How Activism Helps Us Recover From Trauma With Dr. Judith Herman
Transforming Trauma
Brad Kammer
4.6 • 140 Ratings
🗓️ 24 September 2025
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Chances are, you may be familiar with Dr. Judith Lewis Herman, the legendary psychiatrist, researcher, teacher, and author. Five decades into her esteemed career, Dr. Herman continues to produce innovative work in sexual trauma and Complex PTSD. But you might not know Judith Herman, the daughter, mother, grandmother, and activist.
On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily Ruth is honored to welcome back Dr. Judith Lewis Herman for an illuminating conversation on the life experiences and enduring connections that have shaped her public and private life. The pair also explores the positive impact that activism and affiliation with others can have on those who've experienced trauma, and why adopting an active coping strategy is one of the best predictors of recovery.
About Judith Lewis Herman, M.D.:
Judith Lewis Herman, M.D., is Professor of Psychiatry (part time) at Harvard Medical School. For thirty years, until she retired, she was Director of Training at the Victims of Violence Program at The Cambridge Hospital, Cambridge, MA. Dr. Herman is the author of the award-winning books: Father-Daughter Incest (Harvard University Press, 1981) and Trauma and Recovery (Basic Books, 1992).
To read the full show notes and discover more resources, visit https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/transformingtrauma
SPACE:
SPACE is an Inner Development Program of Support and Self-Discovery for Therapists on the Personal, Interpersonal, and Transpersonal Levels offered by the Complex Trauma Training Center. This experiential learning program offers an immersive group experience designed to cultivate space for self-care, community support, and deepening vitality in our professional role as therapists. Learn more about how to join.
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The Complex Trauma Training Center:
https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com
View upcoming trainings:
https://complextraumatrainingcenter.com/schedule/
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The Complex Trauma Training Center (CTTC) is a professional organization providing clinical training, education, consultation, and mentorship for psychotherapists and mental health professionals working with individuals and communities impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Complex Trauma (C-PTSD). CTTC provides NARM® Therapist and NARM® Master Therapist Training programs, as well as ongoing monthly groups in support of those learning NARM. CTTC offers a depth-oriented professional community for those seeking a supportive network of therapists focused on three levels of shared human experience: personal, interpersonal & transpersonal. The Transforming Trauma podcast embodies the spirit of CTTC – best described by its three keywords: depth, connection, and heart - and offers guidance to those interested in effective, transformational trauma-informed care.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Transforming Trauma podcast. |
| 0:07.6 | Transforming Trauma is presented by the Complex Trauma Training Center. |
| 0:11.3 | I'm your host, Emily Ruth, and I'm so glad you've joined us today. |
| 0:15.4 | Hi, Transforming Trauma listeners. |
| 0:17.6 | We warmly invite you to join our spring,26 NARM Therapist Training, a live online |
| 0:23.8 | immersion into the transformative power of the neuro-effective relational model. This advanced |
| 0:29.3 | clinical training is designed specifically for those seeking to deepen their expertise |
| 0:33.9 | in healing complex trauma while offering the accessibility of an online format. From January |
| 0:39.3 | to August, 2026, you'll be part of a supportive, virtual community of learners, integrating mindfulness and clinical expertise. |
| 0:47.3 | You'll gain specialized trauma-informed knowledge and skills to confidently and compassionately address the impacts of adverse childhood |
| 0:55.1 | experiences and complex trauma. |
| 0:58.0 | Embodying professional and personal growth, you'll become a catalyst for transformation |
| 1:01.8 | in your practice and community. |
| 1:04.4 | Enrollment is now open for licensed psychotherapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, |
| 1:09.8 | and other mental health professionals, |
| 1:11.3 | as well as graduate trainees and interns working toward licensure. |
| 1:14.9 | Visit complextraumatraining center.com to learn more and secure your spot in this online |
| 1:19.6 | training opportunity. |
| 1:26.4 | And now for our interview. |
| 1:28.9 | Dr. Judith Harmon is a psychiatrist, researcher, teacher, and author who has centered her work on the study of traumatic stress. |
| 1:36.4 | She developed the diagnosis of complex PTSD when she found that victims of prolonged or multiple traumas frequently develop symptoms that are significantly different from those associated with traditional PTSD. |
| 1:48.9 | Dr. Herman is a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, as well as the director of training at the Victims of Violence program in the Department of Psychiatry at the Cambridge Health Alliance. |
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