Psychodynamic groups as used to work through collective trauma memory

Abstract

The Israeli-Polish Mental Health Association is a bi-national society of mental health professionals. Presentation of its twelve years' experience in working through memories of traumatic past was rationale of the text. The traumatic past had been extermination of Jews, by Germans on Polish territory with witnessing Poles. Dynamic group technique had been employed in debate stimulated by theoretical lectures and research results presentations concerning background of anti-Semitism, hatred, Shoah, collective trauma consequences and intergenerational transmission of trauma. Obstacles in the process and suggested measures aiming to overcome these difficulties as described by participants were discussed. Author's assessment of results of using therapeutic methods to solve mass trauma consequences in next generation of victims and witnesses conclude the essay.