Crucial Conversations
Guatemala is a country fractured by years of sociopolitical conflict and instability. In the summer of 2011, I secured grant funding to implement supportive counseling and educational services, in conjunction with a local nonprofit organization, to help local children better understand and process t...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Columbia University Libraries
2019-07-01
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| Series: | Columbia Social Work Review |
| Online Access: | https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/cswr/article/view/1937 |
| _version_ | 1828413704365932544 |
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| author | Eliza Ramos |
| author_facet | Eliza Ramos |
| author_sort | Eliza Ramos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Guatemala is a country fractured by years of sociopolitical conflict and instability. In the summer of 2011, I secured grant funding to implement supportive counseling and educational services, in conjunction with a local nonprofit organization, to help local children better understand and process the profound effects of the country’s civil war, which ended in 1996. Upon beginning this project, however, it became apparent that many of the children with whom I interacted had limited or no knowledge of the conflict. This article explores the pervasive and systematic avoidance of discussing widespread psychosocial trauma and the potential effects of this avoidance on parents, children, and the greater community. I compare these observations with existing social work and psychology research literature, drawing from the concept of intergenerational trauma, or the transference of trauma symptoms from parent to child. I then discuss whether the avoidance of trauma discussion with children can protect their psychological well-being and prevent the trans- ference of trauma, or if such avoidance leads to increased risk of individual psychological impairment and cyclical community problems. Based upon this analysis, the article finally discusses implications for social workers confronting psychosocial trauma in post-conflict settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:13:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ea1002ef2629475c8ad61bb3244400f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2372-255X 2164-1250 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T13:13:54Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Columbia University Libraries |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Columbia Social Work Review |
| spelling | doaj.art-ea1002ef2629475c8ad61bb3244400f92022-12-22T01:47:36ZengColumbia University LibrariesColumbia Social Work Review2372-255X2164-12502019-07-01111Crucial ConversationsEliza RamosGuatemala is a country fractured by years of sociopolitical conflict and instability. In the summer of 2011, I secured grant funding to implement supportive counseling and educational services, in conjunction with a local nonprofit organization, to help local children better understand and process the profound effects of the country’s civil war, which ended in 1996. Upon beginning this project, however, it became apparent that many of the children with whom I interacted had limited or no knowledge of the conflict. This article explores the pervasive and systematic avoidance of discussing widespread psychosocial trauma and the potential effects of this avoidance on parents, children, and the greater community. I compare these observations with existing social work and psychology research literature, drawing from the concept of intergenerational trauma, or the transference of trauma symptoms from parent to child. I then discuss whether the avoidance of trauma discussion with children can protect their psychological well-being and prevent the trans- ference of trauma, or if such avoidance leads to increased risk of individual psychological impairment and cyclical community problems. Based upon this analysis, the article finally discusses implications for social workers confronting psychosocial trauma in post-conflict settings.https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/cswr/article/view/1937 |
| spellingShingle | Eliza Ramos Crucial Conversations Columbia Social Work Review |
| title | Crucial Conversations |
| title_full | Crucial Conversations |
| title_fullStr | Crucial Conversations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Crucial Conversations |
| title_short | Crucial Conversations |
| title_sort | crucial conversations |
| url | https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/cswr/article/view/1937 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elizaramos crucialconversations |