Healing After Columbine: Reflections of Psychoanalytic Responders To Community Trauma

Abstract

Following the shootings at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999, the Denver Psychoanalytic Society provided both immediate and long-term interventions to those closely impacted by the tragedy. In this effort, analytically trained volunteers faced many personal challenges and role adjustments. To address these issues a reflective study group was formed twenty months after the traumatic event. Group discussions revealed a surprising number of residual symptoms from secondary trauma, as well as opportunities for shared coping among analysts. Little has been written about the very human and subjective responses of analysts in such circumstances. These experiences may be helpful to others in today's world of terrorism and unexpected violent events.

Prospects for psychoanalysis in the 21st century.

“…As Twemlow (2004) points out, a new role for psychoanalysts is called for, however controversial it may be for some, requiring resolution of “a certain confusion about the role of the psychoanalyst in circumstances outside the consulting room, particularly regarding the skills, capacities, and knowledge of the analyst when called on—usually not as analyst but as healer—in cases of unusual, unexpected, or massive social trauma” (p. 710). The articles presented there (Cabanis, Forand, & Roose, 2004; Kogan, 2004; Levy, Haglund, Plaut, Emde, Stewart, et al, 2004; Panel, 2004) represent the efforts of a group of analysts to grapple with and understand the complexities of trauma as found in the 9/11, Columbine, and other man-made traumatic tragedies, and the efforts being made to intervene actively and effectively in preventing and responding therapeutically to such tragedies. The benefits of the analytic approach in these circumstances are evident but deserve to be better advertised and recognized.…”