|
5/8/2018 0 Comments The problem of silenceCover ups, lies and silence at the political levels affect everyone at all levels. Those in power positions effectively shut down the dialogue that we need to further the needs of humanity at the nation, community, family and individual levels. The silence that I want to shine light on is the one that occurs in all families. I wrote a poem about the fear children have of bringing up difficult topics that their parents don't want to talk about for a variety of their own reasons, and the impact of that silence -- secrets in effect -- on their children. At the heart of my book "The Inheritors" is the emptiness and pain that is left for the child to carry. Further, if that child doesn't have the opportunity to express their pain, their secret becomes a burden and a void for their children. This is why our societies are destined to repeat history. How much better off would we be if we healed the pain of our ancestors and built on their strengths by honestly talking about it, regardless of how painful it might be. I Haven’t Been Listening
I haven’t been listening To what you haven’t been saying I haven’t wanted to hear What you haven’t wanted to say Words left unspoken Melt into nothing Melting hope Melting joy Melting peace It’s really a sad and empty thing When words don’t belong anywhere Because they’ve been left unsaid When arms remain empty Because they can hold no truth When love is in turmoil Because it doesn’t have a place to rest And time is in limbo Always waiting, always waiting, always waiting Because ...
0 Comments
8/2/2017 0 Comments August 02nd, 2017I believe in the magic of the group. In groups, people can share their stories, be validated for their feelings, and supported in helping them transcend their pain. I would like to invite anyone who would like to co-host a group dialogue to get in touch with me and we will work out a plan to make it happen. I will train you in the simple rules that I follow to make sure the space we create is safe for everyone. The tools we will use can be based on my book, The Inheritors: Moving Forward from Generational Trauma, but they can also emerge depending on the group.
If you are interested in participating in transformative dialogue or in a poetry writing workshop, write to me as well. I can also provide one on one counselling in person or by skype if you are not in the Ottawa area. Let's do good work together! Gita 7/23/2017 0 Comments July 23rd, 2017So pleased to have received a review from the prestigious Library Journal:
Library Journal - http://reviews.libraryjournal.com/2017/07/books/nonfic/self-help-nonfic/women-and-their-cars-survival-tactics-love-eat-train-climate-change-hygge-self-help-reviews/ Baack, Gita Arian. The Inheritors: Moving Forward from Generational Trauma. She Writes. Jun. 2017. 234p. bibliog. ISBN 9781631522222. pap. $18.95; ebk. ISBN 9781631522239. PERSONAL GROWTH According to counsellor Baack (PhD, founder, Centre for Transformational Dialogue, Ont.), inheritors of trauma can be described as those who consciously or unconsciously have thoughts and feelings about horrific events that happened in their youth or even before they were born. Inheritors can be groups of people such as descendants of slaves and survivors of the Holocaust, as well as children of parents with mental-health issues. Baack asserts that until a person has the opportunity to tell his or her story, one can never be completely whole. This book guides inheritors through a journey of self-discovery by way of stories, questions, and insights to help them overcome the past and thrive. VERDICT Excellent guidance for those who are held back by legacies not of their own making. Amazon Review, June 26, 2017 by Dr. Shamai Currim, Psychotherapist, Educator, Educational Consultant The Inheritors: Moving Forward from Generational Trauma by Gita Arian Baack, PhD …is a book of courage, strength, endurance, and resilience, and one of the most comprehensive books I have ever read. The Holocaust of the Second World War is just one of the many genocides that have occurred and touched generations of people. In this book of hope, Gita Arian Baack, PhD, a counsellor, consultant, team coach, facilitator, author, speaker, and founder of the Centre for Transformational Dialogue, takes us on a journey of understanding compassion. As she reminds us of the importance of speaking our stories, she gives credit and acknowledged awareness of the many who have supplied the scientific proof to our lived experiences and even the historical events that many prefer not to remember. The history of man is one that encompasses both acts of kindness as well as acts of deep refusal to accept the dark side of the reality of humanity. Dr. Baack uses this book to guide and allow the reader to move along on their own, personal journey, from exploring, to speaking, to being witnessed, and finally acknowledging their own, innate wisdom. Throughout the book there are exercises that reinforce the presented material, bringing the unknown to light and shining a path into the future. There are many denouncers of traumatic genocides, and we are reminded that to remain silent has affected many generations, and will continue to affect many more, until we take the courage to speak out and seek retribution through the witnessing of the unimaginable. Dr. Arian Baack is to be applauded for her fortitude in not only following through on her own search; she continues to beckon others to find their own legacies. As a child of Holocaust survivors, I observed that some children grow up to be resilient and successful while others are unable to take risks and live full lives. I also suffered a strong sense of loss and pain from the killing of my father's first children, and his first wife, my half brother and sister. Their death haunted me. What was puzzling was that I felt I knew that they were shot. Another question. My desire to understand resilience, memory, inherited trauma, led me to a Doctorate researching what I call “Inherited trauma.”
I discovered many similarities between the experience of Inheritors whose families lived through war, slavery, displacement, residential schools, children of the military especially vets with PTSD, people, devastating events such as economic or environmental, court injustices, poverty, illness in the family, abuse and other kinds of trauma. I wondered about the shame and guilt of descendants of perpetrators and bystanders. I realized that there was an urgent need for our generation to process our trauma if we are to reclaim a whole life and if we are to stop passing on the trauma to our future generations. My book is in fact a warning that if our trauma is not processed, the pain, anger and even hatred and violence will continue to future generations. The cycle must be interrupted. While recognizing that inherited trauma is difficult to recognize and difficult to treat, my book offers help. In particular, it offers a way to process your story from your context. You will not find 1-2-3 step solutions. One of the tools are questions at the end of each chapter which will assist you to reflect on and write your own story. I look forward to hearing your stories and about the resources you used (your own or from my book) to moving forward. |
Archives
May 2018
Categories |
RSS Feed