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“Grief is Seen. Trauma is Hidden. This Course Reveals Both.” Dr. Althea Winifred
Did you know the Grief and Trauma is like an Iceberg?
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The Iceberg of Grief and Trauma, serves as a visual metaphor for understanding the visible and invisible dimensions of human suffering. At the surface, we often see external behaviors—anger, aggression, violence, withdrawal, or emotional numbness. These surface-level actions are frequently misjudged or misinterpreted, especially within ministry and community settings. However, just like an iceberg, the majority of the issue lies beneath the surface, hidden from view but deeply rooted in unresolved emotional, spiritual, or psychological pain.
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Above the waterline, words such as hurting others, defiance, unkind, and refusal represent the behavioral expressions of deeper issues. These may be the only signs others see, yet they are not the full story. They are merely manifestations of deeper, unseen wounds.
Below the surface lies the true weight of trauma and grief—conditions such as depression, loss, shame, abuse, loneliness, confusion, low emotional literacy, and anxiety. These are the internal realities many individuals carry silently. These hidden wounds often go unspoken, especially in environments where grief and trauma are misunderstood or spiritualized without support.
The two embedded word clouds—one focused on grief and the other on trauma—highlight how these two experiences overlap and intensify one another. Terms such as sadness, lonely, despair, medical, health, and brain reveal both the emotional and neurological dimensions of pain, reinforcing the truth that trauma is not simply emotional—it affects the entire being: body, soul, and spirit.
This visual reminds students, caregivers, and ministers that healing requires deeper discernment. What we see is rarely the whole story. Trauma-informed, grief-sensitive care involves compassion, curiosity, and the willingness to go beneath the surface, trusting that what is revealed can be redeemed.
As Psalm 34:18 declares, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” This image invites us to draw near to those who may appear difficult, distant, or defensive - and to recognize that their iceberg may be rooted in unspoken loss and unhealed trauma.
Below the surface lies the true weight of trauma and grief—conditions such as depression, loss, shame, abuse, loneliness, confusion, low emotional literacy, and anxiety. These are the internal realities many individuals carry silently. These hidden wounds often go unspoken, especially in environments where grief and trauma are misunderstood or spiritualized without support.
The two embedded word clouds—one focused on grief and the other on trauma—highlight how these two experiences overlap and intensify one another. Terms such as sadness, lonely, despair, medical, health, and brain reveal both the emotional and neurological dimensions of pain, reinforcing the truth that trauma is not simply emotional—it affects the entire being: body, soul, and spirit.
This visual reminds students, caregivers, and ministers that healing requires deeper discernment. What we see is rarely the whole story. Trauma-informed, grief-sensitive care involves compassion, curiosity, and the willingness to go beneath the surface, trusting that what is revealed can be redeemed.
As Psalm 34:18 declares, “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart.” This image invites us to draw near to those who may appear difficult, distant, or defensive - and to recognize that their iceberg may be rooted in unspoken loss and unhealed trauma.
