Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

Judith Herman’s Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror, first published in 1992, is a foundational text in the study of psychological trauma. A psychiatrist and a clinical researcher affiliated with Harvard Medical School, Herman draws on decades of experience with survivors of abuse, political violence, and war. The book belongs to the genre of psychological nonfiction and bridges multiple subfields, including psychiatry, feminist theory, and trauma studies. Since its release, Trauma and Recovery has been recognized as a groundbreaking contribution to both clinical practice and sociopolitical discourse. Herman outlines a three-staged model of trauma recovery—establishing safety, remembrance and mourning, and reconnection—that has been widely adopted by practitioners. The text explores themes including The Psychological Effects of Trauma, The Stages of Recovery from Trauma, and The Impact of Societal Structures on Individual Trauma.

This guide uses the eBook version of Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror (1992) written by Dr. Judith L. Herman and published by Basic Books, New York in 2015 and updated in 2022.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of gender discrimination, sexual violence and harassment, rape, mental illness, disordered eating, child abuse, child sexual abuse, suicidal ideation and self-harm, and physical and emotional abuse.

Summary

Trauma and Recovery is divided into two parts. Part 1, “Trauma and Recovery,” presents a sweeping overview of the history of psychological trauma and the recurring cycles of recognition and suppression it has undergone. Herman argues that the study of trauma is “inherently political,” as dominant institutions have historically ignored or denied the impact of trauma when acknowledging it would threaten the status quo. Drawing parallels between the delayed recognition of hysteria in 19th-century women, the emergence of shell shock in war veterans, and the eventual inclusion of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the DSM in 1980, Herman highlights how trauma studies repeatedly gain ground through the activism of survivors and then lose it when political forces push back.

The first chapter introduces this historical framework, detailing how the 19th-century physician Jean-Martin Charcot and his students—including Sigmund Freud, who would later become the founder of modern psychoanalysis—began exploring the connection between hysteria and psychological trauma. However, their work was largely abandoned when it began to implicate sexual violence and societal power structures. Later, the study of trauma resurfaced during wartime as military psychiatrists confronted the psychological effects of combat, only to have their insights suppressed after each conflict. According to Herman, a recurring theme in trauma studies is the retreat of the field whenever it becomes politically inconvenient.

Chapters 2 and 3 explore the psychological and social mechanisms of trauma more directly. Herman outlines the core symptoms of PTSD: hyperarousal, intrusion, and constriction. These symptoms manifest across trauma types, whether the cause is domestic violence, childhood abuse, rape, political terror, or war. Herman emphasizes that trauma shatters a person’s basic trust in themselves and others, often fragmenting memory and disrupting identity. She also details how traumatic relationships—such as those involving abuse or captivity—create dynamics of domination and helplessness, often leading to dissociation, denial, and long-term psychological entrapment.

The book examines how institutions fail survivors by refusing to acknowledge the truth of their experiences. Herman compares the private sphere of domestic abuse with the public sphere of political terror, arguing that both rely on secrecy, fear, and isolation to maintain control. When survivors speak out, they often encounter disbelief or dismissal. Healing, she asserts, requires reversing this isolation through empowerment, acknowledgement, and connection with others.

Herman closes Part 1 by arguing that the same principles that aid in individual recovery—truth-telling, safety, justice, and community—are also essential for social recovery. She draws parallels between personal and collective trauma, positioning her therapeutic model as clinically effective and socially transformative.

In Part 2, Herman presents her influential three-stage model of trauma recovery: safety, remembrance and mourning, and reconnection. These stages, she explains, are cyclical and dialectical, often requiring survivors to revisit earlier tasks at deeper levels of integration. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all prescription, Herman’s model offers a flexible, trauma-informed roadmap grounded in clinical experience and survivor testimony.

Herman asserts that healing cannot begin until the survivor regains a sense of physical and emotional security. This includes basic needs such as safe housing, medical care, protection from ongoing violence, and the regulation of post-traumatic symptoms like flashbacks and insomnia. A central goal in this stage is restoring control to the survivor, counteracting the profound helplessness caused by trauma. Therapy at this point should focus on stabilization and self-care rather than excavation of painful memories. Chapter 8, “Safety,” elaborates on the importance of tailoring treatments to each stage. Trauma affects every domain of functioning—biological, psychological, social—so treatment must be holistic and responsive. Herman also highlights the importance of educating survivors and their support networks about common trauma symptoms. She critiques premature exposure therapies that skip stabilization, arguing that without safety, even well-intentioned interventions can retraumatize.

Herman turns to the second stage of remembrance and mourning. At this point, survivors begin the painful work of reconstructing the trauma narrative. Herman insists that this process must be survivor-led, grounded in the survivor’s own sense of readiness. Testimony allows the survivor to transform fragmented, dissociated memories into a coherent story. Mourning includes grieving not only what happened but what could never be—lost childhoods, shattered relationships, or unfulfilled dreams. The therapist’s role is to bear witness and offer moral affirmation, not interpretation or correction.

Chapter 10 addresses the third stage—reconnection. Once the trauma story is fully acknowledged and grieved, survivors can begin to imagine a future. This stage often includes reclaiming autonomy, repairing relationships, pursuing personal goals, or redefining one’s identity. Survivors may take purposeful risks, such as learning self-defense, confronting abusive family members, or reclaiming their sexuality. Reconnection involves not just symptom reduction but meaningful reengagement with life.

The final chapter focuses on the role of group therapy and communal healing. Herman emphasizes that trauma is isolating, and that healing must occur in relationship. Groups—especially homogenous, time-limited, goal-directed ones—offers survivors validation, community, and shared hope. Herman includes transcripts of survivor groups to demystify the therapeutic process and illustrate its accessibility and impact. She also cautions that not all groups are helpful; successful groups require structure, safety, and skilled leadership. This chapter underscores Herman’s argument that trauma recovery is a social as well as psychological task. Contrary to common belief, she argues, trauma is not rare and that most interpersonal trauma occurs in civilian life, and most victims are women and children. Recovery requires not only personal resilience but societal support.

In the 2015 afterword, Herman reflects on how the book has held up. She restates her claim that trauma is political, linking it to institutional betrayal, systemic racism, and war. She reviews scientific advances in trauma research, including work on brain changes, dissociation, Adverse Childhood Experiences, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Herman also critiques the trend toward standardized, algorithm-driven psychotherapy, arguing that trauma treatment must remain individualized and grounded in human connection.

The 2022 epilogue continues this reflective tone, emphasizing the renewed urgency of trauma-informed care amid global unrest, war, and degradation. Herman discusses the emergence of promising new therapies, such as neurofeedback and psychedelic-assisted therapy, and revisits her respectful debate with Bessel van der Kolk. While their approaches differ—Herman focusing on psychotherapy, van der Kolk on broader somatic and pharmacological interventions—she acknowledges the value in both. The text ends with Herman expressing gratitude and humility. Acknowledging that she may not update the book again, Herman offers thanks to the survivors, colleagues, and clinicians who continue this work.