There is no doubt in my mind that there will continue to be a torrent of remarks flying across every kind of media of outrage and condemnation towards Will Smith for his inexcusable conduct of slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. All of the remarks coming from pundits, celebrities and the public, like “I’m outraged” or “I feel traumatized” including “Take his Oscar away from him” are just beyond me.
We are all entitled to have our opinion about what he did, what both of them did. As shown by Steven, while connecting the dots to the larger point of accountability as eloquently as ever. In as much as I don’t condone Smith’s conduct, part of me understands it. No one has to like what Smith did nor do they have to find Rock’s “Joke” appropriate or funny at all.
It got me to thinking, so I did a little research, and as the parlance goes “Therein lies the rub”. On March 10, 1977, then-43-year-old film director Roman Polanski was arrested and charged in Los Angeles with six offenses against a 13-year-old girl – unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor. At his arraignment, Polanski pleaded not guilty to all charges but later accepted a plea bargain whose terms included dismissal of the five more serious charges in exchange for a guilty plea to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Hm..why would he do that? I wondered to myself. Nudge nudge wink wink.. But the judge would not accept his plea, so Polanski fled the country for Europe.
In the face of the events of 1977, in 2003 he was awarded The Academy Award for Best Director for “The Pianist”, a film that I saw. So, if we want to be outraged, perhaps we ought to be outraged about that..
I was looking through a case of DVDs today for a specific film, and came across a DVD of “Frantic” a Polanski film, it was made in 1988, and it occurred to me, none of the participants in that film had any outrage or problem working on it, nor did those who worked on “The Pianist”. But here we are in 2022 pointing our fingers at Will Smith with “traumatized outraged” condemnation. And for what, poor conduct at a live awards show? Yeah, I know, he hit him..But if we’re going to wave our fingers, we better pick up our hypocrisy along with our coats at the coatcheck..on our way home..
Just as I am growing old and seeking peace and calm in my life, a slap was brought into my living room and ruined my pleasant evening. I too just wanted a break from all the news and an escape from reality just for one night. We cannot escape it any longer. We are stuck in a loop of anger, retaliation, physical violence and an assault on our psyche that tries to make reason of chaos. We have all been assaulted.
"The age without consequences." What a wonderfully apt description of our times, Steven. Here's the thing, however: we may choose to bury our heads in the sand in the interests of expedience over morality and ignore the consequences of what's happening around us, but those consequences will come back to haunt us with tenfold vigor. There's no escaping physics: to every action there is a reaction. We glossed over the horrors of the war in Iraq and allowed the perpetrators to go unpunished. Well, here we are in the age of Trump.
AG Garland, we are begging you - are you listening?
First of all, Smith being asked to leave is apparently not true. Second, a slap is not assault, in my view. Thirdly, what would the conversation be IF Jada had slapped Chris Rock?
Will Smith should not have slapped Chris Rock. He could have taken the mike and explained why the "joke" was offensive. He has apologized, and Rock has shown largesse. For the media and internet to make it the major news every day is irresponsible. The Smiths have an open sexual relationship. To me, that is more questionable than a joke.Hollywood has nothing to do with me, actors' lives of no interest. I'm still back there with Liz Taylor and Gregory Peck. Recently, on twitter, a picture of a couple of actors getting engaged, I wrote ,"Who are they?" I got 594 impressions !
I agree with President Biden's remark that Putin needs to be gone.That, too, is what has been played up by the media. Seems they are only interested in presenting "news" that will draw the most attention, not what is important in this messed up world. When I have had enough of the same thing replayed all day and night on CNN and MSNBC, I turn to BBC. Speaking of violence, that is all there is on TV movies, programs, and alas, also so many books. Murder and sex, period. They come and go. Mayberry is still with us.
It is sad that no one takes responsibility for actions. Look at the Beta brothers at Penn State when hazing took the life of a pledge. Trump takes responsibility for nothing. Just lies. Couple of years ago, a woman drove through a red light, totaled my car, and practically my back and chest. Then she hired an attny and tried to get money from my insurance company, blaming me. She got not one cent. I think the old Dog ate my homework excuse applies to young and old these days. Maybe it always has.Republicans let Greene, Gaetz, Boebert say the most outlandish statements, no repercussions, but now, take Cawthorn to task for saying he went to an orgy.
As for trump, he is , in my opinion, just a blob taking up space. I wish people would stop making him news, showing his face all over the internet. Enough. I saw a car with a big cut out of his head glued to a back window. I saw a young woman in grocery store wearing a cap with the words Lets
Go Brandon. Makes one sick at heart.
