History Matters Exploring Intergenerational Trauma and Human Connection - A Community Engagement Project

Author

LaToya RobinsonFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MCM - MA Clinical Mental Health Counseling

Department

Expressive Therapies

Advisor

Dr. Angelle V. Cook, PhD, RDT-BCT

Abstract

Abstract

Drama Therapy and trauma centered psychoeducation have been utilized as an intervention for groups in urban schools. The following research expands upon this foundation by exploring intergenerational trauma (IGT). The following research aimed to answer this question, will learning about intergenerational trauma observationally improve adolescents' relationships to others? For eight weeks, I engaged a group of male and female minority adolescents in an urban high school in Connecticut to explore IGT as an element of human existence. Drama Therapy tools such as utilization of the playspace, elements of DvT, the integrative five phase model theater games and poetic inquiry guided this exploration. This process highlights IGT as a global phenomenon many individual families choose to not discuss, despite IGT being a collective history needed as adolescents ascend toward adulthood. Participants displayed improved adolescent relationships with peers, but continued trepidation and avoidance of other adult figures in their lives. Student participants continue to yearn for human connection (Kulkarani, 2009) and have difficulty regulating their emotions and somatic reactions due to IGT (Cisler, 2017).

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Robinson, LaToya, "History Matters Exploring Intergenerational Trauma and Human Connection - A Community Engagement Project" (2024). Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses. 783.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_theses/783