Trauma of birth. Cries and whispers passing into the future

The starting point of this article are the situations described by Walt Whiteman in the following words: “There was a child went forth every day,/And the fi rst object he look’d upon, that object he became,/And that object became part of him for the day or a certain part of the day,/Or for many years or stretching cycles of years/ (…)./His own parents, he that had father’d him and she that had conceiv’d him in her womb and birth’d him,/Th ey gave this child more of themselves than that,/ They gave him afterward every day, they became part of him (…)./Th ese became part of that child who went forth every day, and who now goes, and will always go forth every day”.
The article provides examples of the presence of parents in an adult child who sometimes commemorate in it as a wound that does not heal, which sometimes becomes stigma, and with time healed, leaves behind scars of insensitivity, to protect from injury. These examples are, on the one hand, a testimony to the trauma of birth, which is not immune to the passage of time; on the other hand, they provide arguments that trauma – once again experienced in the presence of someone who does not reduce its traces to mental disorders and behavior, may become a return to the place from which life begins: “warm and nutritious”.

Eugenic crime and social work

The author discusses the links between the eugenic crime and the shaping of the ethos of social work as a discipline of practice. He emphasizes the importance of the universal dimension of the Holocaust in the education of social workers prepared to accompany people, groups and  communities that have experienced traumatic, intergenerational non-recognition. The author points to the fundamental importance of a direct, emotional relationship with the Other in axiological education, oriented to equip social workers with the ability to live and work according to values and to learn the art of dialogue.

The trauma and mental health – Antoni Kępiński in memoriam

The article deals with the relationship between trauma experience and the area of mental health. The issues of possible consequences of trauma, its connections with selected psychopathological syndromes as well as possible mechanisms protecting mental health in the event of trauma are discussed. Particular emphasis was placed on the social determinants of trauma, both those favorable to its formation and those with protective effects. In the content of the article, an important place was devoted to the achievements of prof. Antoni Kępiński, precursor of research on trauma in Polish psychiatry.

On vulnerable identities and recognition of child abuse

The phenomenon of violence against children is a serious social problem, and public awareness about the effects of violence for children remains at a low level. Children with vulnerable identity experience a developmental trauma that has a negative impact on the child’s development as well as on the functioning of adult life. Children who are abused with even more determination must fi ght for attention, recognition, dignity and, above all, for the right to be themselves. Th e issue of violence against children raises questions about who and how does it deal with the protection of victims of violence and the promotion of human rights, especially children’s rights? In what direction should social education develop so that the legal regulations are consistent with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand the child’s situation and initiate appropriate assistance activities? What can adults learn from children? Answers to the above questions were given by a person who, through his activities in the “Ad Vocem” Foundation, works with (abused) people every day and who believes that listening to the voice of children is a way to understand what is important to them and what they need. Because – as she claims – knowledge and skills give a sense of security and courage for eff ective action.

The trauma, you cannnot escape from!
Sorrow, addiction, trauma, injustice… hope

Where do the sorrow and trauma begin? Are they interrelated? What are the causes of such feelings as powerlessness, hopelessness or injustice? Could the mental pain be so big that the man isn’t able to stand it? And last but not least – where the hope begin? And how? Th ese questions are the topic of this article. We try to shed light on the issue of trauma and mental (and sometimes also physical) injuries in context of social inqeualities, class and gender diff erences or social injustice and ask for the consequences. We discuss also the way of getting out of the trauma and look for the way how could man overcome the traumatic experiences and if the social work is able to help in this process?

In permanently introducing this new section to our periodical, we wish to call the reader’s attention to a unique approach we are consciously taking. In a desire to identify impending foci in our field, we have invited the youngest of our colleagues – MA and PhD candidates in social work – to act as our reviewers. Furthermore, considering the vast multitude of scholarly articles published annually, we have asked our students to primarily focus on this segment which is more likely to reflect the most recent findings. That said, we have not set a strict date range in the hope that our reviewers will freely discover or recover studies which might have been overlooked heretofore.

Joanna Ciągło, Williams M. (2010). Can we measure homelessness? A critical evaluation of ‘Capture–Recapture’. Methodological Innovations Online, vol. 5, 2: 49-59.

Michał Gajewski, Kienhus J. and Świtek T. (2007). Client as an Expert: Solution Focused Approach & Practice in Poland. SFA MATRA POLSKA, pp. 11-22.

Sylwia Butkiewicz, Romanov P., and Kononenko R. (2014). Glocalization processes in Russian social work. International Social Work 57.5, pp. 435-446.

Recenzja książki:  Dorota Dyjakon, Przemoc domowa. Czy można wybaczyć i być razem?, Warszawa: Difin, 2016, ISBN 978-83-8085-318-8, ss. 178. Bogumiła Krawiec, Katedra Psychologii Rozwojowej, Instytut Psychologii, Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II.