In this talk, Berit Riis Langdahl draws on her own experiences of trauma, PTSD and the long process of recovery. The question at its heart is whether reading can help a person find a way forward when the world no longer feels safe or good.
She introduces a humanistic understanding of trauma and draws on literature by philosophers, trauma survivors and other writers. The talk looks at how an ethical and aesthetic approach can sharpen awareness of loss and of one's own outlook on life, and how texts that mattered earlier in life can help rebuild a sense of identity, values and order.
Reading cannot cure PTSD, the talk makes clear, but it can be a supplement to professional treatment.
