AASSSG delivers a symposium on Denial and Healing

By: Yetvart S. Majian
AASSSG
Dr. Kalayjian
185 E 85th Street, Mezz # 4
New York, NY 10028
E-mail: kalayjiana@aol.com

The Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress & Genocide (AASSSG)
sponsored a symposium on `Denial and Healing’ on Friday, April 7, which took
place at Fordham University, NYC. This is the Annual symposium for AASSSG
commemorating the 91st Anniversary of the Ottoman Turkish Genocide of the
Armenians. The event, organized and chaired by Dr. Anie Kalayjian, Professor of
Psychology at Fordham University and president of AASSSG, presented awardsto this
year’s winners of the annual Krieger Essay Contest for essay writing on the
legacy of the Genocide of Armenians. Following these awards, Dr. Ervin Staub
was honored with receipt of the 2006 AASSSG Outstanding Achievement Award. Dr.
Staub is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, and
founding director of the Ph.D. concentration, "Psychology of Peace and the
Prevention of Violence.’ After receipt of his award, Dr. Staub addressed the
audience with an outstanding lecture on the trauma suffered by survivors of
genocide and its consequent trans-generational effects.
The audience – aging from teenagers to the elderly, and many of whom were
either direct descendents of the Armenian survivors of the Ottoman Turkish
Genocide or friends of decedents, Professor Kalayjian’s students, and faculty
from Fordham – listened attentively as Dr. Staub underscored differences between
government policies, social perceptions and the personal understanding of
genocide. He emphasized the destructive nature of genocide denial as he related
a need for recognition of trauma, victimization, and history, including the
heroic acts of Germans and Turks who attempted to save Jews and Armenians,
during the respective genocides. After discussing the recognition of such a
holistic history, Dr. Staub’s talk culminated by illuminating the healing
effects of forgiveness and reconciliation. Clearly resonating with the audience,
many members carefully contemplated, questioned, and deeply discussed the
thesis.
Analysis of generational traumatic experience and healing only developed
further as Drs. Sophia Kramer-Leto and Chiara Hayganush Megighian Zenati engaged
the audience by conducting Family Constellations. Based on the work of Bert
Hellinger (`Peace Beings in the Soul’), Family Constellations are an
effective phenomenological method of revealing unconscious entanglements with the
fates of family ancestors. Events such as the premature death or a murder of a
family member can lead to so called entanglements, which may create imbalance
in one’s future and relationships. As audience members began volunteering,
Drs. Kramer Leto and Zenati instructed them to center themselves and focus
deeply on their feelings. With each volunteer prompted by assigned roles and
interaction with other audience members – all assigned certain hypothetical
identities – the auditorium became a vessel of working through thepast.
While some audience members adopted the role of genocide victims long
perished, others were surviving children and grandchildren. In one instance, a
real-life descendent of a genocide victim admitted a willingness to forgive but
also felt a deep anger, which forbade that willingness. Touched on the
shoulder by his murdered great-grandfather (a fellow member of the audience), he
looked into the eyes of an Ottoman Turkish soldier and painfully asked,`Why?’
Another Armenian member of the audience, also in the role of genocide victim,
intimated: `I feel an urge to hug him [another participant, in therole of
an Ottoman Turk]. I feel that we are one.’ These were only two of the many
reactions witnessed as numerous members volunteered and experienced their
subconscious.
Having experienced and analyzed many deep and often personally traumatic
emotions of the past, Dr. Kalayjian announced to the audience, `And although it
is important for Armenians to remember and come to terms with the Genocide,
we must also remain aware of our rich culture before 1915.’ With that, the
audience welcomed Robert Harutunian, and others from the `Armenian Folk Dance
Society,’ who brought the evocative night to a close with original
ethnographic
dance from pre-1915 historic Armenia. Members of the audience arose once
again, but this time to learn an ancient dance and join together, creatinga
human serpent of movement, moving harmoniously throughout the auditorium. This
event was designed to integrate theoretical components of healing post
genocides, a hands-on healing practice, as well as artistic expressions promoting
historic reconnection. Participants departed in the gift of the present,
colored with new meaning and a renewed appreciation of the past.
Post-trauma generational healing workshops will be continued by Dr.
Kalayjian. Those interested may kindly contact her via e-mail: _kalayjiana@aol.com_
(mailto:kalayjiana@aol.com) .

Chairperson Dr. Kalayjian presenting the 2006 AASSSG Outstanding Achievement
Award to Professor Staub.

>From left: Chairperson Kalayjian, Professor Staub, Drs. Chiara a Sofia
Kramer after the presentations.

Photos will follow

Edward S. Majian
_

Dr. Anie Kalayjian
Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress
Adjunct Professor of Psychology, Fordham University
President, Association for Disaster & Mass Trauma Studies
Board of Directors, United Nations, NGO Human Rights Committee
Treasurer, American Psychological Association International Division
President, Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress & Genocide
139 Cedar Street
Cliffside Park, NJ 07010-1003
Phone: 201 – 941-2266
Page: 917 – 269 – 2803
Fax: 201 – 941- 5110