A dancer in the program

A trauma healing center comes to Gary

Contributed By:Ruth Needleman

Often trauma is thought of as something that happens to soldiers in war, but, in fact, trauma includes so many kinds of hurtful experiences, from poverty and racism to murder, domestic violence, rape and incarceration. The Gary community experiences trauma when environmental pollution poisons our neighborhoods, when lead contaminates our water, when black youth are criminalized, murdered or incarcerated. The neglect of our neighborhoods, the privatization of our services and schools, are all potentially traumatizing events.

Trauma happens in a moment, but then does not go away on its own. Our bodies hold the trauma in ways that affect our ability to build relationships or to respond calmly to subsequent events. Trauma survivors have trouble making connections with other people, due to the hyper-vigilance that trauma creates. Survivors are constantly on the lookout for the other shoe to drop. It makes people anxious, depressed, angry, overwhelmed and more.

A group of mental health workers, activists and trauma survivors have put together a program to help the Gary community and its residents heal, to help people reconnect and get support and compassion within the community.

The program is called “Can We Talk?” It has been bringing people together and promoting healing in the poorest and most violent black community in Boston, Roxbury, for four years. The local group – the H.O.P.E. Center (Haven of Peace and Empowerment) – invited the Corey Johnson Project from Boston to come here and explain their program to members of the NWI community. Over 80 people came to two open sessions in June to learn about the Corey Johnson Project and explore the possibility of creating a local program here.

On August 25th and 26th, close to 40 people returned for a training to build a team here in the Region to help launch this program on September 24th at Trinity United Church of Christ.

The program is called “Can We Talk?” and always begins with a community dinner, followed by a cultural expression through music, dance, song or poetry. Participants sit together in rows, and anyone who would like to share a piece of their story (3-5 minutes) comes forward.

There are rules: No one gives advice or commentson or judges what is said. Anyone who wants only to sit and listen can do so. The sharing of painful experiences releases stress and pain from the body, not only for the person who speaks but also for the person who listens.

Mental health practitioners are on hand, if someone needs individual support. There are also “community companions,” people from the community who have been trained to support the participants. Even those who help with child care or serve the dinner are “trauma-informed.”

People walk away from this program feeling more connected to others, feeling the strength that comes with empathy and compassion, and strangers quite quickly become community.

“Can We Talk?” is a process that reconnects people and overcomes the isolation and emotional dissociation that comes from trauma. The program begins in Gary, but will expand to other communities. The Gary HOPE Center program is open to anyone anywhere seeking relief from the pain and hurt of trauma.

“Can We Talk?” will meet every fourth Monday of the month at 6pm for dinner at Trinity United Church of Christ, 1276 W. 20th Ave., Gary (one block east of Grant). At 6:45pm, the program begins.

Free child care is available and children are welcome to join for dinner.

For more information, you can contact Trinity United Church of Christ, or call 219-771-7719.


Participants in the first informational session on June 24

Story Posted:09/17/2018