The paradox of expressing speechless terror: Ritual liminality in the creative arts therapies’ treatment of posttraumatic distress

Western treatment protocols for psychological trauma often prescribe recitation of narratives, despite evidence that the human brain's storage of traumatic memories undermines verbalization. Creative arts therapists overcome this paradox in trauma recovery through nonlinguistic communication. Ethnographic research among holistic groups that rely on cultural rites, rather than words, as instruments of healing in the wake of massive violence can enrich creative arts approaches. Relevant case material, analyzed with reference to theories of ritual structure, is used to illustrate the interplay of symbolization, ceremony, and the verbal and nonverbal among war-affected children from the developing world. Included is the author's venture into psychological syncretism in Sierra Leone. There, the fusion of locally inspired expression with dance/movement therapy improvisation facilitated recovery in a group of boy combatants.