trauma has transformed over time, its fundamental effects remain constant. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome (PTSS), describes the collective, multigenerational trauma resulting from the brutal realities of slavery. (Lionstalkscience, 2022)

Many African Americans may avoid seeking help due to a deep-rooted mistrust of medical institutions, shaped by a history of discrimination, mistreatment, and exploitation in medical research. In incidents like the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, black men were misled and denied treatment and exploitation of Henrietta Lacks whose cells were taken without her consent and used for decades in research (Ambellu, 2021).

Breaking the Silence: Embracing Mental Health

In African American communities, it is often hard to openly discuss personal struggles which stems from stereotypes about “airing out dirty laundry” or appearing “weak”. Which traces back to a history of racial oppression and experiencing periods of discrimination. Many African Americans grew up in households where discussing personal or familial issues was discouraged … you know the saying “Keep it in the family”.

Behavioral patterns such as this can impact mental health awareness in a community for a long time. Changing the conversation to embrace mental health is increasingly seen as crucial for dismantling these outdated stereotypes and allowing African Americans to heal from this trauma without judgment.

I’ve faced my share of struggles with depression and anxiety, but one thing that has consistently helped me preserve is prayer and meditation. During therapy, my therapist suggested I try journaling as a way to quiet my mind, which often felt too loud and overwhelming. Writing down my thoughts became a way to find focus and peace with all the chaos in my head.

We have seen practices of us as a community coming together to uplift and support one another. For example, women's support groups, bible study, etc. These spaces have provided sanctuary for people to connect over shared experiences and have a sense of belonging.

Healing can take any direction you want. As a community, we undertake this journey together, carrying the weight of our shared histories and lifting each other forward. We break generational curses when we honor the wisdom passed down by our ancestors and embrace practices that soothe the spirit.

Sources

Ambellu, G. (2021, May 3). Intergenerational trauma’s impact on Black people’s perception of the American healthcare system | Healers and patients in North Carolina. https://healersandpatients.web.unc.edu/2021/05/intergenerational-traumas-impact-on-black-peoples-perception-of-the-american-healthcare-system/

Black preaching styles: teaching, exhorting, and whooping. (n.d.). https://www.louisianafolklife.org/LT/Articles_Essays/brpreaching.html

Lionstalkscience. (2022, February 1). Post Traumatic slave syndrome: generational trauma. Lions Talk Science. https://lions-talk-science.org/2021/02/10/post-traumatic-slave-syndrome-generational-trauma/

Stopping generational trauma in communities of color. (2001, November 8). Daily Sundial. https://sundial.csun.edu/156293/opinions/stopping-generational-trauma-in-communities-of-color/