Traumatic Memories as Sites of Qualitative Inquiry and Healing: Testimonios of Patriarchal and Racial Violence

Abstract

Trauma is an all-encompassing experience that crushes the soul and impacts the perceptions of reality and people. As wounded people, we often search for healing from our traumatic experiences because we yearn to be made whole again. Through exploring two personal traumatic memories involving patriarchal and racial violence, the author, as a mode of healing and me-search, grapples with two questions in this study: What is the nature of our trauma and what do we do with our traumatic memories? Building on testimonio as a qualitative mode of inquiry, the author introduces trauma testimonios, which is a qualitative method for building autobiographical accounts that, with the inclusion of observer witnesses to personal traumatic events, can function as tools to help us better understand the nature of our own traumas and what we can do with them to heal. Finally, the author offers a few reflections and insights for future research and practice.