Reframing Trauma: The Transformative Power of Meaning in Life, Work, and Community

Abstract

Each year more than 700,000 people leave prison having undergone a traumatic experience. While research about the prevalence of post-traumatic stress is emerging, many returning citizens will exit the institution undiagnosed and untreated. Many inmates learn to mask their emotions and internalize their symptoms to navigate prison. Once released, they will return to society and struggle to find work, a sense of worth, pro-social identity, and place in their community. Work plays a crucial role in our sense of self, identity, and the role we play in society. In this constant comparative study, 20 formerly incarcerated staff and volunteers at faith-based or community re-entry agencies shared their lived experience of how they were able to reframe their traumatic experience by transforming into helpers and wounded-healers assisting other returning citizens. Through their agency community and work, participants found meaningful work and meaning in life. Participants felt the culture of these agencies offered a humanizing experience, empathy, and sense of belonging enabling them to create a new narrative as good and different people, and shedding labels. As staff and volunteers undergo self-change, the ex-offender label is shed, and a wounded-healer emerges. Understanding the perceptions of returning citizens who work in helping roles provides insight into addressing the psychological challenges for this population and implications for reentry.

How does Lived Experience of Incarceration Impact Upon the Helping Process in Social Work Practice?: A Scoping Review

“…Shared experiences of suffering or the helper's 'woundedness' sensitised the helper, supporting effective healing practices (Dywer and Maruna, 2011). Flood (2018) identified significant trauma histories of many who have experienced incarceration. Reframing and recovering from such trauma through the process of moving into professional helper roles is one way of addressing the hopelessness that can result from such experiences.…”

“…Authenticity has also been linked with 'insider knowledge', using lived experience to inform ways of speaking or communicating, increasing understanding of client issues (Flood, 2018).…”

The Effect of Transformative Power of Suffering on the Meaning in Life

“…Bu nedenle, anlamın varlığının pozitif değişimi anlamak için merkezi bir unsur olduğu görülmektedir (Linley ve Joseph, 2011). Mesela, yaşamın bu kritik anlamı intiharın veya tehlikeli davranışların önünde bir tampon görevi görmektedir (Flood, 2018). Yüksek düzeyde anlam, strese karşı direnci arttırarak fiziksel sağlığa katkı sağlamaktadır.…”

“…Benlik saygısının düşük olması ise kişinin mücadele edebilme yeteneğine ve kimliğine zarar vermektedir. Kendinden tiksinme, endişe, suçluluk ve utanç yaratabilmektedir (Flood, 2018). Çeşitli araştırmaların bu bulguları yaşamın anlamının çok yönlü bir etkiye sahip olabileceğini göstermektedir.…”

Trauma, Spirituality, and Healing: A Journey through the Lens of an Incarcerated Person

“…Incarcerated persons usually experience the existential spiritual struggle of finding meaning in a life of trauma, while living in an environment that creates and exacerbates suffering (Flood 2018). This is borne out in the case study of Joseph, through whose experience we see the themes of trauma, spirituality, and healing as they pertain to incarcerated people.…”