Do you have trauma and feel like often that no one understands what you are going through? Do you often wish you had a support network that could help you recover from trauma in your past? If you answer yes to either of these two questions then I have some things to share with you in my review of the movie Thunderbolts and what it says about trauma recovery.
Trauma Can Use Some Superhuman Power to Stop It Nowadays
One thing is for certain, and that’s that trauma is certainly at an all-time high for modern times. There are so many experiences of suffering in our world today, many that are needlessly inflicted and experienced by others. And we feel the effects of not only this, but also the residue of at least 1000 years of generational trauma since the days of the Dark Ages. With all this trauma going on, it may seem like we need superheroes to help us get through it. Thunderbolts don’t exactly “save the day,” but they do suggest a way forward.
What is Trauma and How Does Thunderbolts Address It?
The noted worldwide trauma expert Bessel Vander Kolk has called trauma an experience where you “are not seen or known.“ This can range all the way from emotional neglect to outright physical, mental, and emotional abuse. It can be more than this, of course, but it is certainly something that is very commonplace in our world today. What struck me when I watched the movie Thunderbolts was how they focused on the theme of relationships between the characters. Even the so-called villain was someone who had experienced trauma in his life, and could not redeem himself until he had the help and support of one of the other characters. We’re so used to the villain and the hero squaring off and one vanquishing the other depending on the plot twist, but this was remarkably different in the fact that the lines between the villain and the heroes were blurred and/or obliterated at the end of the movie.
Thunderbolts Shows How Trauma Victimizes Both Heroes and Villains
When people are traumatized, they take into their being a tremendous amount of emotional pain and/or fear/terror. Other emotional reactions can ensue from the initial trauma experience, but people are injured and wounded by trauma, whether they suffer from physical injury or not. What winds up invariably happening is that these people who are wounded by trauma will eventually hurt other people unless the trauma is healed or resolved somehow. Whether it’s intentional or unintentional, hurt people hurt people. This is the emotional cycle of violence that gets set in motion when abuse or neglect happens to people, mostly at a younger age. In exploring how wounded the villain was in Thunderbolts, the universal experience of trauma is seen as a unifying force in the end rather than one that needs to separate people. When the characters come together to support each other and work together to write the wrongs that trauma has ultimately caused, then the healing can happen.
How to Apply Thunderbolts’ Concept to Your Trauma
The main thing that this movie teaches us is that when people come together to support one another and recover from whatever it is that ails them, they can find eventual healing from the trauma. It may start with a support group, and then lead to therapy. It may then lead to finding a book or some other positive experience for the person. It may be doing yoga or having healing experiences in nature, such as fly fishing or doing a ropes course. The healing journey from trauma is a road that is never meant to be taken alone. Each individual's recovery experience can be seen as unique, but it’s never done in isolation.
What if You Struggle in Finding Your Way in Trauma Recovery?
Many people struggle to find the way forward, especially after initially experiencing trauma. I’ve been helping my clients for my entire social work career to address and recover from the trauma that they suffer with. I would be happy to talk to you if you live in Maryland about possibly helping you with your recovery journey. Feel free to call the number at the top of the page or fill out a form below and I can get back to you to schedule a free 15 minute phone consult so you can find out if I am a fit for your situation and possibly helping you to recover from what ails you. You don’t need Thunderbolts to help you or rescue you, but you do need to have some supportive friends, family, and possibly some professional help to make the journey a successful one. I support you in taking the first steps today!
Visit our page on trauma therapy to find out how Scott can help you with recovering from trauma.
About the author: Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, Maryland. He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin, Texas. He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His most recent book is titled The 5 Pillars of Addiction Recovery and is available for purchase on Amazon and in paperback on this website.