In the Shadows of Terror: A Community Neighboring the World Trade Center Disaster Uses Art Therapy to Process Trauma

Oct 15, 2026

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Brief report on community-based healing for New Yorkers traumatized by the 9/11 attacks, focusing on families living near the World Trade Center and displaced by recovery and damage. The document describes an art-therapy approach carried out at the Children’s Museum of the Arts in SoHo with a parents’ group, including examples of participant-created artwork and feedback. It outlines psychological trauma effects, typical responses, severity factors, and art therapy strategies to stabilize and support survivors.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time8 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Trauma

Psychological trauma reactions

Factors affecting severity and duration

Art therapy approaches and examples

B rief Reports In the Shadows of Terror: A Community Neighboring the World Trade Center Disaster Uses Art Therapy to Process Trauma Beth Gonzalez-Dolginko, MPS, ATR-BC, Hempstead, NY Introduction For many Americans, the gruesome and frightening events of 9/11/01 were viewed through the media or television, but thousands of traumatized New Yorkers experienced the terrorist attacks firsthand. While we have all been affected, the recovery from the trauma will be much more difficult for those who were there. Thousands of others, who may or may not have personally viewed the events, suffered as their homes were in the vicinity of the World Trade Center (WTC) or its immediate neighborhoods. Many of these families have been forced out of their homes either due to recovery efforts or as a result of damage caused by the attack. The families of SoHo and neighboring communities live inclose proximity to the WTC. Residents of that neighborhood may have experienced the loss of family members and have surely lost friends. Without a doubt, their daily lives have been irreversibly changed as a result of the events of 9/11 . The Children’s Museum of the Arts, located in SoHo, is a community center where children and families create together through involvement with the visual and performing arts. The families that participate in the programming offered by the Museum are living, and perhaps working and going to school, in the shadows of what used to be the WTC. In an effort to offer a neighborhood center for families to collectively process the events of 9/11 and to heal as a community, the Museum’s director and staff reached out to its members and others in the community through the use of art and art projects. This brief report discusses the work I did at the Museum with a parents’ group with the intention of creating a healing place within the SoHo community. Examples ofthe art produced during this session, comments made by participants, and suggestions made to these parents concerning their own healing and that of their children are included in this discussion. The effects of posttraumatic stress and strategies for response through art therapy are addressed. Trauma Psychological trauma is an affliction of the powerless. At the moment of trauma, the victim is rendered helpless by overwhelm- Editor’s note: Correspondence may be addressed to the author at 19 Eaton’s Neck Road, Northport, NY 11768. She may also be contacted at 631-754-2278 (phone/fax) or by e-mail: [ddolginko@aol.com](ddolginko@aol.com). ing force. When the force is that of nature, we speak of disasters. When the force is that of other human beings, we speak of atrocities. Traumatic events overwhelm the ordinary systems of care that give people a sense of control, connection, and meaning. (Herman, 1997, p. 33) Individuals who have experienced a traumatic event often suffer psychological stress related to the incident. In most instances, these are normal reactions to abnormal situations. Individuals may feel that they are unable to regain control oftheir lives or may experience the symptoms for a prolonged period of time and may need to seek professional help. According to the Diagnostic Standards Manual IV (3rd ed.) of the American Psychiatric Association (2001), symptoms or behaviors that may occur as a result of exposure to trauma include: recurring thoughts or nightmares about the event; trouble sleeping and/or changes in appetite; increased anxiety, fear, and vigilance; overwhelming depression and low energy; memory lapses; feeling“scattered” or numb and unable to focus on work or daily activities; an inability to face certain aspects of the trauma; and avoidance of reminders of the event. Factors influencing the severity and duration of the traumatic effects, which may be relevant to the SoHo community, include: the degree to which one felt his or her life threatened; the intensity of bereavement and loss; the length and severity of stressors; the

FAQs

What trauma symptoms does the document describe as common after exposure?

It lists recurring thoughts or nightmares, sleep and appetite changes, increased anxiety and vigilance, depression and low energy, memory lapses, feeling scattered or numb, difficulty facing aspects of the event, and avoidance of reminders.

Why does the report say healing after 9/11 is especially difficult?

It notes the overwhelming impact of the events on an entire nation and the possibility that helpers may also be traumatized, leaving both therapist and client fearing further attacks.

How does the document connect art therapy with helping trauma survivors?

It states that art therapy techniques can stabilize and treat survivors, giving examples such as bridge drawings, feeling maps to track progress, and anger resolution activities.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by Grenda