Silence and Trauma Survivors: Lessons from Holocaust Survivors

Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel said, “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation.” This quote opens an interesting article by another trauma survivor, Angela Wheelock. She discusses the various ways survivors deal with their traumatic experiences. Some Holocaust survivors refused to talk about their experiences and others felt that speaking out was cathartic. Ms. Wheelock considers the impact of sharing versus silence upon the victims and children of trauma victims. Were Golda Meir and other Holocaust survivors right to keep silent so as not to pass on the pain of their experiences or would sharing the pain (perhaps lessening it) have been the better choice?

Read the entire article here: Silence and Trauma Survivors: Lessons from Holocaust Survivors