Yep ! The world is messed up. The glass is half empty. : (
I had to subscribe just to write you. I know Will Smith’s actions were out of line, but it was only a slap, not a punch. Yes he should be punished for it, but Chris Rock’s joke was out of line. I don’t blame Will Smith that much because when I heard the joke I would’ve slapped him too.
I’ve had autoimmune alopecia since I was 6 years old, and completely bald by 13. The first wig I wore was to my brother’s funeral. I’ve been wearing them since.
I’ve had to endure horrible comments throughout my school years. At 57 I’ve become good enough that most people don’t know I’m wearing one.
The same day as the slap, I had my first long wig trimmed. I needed a change from the short styles all my life. I was timid about wearing it around as it’s such a drastic change and people will notice. After I read about Jada Pinkett Smith’s struggles, I was empowered. The entire alopecia community is actually thankful for the slap incident, because people are reading or hearing about the disease than ever. That empowers all of us in the community who’s ever held back their lives because of this disease. I know I have in the past. And it’s all because of a highly televised slap. Good for Will Smith who stood up for his wife, and single-handedly opened up a public conversation about our disease. Just like congresswoman Pressly, Jada has brought celebrity awareness to all of us. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll be be brave enough to go without my wig, and rock rhinestones on my head. With continued public awareness we will all be a little less afraid of living with this disease. Thank you for reading.
Steven, wow. A spoiled Hollywood star violently physically attacks another human being on stage in front of millions because he got his feelings hurt. and you make it about Trump? Are you aware of the sea-change of voter opinion going on in this country? Have you seen any polling? Have you noticed that WaPo and NYT have authenticated the Hunter Laptop? Will you report on that? Just wondering.
perhaps so, after all there are degrees of murder. By definition, you agree that it was an attack. So we do have common ground. Now, to what degree it was a violent or non-violent, that is the argument. One which I would enjoy engaging in. As far as the second part of your sentence, you've made an assumption about me that may be unwarranted bases on the limited set of facts you're working with. I don't know anything about you other than the questions you ask in your commentary. You state in another comment that it was not an assault. what do you call being hit by another human being? Also, IF Jada had hit him I believe that too is an assault. the tone of your rhetorical questions make me wonder if you are not the type of person that believes "words are violence" or "silence is violence" ??
There was a very good response to this on Facebook, but instead of a link, here it is:
Dr. Judy Melinek
Marmch p219 cacstf5 1o4:r4lh00c PMm ·
The following was written by Dr. Melissa DeBose Hankins, a psychiatrist, and she gave me permission to share it:
This is what the result of unresolved trauma looks like.
What many of us witnessed during last night’s Academy Award ceremony between Will Smith and Chris Rock was a TRAUMA RESPONSE.
While I am in no way condoning violence, I think this is a very public and very important opportunity for us to all understand what a trauma response can look like.
A trauma response can take many forms (some surprising) and look like:
Slapping someone for saying “the wrong” thing
Yelling at someone for not doing something “fast enough” or “up to your standards”
Avoiding or not responding to a boss’s emails about scheduling an upcoming performance review
“Having to” do everything “perfectly,” otherwise you feel anxious or unsettled in some way
Yelling at staff or throwing things around your office or OR when you feel frustrated or have a bad outcome at work
Not setting boundaries around your time and energy because you’re worried about confrontation and upsetting the other person
Working endless hours without taking time for yourself or the things and people you enjoy because your job is your primary source and measure of your own self-worth and value
When a person has experienced trauma (“Big T” trauma or “Little t”trauma) from their childhood (or, their adulthood), the brain and body store that traumatic memory in ways such that aspects of that memory can be re-activated by present-day interactions and situations.
When this happens, the person experiencing this re-activation is split-second processing (on a subconscious or unconscious level) the current event through the filter of that past trauma. This means that that person is, for all meaningful purposes, experiencing things as if they are right back in that previous circumstance of trauma. As a result, they are reacting (taking action)—emotionally, physically, and/or verbally—from that place of trauma.
Those past traumas can be diverse and range from:
Witnessing a parent being physically or verbally abused during your childhood
You, yourself, experiencing physical, sexual, or verbal abuse in your childhood or adulthood
Experiencing emotional abuse or neglect as a child
Being harshly reprimanded (this could include being spoken to by someones with an angry tone and demeanor) or shamed by others as a child for not doing a task “the right way” or not doing it “well enough”
Being told (and, perhaps, punished) as a child by an adult caregiver that it’s not polite and/or not acceptable to say “No” when an adult tells you to do something (including getting hugs from relatives, being made to attend events with your parents even when it’s clear your parents really didn’t want to go)
Being called out by a teacher in front of the class for having the wrong answer and feeling embarrassment and shame
While some of the above may be horrific, and other things may seem inconsequential, depending on the age of occurrence, the emotional, mental, and physical resources that person had at that age, as well as any prior traumas could determine the extent to which that person experienced trauma. A 2 year-old accidentally wandering into a closet with a door that shuts behind them that they can’t easily open, plunging them alone in darkness for 15 minutes before someone finds them is a far different experience than that of an adult in the same predicament.
