Remembering 9/11: Trauma, Racism, and Collective Healing
Every year on September 11, we pause to honour the lives lost and the families forever impacted by the tragic events of 2001. For many, the grief of that day still feels raw. The collective trauma it left behind shaped how entire generations think about safety, belonging, and identity.
As a psychotherapist, I also hold space for another truth: the aftermath of 9/11 fundamentally changed the lives of racialized communities. Alongside the grief of the attacks came a surge of Islamophobia, xenophobia, and racism that continues to impact the mental health of Muslim, Sikh, South Asian, Arab, and other communities.
The Hidden Wounds of 9/11
When we talk about trauma, we often think of it as individual—something that happens to a person. But trauma can also be collective, shared across families, communities, and even generations.
After 9/11, many racialized people faced daily experiences of being targeted, profiled, or excluded. For some, it looked like being stopped at airports or facing harassment on public transit. For others, it was more subtle…microaggressions at school or in the workplace, assumptions about danger or loyalty, or the heavy weight of always feeling “othered.”
These experiences don’t just disappear. They live in the body as hypervigilance, anxiety, and a constant sense of needing to prove one’s worth or safety. They impact how people parent, how they show up at work, and how safe they feel in their communities.
Trauma Through a Psychotherapeutic Lens
In my work with clients, I can see how sociopolitical events become personal wounds. A global tragedy like 9/11 didn’t just happen “out there”—it reshaped personal stories, family dynamics, and community identities.
Children who grew up post-9/11 often internalized messages of fear or inferiority.
Adults carried both grief for the tragedy and the burden of stigma.
Families navigated conversations about safety, identity, and belonging that were charged with both love and fear.
This is what we call intersecting trauma, where personal, cultural, and systemic experiences of harm overlap. Healing from this kind of trauma requires acknowledging the broader context, not just the individual pain.
Remembering With Compassion and Responsibility
On this 9/11 Remembrance Day, I invite us to hold two truths at once:
To grieve the enormous loss of life and the families forever changed.
To acknowledge the ongoing harm racialized communities have endured in the years since.
Remembrance is about looking back and asking ourselves how we show up now. Do we notice when prejudice shows up in subtle ways? Do we create safe spaces where racialized people feel seen and valued? Do we teach the next generation to connect remembrance with compassion and justice?
Healing from collective trauma requires more than individual therapy. It requires community, solidarity, and the courage to name what has been silenced. For racialized communities, it means reclaiming safety and belonging. For allies, it means taking responsibility to challenge racism and create supportive environments.
As we remember 9/11, may we commit to a kind of healing that honours both the lives lost in the attacks and the lives still impacted by its ripple effects. May we move toward a future where grief leads not to division, but to compassion, justice, and collective care.
