Beyond “PTSD”: How stories and artworks that “make strange” can serve as signposts on new maps toward the communalization of military trauma

Abstract

The psychiatric system, in large part due to its reliance on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), has a tendency to pathologize ordinary human reactions to difficult life events, and to individualize treatments for “mental illness.” This article builds on existing literature that is critical of psychiatry and proposes that art and stories that ‘make strange’ and elude easy interpretation may serve as a powerful counterpoint or complement to the ‘standard way of doing things’ when it comes to mental health care. Using military trauma as an example, this article highlights the inadequacies of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a diagnostic category; and, drawing from critical literature in the field and the author’s own experiences working with groups of traumatized veterans, it illustrates how and why ancient mythology and modern art especially may serve as useful tools for those who are having problems with living. The ‘disorienting dilemmas’ and consciousness-raising discussions such works evoke have the potential to touch on vital, nuanced, and philosophical aspects of trauma and suffering that are too often overlooked by the psychiatric profession.Keywords: military trauma; mental health; modern art; theatre; ancient mythology; transformative learning; museums; PTSD.

Processes and outcomes of a communalization of trauma approach: Vets & Friends community‐based support groups

“…CoT offers a long‐term, low‐intensity approach to healing in a community setting where peers and civilians can demonstrate listening that validates and restores trust in the community, in contrast to formal services which typically take place in clinical settings and are often short‐term and individualized (Munroe, 1996; Shay, 1995; Spring, 2016). V&F groups, however, experience similar challenges to other mental health care, including limited availability of resources (e.g., adequate meeting space and opportunities for referrals to formal care) and challenges finding diverse leaders as indicated by the team‐based approach (e.g., mixed gender, age, and professional and life experiences).…”

“…There are several interesting logistical aspects of CoT noted in the literature. First, CoT approaches are well suited to nonclinical group settings rather than to formal (individual or group) clinical settings (Munroe, 1996; Shay, 2009; Spring, 2016). Because community requires at least three people (Munroe, 1996), CoT is not possible in individual therapy.…”

“…CoT was first described in a book by psychiatrist Shay (1995) that highlighted how theater was used in ancient Greece to help warriors heal from trauma by sharing their stories with a broader community. Additional aspects of communal healing approaches were explicated in other books (Herman, 1997; Shay, 2002) and articles (Cilliers et al, 2016; Kingsley, 2007; Munroe, 1996; Spring, 2016). Proponents of CoT approaches note that, in addition to undermining basic assumptions about meaning and justice in the world, war violates the principles of community (e.g., safety, rules of behavior, and interrelationships) and distances service members from their home communities (Munroe, 1996).…”