In the case of Will Smith, he detailed in his autobiographical book, “Will,” that he witnessed trauma as a child in the form of violence at home. In his book he writes:
“When I was nine years old, I watched my father punch my mother in the side of the head so hard that she collapsed,” he wrote. “I saw her spit blood. That moment in that bedroom, probably more than any other moment in my life, has defined who I am.”
“Within everything that I have done since then — the awards and accolades, the spotlights and attention, the characters and the laughs — there has been a subtle string of apologies to my mother for my inaction that day. For failing her in the moment. For failing to stand up to my father. For being a coward.”
So, while the “joke” Chris Rock said was about Will’s wife, the fact that she was being targeted in combination with the look on her face (signaling to Will her level of upset and distress about what was said), triggered a split-second accessing of (and instantly being placed inside of that) memory to an earlier time when he was 9yo and wasn’t able to protect his mom (the woman he loved).
Will’s reaction last night was that of that 9yo traumatized little boy who simply reacted in the way that 9yo boy wanted to react back then.
Does having a history of trauma (big or little) give a “free pass” for the present-day trauma reactions that involve the harming (physically, verbally, or emotionally) of another? No, of course not.
However, it does highlight the extreme importance of understanding trauma and it’s many manifestations, and addressing it with effective trauma-informed approaches that address the emotional, physical (because we hold emotions in our body), and mental aspects of trauma.
Hopefully, rather than simply vilify Will, and say he has “an anger problem,” people close to him can help him recognize that this is “A TRAUMA PROBLEM,” and help him get the trauma-informed help in the form of therapy in combination with modalities as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques, or “tapping”), EMDR, or other somatic modalities that can effectively and efficiently release the traumatized aspects held in his memory and body.
Once his trauma and his emotions are no longer dictating his actions, he could have a much more measured and effective response to situations such as that that occurred at last night awards ceremony.
My further hope is that if anyone reading this finds that they are stuck in patterns of extreme reaction (such as Will experienced), or even less severe reactions, but you recognize are getting in the way of you living life the way you really want, please consider getting trauma-informed support.
Even if you’ve not experienced “Big T” trauma, ALL of us have experienced various “little T” traumas that have impacted each of us in various ways personally and/or professionally—some with mild behaviors and impacts, some not so mild.
As physicians, we are masterful at suppressing so many of our emotions, and the thoughts and memories associated with them. However, trauma has a way of impacting us in great big obvious ways (as we saw with Will Smith), and not such obvious ways (perfectionism, workaholism, lack of boundaries).
I’m not suggesting any of us go unearthing swaths of past trauma (please don’t do this unless you are working with a trauma-informed individual).
Simply be aware that it may be impacting you in ways you recognize and have yet to address, or in ways you never quite thought of as being associated with trauma. And, if needed, allow yourself to get the support you need by working with a trauma-informed therapist, trauma-informed coach, or other trauma-informed practitioner/modality.
There is no doubt in my mind that there will continue to be a torrent of remarks flying across every kind of media of outrage and condemnation towards Will Smith for his inexcusable conduct of slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. All of the remarks coming from pundits, celebrities and the public, like “I’m outraged” or “I feel traumatized” including “Take his Oscar away from him” are just beyond me.
We are all entitled to have our opinion about what he did, what both of them did. As shown by Steven, while connecting the dots to the larger point of accountability as eloquently as ever. In as much as I don’t condone Smith’s conduct, part of me understands it. No one has to like what Smith did nor do they have to find Rock’s “Joke” appropriate or funny at all.
It got me to thinking, so I did a little research, and as the parlance goes “Therein lies the rub”. On March 10, 1977, then-43-year-old film director Roman Polanski was arrested and charged in Los Angeles with six offenses against a 13-year-old girl – unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor, rape by use of drugs, perversion, sodomy, lewd and lascivious act upon a child under 14, and furnishing a controlled substance to a minor. At his arraignment, Polanski pleaded not guilty to all charges but later accepted a plea bargain whose terms included dismissal of the five more serious charges in exchange for a guilty plea to the lesser charge of engaging in unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. Hm..why would he do that? I wondered to myself. Nudge nudge wink wink.. But the judge would not accept his plea, so Polanski fled the country for Europe.
