healing racial trauma by sheila wise rowe

“Diagnosis of PTSD requires exposure to an event that involved or held the threat of death, violence, or serious injury. One afternoon I taught on the topic of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder ( PTSD). The intensity of spending that week together, learning and sharing our stories, was profound. Some worked with the families of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, traumatized Christian and Muslim students and families affected by the massacre at Garissa University College, others were involved in ethnic and racial reconciliation and outreach to trafficked women and youth ministry. They served on the front line in their home countries of northern Nigeria, Swaziland, Rwanda, Zambia, Mozambique, Kenya, Canada, Angola, Uganda, and South Africa.

They were advocates for reconciliation, social justice, and peace. My students were peace builders who came from Canada and across the African continent. The Lord brought to mind a class I taught in South Africa entitled, “Trauma Awareness, Healing, and Reconciliation.” One evening, I sat quietly and asked the Lord to help me to understand what was going on in my heart. At times my emotions vacillated between sadness, anger, indifference, and bone tiredness. Paul, Dallas, and Baton Rouge, I felt as if I was constantly on the verge of tears. A week after the shootings of African American men and police officers in St. At times I’ve wondered with all the anger and venom spewing out on TV and social media if true racial reconciliation is even possible. Six months on it has taken a bit of time to adjust. Yes, our family and friends warmly welcomed us, but there was a coldness and callousness that permeated the mood of the country. We also noticed that the social climate had changed. The dead of winter in Boston with its frigid temperatures, gray skies, and snow were the least of them. When my family and I moved back home to America from South Africa, we were not prepared for what would greet us upon our return. In this article, her book, and a Renovaré Podcast interview, she provides an overview of racial trauma and helpful steps forward. This article by Sheila Wise Rowe, originally published in 2018 on her website, has blossomed into her book, Healing Racial Trauma.

Healing racial trauma by sheila wise rowe