Traumas come in many forms from discrete individual experiences to collective nightmares. We experienced the latter when a former U.S. president, speaking to his supporters, was shot at by a sniper. His physical injury was minor; sadly, a supporter died. The emotional traumas of this day are harder to know, but they will likely run deep for many persons. It is immensely disturbing to see others harmed and killed in this way.

Experts in trauma care know that immediate reactions — shock, disbelief, numbness, rage, relief — form a defensive line against the broader implications. While death is universal for all of us, confronting its reality in such a sudden, intensive way drives a wedge into our psychological defenses. Personal anxieties about death, meaning and purpose in life seep into conscious thought and emotion. Hyper-vigilance and other post-traumatic symptoms emerge sooner and later. Healing takes time, personal openness and safe spaces for the stresses to dissipate and a new equilibrium to form.

Former President Trump, his family, those close to him, and his community of supporters will work through their reactions to this trauma — as individuals and together. Everyone who witnessed the live event or saw it later is subject to this trauma. I feel shaken as I write this. I know from traumas in my own life that grieving and its subsequent insight cannot be rushed. Immediate reactions do not heal, but they do set the stage for this process. The news cycle is too short for such healing.

Tom Meuser
Portland