In the face of the events of 1977, in 2003 he was awarded The Academy Award for Best Director for “The Pianist”, a film that I saw. So, if we want to be outraged, perhaps we ought to be outraged about that..
I was looking through a case of DVDs today for a specific film, and came across a DVD of “Frantic” a Polanski film, it was made in 1988, and it occurred to me, none of the participants in that film had any outrage or problem working on it, nor did those who worked on “The Pianist”. But here we are in 2022 pointing our fingers at Will Smith with “traumatized outraged” condemnation. And for what, poor conduct at a live awards show? Yeah, I know, he hit him..But if we’re going to wave our fingers, we better pick up our hypocrisy along with our coats at the coatcheck..on our way home..
Just as I am growing old and seeking peace and calm in my life, a slap was brought into my living room and ruined my pleasant evening. I too just wanted a break from all the news and an escape from reality just for one night. We cannot escape it any longer. We are stuck in a loop of anger, retaliation, physical violence and an assault on our psyche that tries to make reason of chaos. We have all been assaulted.
The entire world is angry.
"The age without consequences." What a wonderfully apt description of our times, Steven. Here's the thing, however: we may choose to bury our heads in the sand in the interests of expedience over morality and ignore the consequences of what's happening around us, but those consequences will come back to haunt us with tenfold vigor. There's no escaping physics: to every action there is a reaction. We glossed over the horrors of the war in Iraq and allowed the perpetrators to go unpunished. Well, here we are in the age of Trump.
AG Garland, we are begging you - are you listening?
Sadly Garland isn’t going to do squat.
First of all, Smith being asked to leave is apparently not true. Second, a slap is not assault, in my view. Thirdly, what would the conversation be IF Jada had slapped Chris Rock?
Yeah, 100% different.
Will Smith should not have slapped Chris Rock. He could have taken the mike and explained why the "joke" was offensive. He has apologized, and Rock has shown largesse. For the media and internet to make it the major news every day is irresponsible. The Smiths have an open sexual relationship. To me, that is more questionable than a joke.Hollywood has nothing to do with me, actors' lives of no interest. I'm still back there with Liz Taylor and Gregory Peck. Recently, on twitter, a picture of a couple of actors getting engaged, I wrote ,"Who are they?" I got 594 impressions !
I agree with President Biden's remark that Putin needs to be gone.That, too, is what has been played up by the media. Seems they are only interested in presenting "news" that will draw the most attention, not what is important in this messed up world. When I have had enough of the same thing replayed all day and night on CNN and MSNBC, I turn to BBC. Speaking of violence, that is all there is on TV movies, programs, and alas, also so many books. Murder and sex, period. They come and go. Mayberry is still with us.
It is sad that no one takes responsibility for actions. Look at the Beta brothers at Penn State when hazing took the life of a pledge. Trump takes responsibility for nothing. Just lies. Couple of years ago, a woman drove through a red light, totaled my car, and practically my back and chest. Then she hired an attny and tried to get money from my insurance company, blaming me. She got not one cent. I think the old Dog ate my homework excuse applies to young and old these days. Maybe it always has.Republicans let Greene, Gaetz, Boebert say the most outlandish statements, no repercussions, but now, take Cawthorn to task for saying he went to an orgy.
As for trump, he is , in my opinion, just a blob taking up space. I wish people would stop making him news, showing his face all over the internet. Enough. I saw a car with a big cut out of his head glued to a back window. I saw a young woman in grocery store wearing a cap with the words Lets
Go Brandon. Makes one sick at heart.
Yep ! The world is messed up. The glass is half empty. : (
I had to subscribe just to write you. I know Will Smith’s actions were out of line, but it was only a slap, not a punch. Yes he should be punished for it, but Chris Rock’s joke was out of line. I don’t blame Will Smith that much because when I heard the joke I would’ve slapped him too.
I’ve had autoimmune alopecia since I was 6 years old, and completely bald by 13. The first wig I wore was to my brother’s funeral. I’ve been wearing them since.
I’ve had to endure horrible comments throughout my school years. At 57 I’ve become good enough that most people don’t know I’m wearing one.
The same day as the slap, I had my first long wig trimmed. I needed a change from the short styles all my life. I was timid about wearing it around as it’s such a drastic change and people will notice. After I read about Jada Pinkett Smith’s struggles, I was empowered. The entire alopecia community is actually thankful for the slap incident, because people are reading or hearing about the disease than ever. That empowers all of us in the community who’s ever held back their lives because of this disease. I know I have in the past. And it’s all because of a highly televised slap. Good for Will Smith who stood up for his wife, and single-handedly opened up a public conversation about our disease. Just like congresswoman Pressly, Jada has brought celebrity awareness to all of us. Who knows? Maybe someday I’ll be be brave enough to go without my wig, and rock rhinestones on my head. With continued public awareness we will all be a little less afraid of living with this disease. Thank you for reading.
