“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” 
― Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral’s Kiss

 Trauma can feel like an unexpected slap in the face, both metamorphically and physically. The APA (The American Psychological Association) defines trauma as an emotional response to a horrible event like rape, an accident or a natural disaster, followed immediately by shock and denial. Long term reactions include unpredictable emotions, strained relationships, flashbacks and even physical symptoms.

 Traumatic events can range from, and not limited to; experiencing war, displacement, living in poverty to going through a break-up, a divorce or undergoing constant emotional abuse. Throughout our life journey we are bound to come across a thing or two from the list and everyone will react differently. Feeling negative emotions is normal, however some of us may have difficulty moving on with our lives in a productive way, especially if we never speak about our experiences.

Speak Trauma recognises trauma as one of the root causes of decay within people in any society and want to raise awareness on the matter because it is a conversation worth having constantly. Unresolved trauma can have major and minor impacts on individuals, families and communities, it can even go as far as causing people to be violent, destructive and reckless.  Our foundation conducts research that deeply explores the repercussions of trauma on individuals, families and collectives.

It was Thich Nhat Hanh who said, “When another person makes you suffer, it is because he suffers deeply within himself, and his suffering is spilling over. He does not need punishment; he needs help. That’s the message he is sending”. One of the ways we can start helping each other, is by speaking out.  Our primary objective at the foundation is to provide workshop training for individuals and communities to speak out through the creation of documentary or story telling videos. Our foundation does not just want to listen; but wants to teach people and communities new skills that they can utilise in their everyday life, to share their story on more than one medium.

Our documentaries are not hopeless stories of grief but songs of hope, the start of a new dawn of healing.

Let us heal together.