Silencing Response

In 1997, Anna Baranowsky and J. Eric Gentry first used the term the silencing response, which was conceptualized as a deliberate or unconscious effort to avoid the topic of trauma when interacting with or addressing matters related to others who may have experienced trauma directly or indirectly. This is highly relevant among helping professionals where there is contact with individuals who have experienced trauma. Interactions between a mental health practitioner and a client, a nurse and patient, or a police officer and distressed member of the public may result in the silencing response as a means of reducing exposure to traumatic memories. Individuals facing trauma in their work may feel overwhelmed by the topic and focus on lighter, more easily tolerated subject matter. This is ...