WELLBEING | Sustainable Health

Healing the Invisible Wounds: Addressing Cultural and Environmental Injustices as Trauma (1 of 2)

For many, trauma does not stem from isolated incidents like assault or loss. Instead, it is rooted in their surroundings — social injustices, systemic racism, and environmental hazards that oppress entire communities. This form of trauma reveals not individual fragility but fundamental flaws within our societal structures.

Healing the Invisible Wounds: Addressing Cultural and Environmental Injustices as Trauma (1 of 2) Second-generation descendants of the Indian diaspora in Canada participate in lighting diyas (clay lamps) during Diwali, a festival celebrated by many Indians. These children, removed from the cultural context of their ancestors' homeland, reflect on the meaning and significance of these traditions. Without full immersion in the cultural and historical backdrop, they are left to navigate and negotiate their own sense of cultural identity, bridging the gap between inherited customs and their present-day experiences in Canada.

As a counselor, my work often begins by addressing symptoms such as anxiety or depression. Yet over time, I have come to recognize a crucial insight: for many clients, their trauma does not stem from isolated incidents like assault or loss. Instead, it is rooted in their surroundings — social injustices, systemic racism, and environmental hazards that oppress entire communities. This form of trauma reveals fundamental flaws within our societal structures, rather than our typical default notion that post-traumatic symptoms reflect individual fragility.

When I sit with someone bearing the weight of racial or environmental oppression, I sense a profound responsibility — not merely as a mental health professional, but as a fellow member of society. These individuals shoulder burdens often unfathomable to members of more privileged groups. Nevertheless, they endure. They resist. Their resilience reflects an extraordinary strength, shaped by circumstances from which many others are shielded. Acknowledging this resilience, however, is not enough. My duty extends to actively supporting their healing within systems that continually fail them.

The external sources of trauma and their mental health consequences

Although the harm inflicted by these systemic traumas may not be immediately visible, the research is unequivocal. An example is systemic racism and discrimination generating ‘racial battle fatigue’ — a persistent stress response triggered by daily microaggressions, barriers, and inequities. For instance, marginalized individuals frequently report elevated levels of psychological distress, including anxiety, depression, and symptoms akin to PTSD.[1]

Similarly, environmental injustices, arising from socioeconomic disparities, profoundly impact mental health. It has been demonstrated that communities in areas plagued by high pollution, overcrowding, and inadequate infrastructure experience increased rates of anxiety and depression.[2] These traumas transcend the individual, affecting entire communities and persisting across generations.

Collective and intergenerational trauma: beyond individual experiences

Reflecting on the marginalized clients I have counseled, I am reminded that their trauma is not merely personal but collective. In recent years, there has been a recognition of ‘historical trauma’ among Indigenous populations, where colonization, displacement, and forced assimilation continue to impact the mental health of descendants.[3] Furthermore, there is now wider acceptance of the concept of intergenerational trauma, as seen in survivors of war and conflict throughout the world, exemplified by the descendants of Holocaust survivors who still bear the emotional burden of events they did not directly witness.[4]

This image serves as a reminder of how the way we see ourselves and how the world perceives us can be significantly distorted by external influences.

I am grateful that my mentors emphasized the importance of viewing my clients' personal pain through the lens of historical and collective suffering, for which counseling models based on Euro (of those who are European or of European descent) conceptual frameworks often fail to account. This perspective enables me to approach my clients’ struggles with a deeper understanding of the intergenerational trauma and societal forces that shape their experiences. Reducing trauma to individual experiences without addressing its systemic roots does a grave disservice to those we seek to help.

Healing trauma: from personal therapy to systemic advocacy

Healing from these traumas requires more than conventional therapeutic techniques. As counselors, we possess the tools to address personal trauma, but we must also advocate for systemic transformation. Research supports the efficacy of holistic, community-based interventions. In particular, Indigenous healing practices — such as storytelling, ceremonies, and communal activities — are effective responses to the collective trauma of colonization.[5] These practices foster a sense of identity and shared resilience that therapy based on Euro conceptual frameworks often cannot provide.

Trauma-informed care, another vital approach, acknowledges the role of societal and environmental stressors in an individual’s mental health. Trauma-informed care has proven particularly effective for marginalized groups by recognizing their unique contexts and minimizing the risk of re-traumatization during therapy.[6]

Yet healing must also extend beyond the therapist's office. We must advocate for trauma-informed public health policies addressing the structural causes of inequality.[7] Not surprisingly, when communities gain access to equitable healthcare, education, and clean environments, mental health improves. Such policies can interrupt the transmission of trauma across generations, offering hope for sustainable healing.
 


[1] D. R. Williams, Stress and the mental health of populations of color: Advancing our understanding of race-related stressorsJournal of health and social behavior: 59(4), pp. 466-485 (2018).

[2] R. Morello-Frosch et al., Understanding the cumulative impacts of inequalities in environmental health: implications for policyHealth Affairs: 30(5), pp. 879-887 (2011).

[3] M. Y. H. B. Heart and J. Chase, Historical trauma among indigenous peoples of the Americas: Concepts, research, and clinical considerationsWounds of History, pp. 270-287 (2016).

[4] R. Yehuda and A. Lehrner, Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanismsWorld Psychiatry: 17(3), pp. 243-257 (2018).

[5] J. P. Gone, Redressing First Nations historical trauma: Theorizing mechanisms for indigenous culture as mental health treatmentTranscultural Psychiatry: 50(5), pp. 683-706 (2013).

[6] M. Sotero, A conceptual model of historical trauma: Implications for public health practice and researchJournal of health disparities research and practice: 1(1), pp. 93-108 (2006).

[7] J. Purtle et al., Population-based approaches to mental health: history, strategies, and evidenceAnnual Review of Public Health: 41(1), pp. 201-221 (2020).

author Ammen Dhillon (she) is a research scientist who recently shifted to more interactive work with the community as a registered clinical counsellor and school trustee.
author_affiliation South Asia | Punjab
residence Canada
organizational