Woundscapes: Mapping Trauma as a Geography of Pain and Possibility

Trauma is often described as a singular, isolated experience—a rupture in an individual’s emotional or physical well-being. But what if we understood trauma differently? What if we saw it as a landscape, a geography shaped by relationships, histories, and systems of power? The concept of "woundscapes" invites us to think of trauma not as a static condition but as a dynamic map of pain and possibility, where healing is not just individual but collective and relational.

A woundscape is a terrain marked by the relational ruptures caused by trauma. These ruptures can occur on multiple levels: within individuals, between people, across communities, and even in our relationship with the land. Rather than seeing trauma as something contained within one person, the idea of woundscapes allows us to trace its ripple effects, revealing how it is shaped by systemic forces and shared histories.

Understanding Woundscapes

Woundscapes are not just metaphors; they are lived realities. They are the spaces where trauma intersects with identity, history, and power. For example, communities impacted by colonialism carry woundscapes that reflect centuries of dispossession, cultural erasure, and systemic oppression. These landscapes of pain are not confined to the past—they continue to shape present experiences and relationships.

But woundscapes are also spaces of possibility. Just as trauma creates ruptures, it can also reveal openings—opportunities to rebuild connections, reimagine systems, and create pathways for healing. By mapping trauma as a geography, we can begin to see where these openings exist and how they might guide us toward transformation.

Trauma as a Collective Geography

The concept of woundscapes challenges the dominant notion of trauma as an individual problem. Instead, it frames trauma as a collective issue, one that requires relational and systemic approaches to healing. This perspective invites us to ask: How do our individual wounds connect to larger systems of harm? How do the pain and resilience of communities intersect with historical and environmental traumas?

For instance, the ongoing effects of racism, poverty, and environmental degradation can be understood as interconnected woundscapes. These systems create overlapping layers of harm, making it clear that healing cannot happen in isolation. Addressing these collective wounds requires us to move beyond individual recovery and toward systemic transformation.

Healing the Woundscape

Healing within a woundscape is not about erasing the pain or returning to a previous state of being. Instead, it’s about engaging with the geography of trauma—acknowledging its histories, honoring its complexities, and working to repair the relationships it has fractured.

This process is deeply relational. It involves reconnecting with ourselves, our communities, and the land. It also requires us to confront the systems that perpetuate harm, imagining new ways of being that prioritize care, equity, and reciprocity. Healing a woundscape is not a linear journey; it’s a process of weaving together threads of connection, resilience, and possibility.

An Invitation

What if we saw trauma not as something to be “fixed” but as a geography to be navigated? How might your understanding of healing shift if you viewed it as a collective process, rooted in relationships and history?

I invite you to explore your own woundscapes—not alone, but in community. Together, we can map the pain and possibility that shape our lives, creating pathways for healing that honor the connections between people, systems, and the Earth. Let’s reimagine what it means to heal, one thread at a time.

*Note, the concept of ‘woundscapes’ comes from Dr. Derek Gregory, Peter Wall Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He writes about trauma geographies here: https://geographicalimaginations.com/2018/09/14/trauma-geographies-woundscapes-and-the-clinic/