Presented by Katharine Bainbridge, M.F.T., S.E.P.

In this talk, we will explore some of the ways in which Sinead O’Connor both embodied and prefigured a feminine sorrow and rage that remains with us today and what can happen to a woman who is deeply traumatized, not believed, and banished for expressing the truth of her lived experience. O’Connor, who became an avatar for Generation X, literally gave voice to the effects of trauma on the somatic unconscious and, through her music, offered an example of how creative self-expression can transform suffering.  We will discuss the effects of trauma on the somatic unconscious, how social isolation can exacerbate existing trauma, and the role of the creative process in helping an individual integrate traumatic experiences.

Learning objectives
  • Give an example of how trauma is stored in the body as an un-mentalized experience.
  • Give an example of how creative self-expression can help patients metabolize traumatic experiences.
  • Give an example of how trauma is exacerbated through social isolation.
Katharine Bainbridge, M.F.T., S.E.P., is a Jungian analyst and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in private practice in Encino.  Her unique holistic psychotherapy practice is partly informed by her 30 years as a Tibetan Buddhist practicer.  Katharine writes, lectures, and holds workshops nationally on trauma, grief, and the collective wounds of the feminine.