Kosha Joubert, CEO of The Pocket Project, specializes in healing collective trauma and its implications. She explores how collective trauma influences our reaction to environmental crises and advocates for connecting personal and collective healing. The discussion delves into the interplay between historical traumas, contemporary society, and the climate crisis. Additionally, Joubert emphasizes the role of compassionate dialogue in bridging political divides and fostering community-driven solutions for healing amidst systemic oppression.
Collective trauma influences individual and societal responses to crises, perpetuating cycles of extraction and exploitation that hinder healing.
Embodiment and personal healing are vital for effective collective action, emphasizing the importance of integrating inner work with outer activism.
Deep dives
The Impact of Collective Trauma
Collective trauma deeply affects both individual and societal responses to the ongoing crises the world faces. Patterns of historical violence, colonization, and extraction contribute to present-day crises, affecting how people engage with one another and the environment. This unprocessed trauma lingers in the collective consciousness, influencing behaviors and attitudes in a way that perpetuates systems of extraction and exploitation. Recognizing and addressing these traumas is crucial for fostering awareness and healing, which are necessary for creating a more attuned relationship with the planet.
The Importance of Embodiment
Embodiment is a key theme in the discussion, emphasizing the need for individuals to connect with their physical and emotional selves in order to understand and heal traumas. By being attuned to our nervous systems and recognizing their states, individuals can better navigate their interactions and responses toward societal challenges. The conversation highlights that solutions to crises cannot be achieved solely through intellectual understanding; instead, a deeper awareness and acknowledgment of our bodily experiences are essential for reconciliation with ourselves and the environment. This approach advocates for a holistic healing process that integrates both inner and outer worlds.
Language, Communication, and Polarization
The use of language in discussions around trauma and crisis is explored, with emphasis on how certain terminologies can create polarization and alienation among diverse audiences. It’s crucial to find a common ground that fosters understanding rather than division, especially in discussions that engage deeply personal and societal experiences. The conversation advises against using jargon that can obscure meaning for those unfamiliar with the concepts, advocating instead for a more straightforward and inclusive discourse. This approach aims to bridge gaps and engage a wider audience in meaningful conversations about healing and systemic change.
Connecting Inner Healing to Outer Action
The link between personal healing and collective action is underscored as essential for addressing the world’s crises. While acknowledging the material hardships faced by many, the discussion proposes that inner work, such as engaging with nature and community, can empower individuals to act more effectively within their environments. Programs aimed at trauma-informed practices and creating supportive community systems, like community gardens, illustrate how personal empowerment can initiate broader social and environmental change. This interconnectedness highlights that both inner healing and outer activism are integral to fostering resilience against the ongoing challenges of climate change and societal unrest.
Kosha Joubert is the CEO of the pocket project and NGO dedicated to exploring and healing collective trauma. She joined me to discuss the impacts that collective trauma has on our bodies, on our systems and how it can even explain the way we are seemingly barreling towards even further destruction rather than turning towards healing.
Pocket project is launching a Climate Consciousness Summit that begins Friday the 15th and runs to next Thursday, the 21st of November, including amazing speakers like Amy Westervelt and Gabor Mate.
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