Making art from trauma

In London this week, the 10th anniversary of the terrorist suicide bombings in 2005 has received widespread coverage and brought civilian trauma to the forefront of people’s consciousness in Britain.  While the scale of 7/7's impact is shocking (52 dead, dozens more with life changing injuries, hundreds of horrified witnesses), the sad reality is people suffer traumatic injury every day and deal with the aftermath in silent, but often heroic ways.

This week, two trauma survivors, both of them amputees, have kindly agreed to share how they have creatively dealt with recovery. They have turned to self-expression - through blogging, and through poetry - to help them make sense of their experiences, and to transform them into inspiration for others: ’things of beauty’:

Daryl was hit by a train in 2013 and suffered traumatic bilateral transfemoral amputations. This means both his legs were severed mid-thigh, thus confining him to a wheelchair. He now writes a beautiful blog about disability, being gay and dealing with depression.  In his latest blog, he narrates how at a recent media summit, a journalist asked him the startling question “Which do you find more difficult to deal with – your double amputations and life in a wheelchair, or your depression?” Here is his thought-provoking answer.

Twelve years ago, Phil was struck by a 25 tonne truck, sustained multiple injuries, lost a leg, and endured Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After a decade of rehabilitation and self-reinvention, Phil found himself at Westminster receiving an Award for Inspiration. In addition to becoming a rock climber, fly fishing facilitator and facilitator, Phil has also just published his first book of poetry Heart on the Mountain.  

Phil has kindly provided the AfterTrauma community with a new poem, from his forthcoming second collection:

Lesson Learned

The world goes on, you know.

With or without you.

History, that stuff that came before you,

Will happen anyway.

The earth will turn

Her orbit, our night and day.

You do matter.

Why else would life make space for you?

No more or less

But nether the less, you have your place.

The earth will turn

Her orbit, our words and deeds.

Do you have a trauma inspired blog, or a creative project of any kind you’d like to share on this website? 

Please get in touch, we’d love to support your work!

Published 9th July 2015

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