Agree
Steven, wow. A spoiled Hollywood star violently physically attacks another human being on stage in front of millions because he got his feelings hurt. and you make it about Trump? Are you aware of the sea-change of voter opinion going on in this country? Have you seen any polling? Have you noticed that WaPo and NYT have authenticated the Hunter Laptop? Will you report on that? Just wondering.
Ric
IT WAS NOT A VIOLENT ATTACK, apparently you’ve never been slapped
perhaps so, after all there are degrees of murder. By definition, you agree that it was an attack. So we do have common ground. Now, to what degree it was a violent or non-violent, that is the argument. One which I would enjoy engaging in. As far as the second part of your sentence, you've made an assumption about me that may be unwarranted bases on the limited set of facts you're working with. I don't know anything about you other than the questions you ask in your commentary. You state in another comment that it was not an assault. what do you call being hit by another human being? Also, IF Jada had hit him I believe that too is an assault. the tone of your rhetorical questions make me wonder if you are not the type of person that believes "words are violence" or "silence is violence" ??
And, I am not sure what triggered me so much. Yes, I have been slapped, FTR
There was a very good response to this on Facebook, but instead of a link, here it is:
Dr. Judy Melinek
Marmch p219 cacstf5 1o4:r4lh00c PMm ·
The following was written by Dr. Melissa DeBose Hankins, a psychiatrist, and she gave me permission to share it:
This is what the result of unresolved trauma looks like.
What many of us witnessed during last night’s Academy Award ceremony between Will Smith and Chris Rock was a TRAUMA RESPONSE.
While I am in no way condoning violence, I think this is a very public and very important opportunity for us to all understand what a trauma response can look like.
A trauma response can take many forms (some surprising) and look like:
Slapping someone for saying “the wrong” thing
Yelling at someone for not doing something “fast enough” or “up to your standards”
Avoiding or not responding to a boss’s emails about scheduling an upcoming performance review
“Having to” do everything “perfectly,” otherwise you feel anxious or unsettled in some way
Yelling at staff or throwing things around your office or OR when you feel frustrated or have a bad outcome at work
Not setting boundaries around your time and energy because you’re worried about confrontation and upsetting the other person
Working endless hours without taking time for yourself or the things and people you enjoy because your job is your primary source and measure of your own self-worth and value
When a person has experienced trauma (“Big T” trauma or “Little t”trauma) from their childhood (or, their adulthood), the brain and body store that traumatic memory in ways such that aspects of that memory can be re-activated by present-day interactions and situations.
When this happens, the person experiencing this re-activation is split-second processing (on a subconscious or unconscious level) the current event through the filter of that past trauma. This means that that person is, for all meaningful purposes, experiencing things as if they are right back in that previous circumstance of trauma. As a result, they are reacting (taking action)—emotionally, physically, and/or verbally—from that place of trauma.
Those past traumas can be diverse and range from:
Witnessing a parent being physically or verbally abused during your childhood
You, yourself, experiencing physical, sexual, or verbal abuse in your childhood or adulthood
Experiencing emotional abuse or neglect as a child
Being harshly reprimanded (this could include being spoken to by someones with an angry tone and demeanor) or shamed by others as a child for not doing a task “the right way” or not doing it “well enough”
Being told (and, perhaps, punished) as a child by an adult caregiver that it’s not polite and/or not acceptable to say “No” when an adult tells you to do something (including getting hugs from relatives, being made to attend events with your parents even when it’s clear your parents really didn’t want to go)
Being called out by a teacher in front of the class for having the wrong answer and feeling embarrassment and shame
While some of the above may be horrific, and other things may seem inconsequential, depending on the age of occurrence, the emotional, mental, and physical resources that person had at that age, as well as any prior traumas could determine the extent to which that person experienced trauma. A 2 year-old accidentally wandering into a closet with a door that shuts behind them that they can’t easily open, plunging them alone in darkness for 15 minutes before someone finds them is a far different experience than that of an adult in the same predicament.
In the case of Will Smith, he detailed in his autobiographical book, “Will,” that he witnessed trauma as a child in the form of violence at home. In his book he writes:
“When I was nine years old, I watched my father punch my mother in the side of the head so hard that she collapsed,” he wrote. “I saw her spit blood. That moment in that bedroom, probably more than any other moment in my life, has defined who I am.”
“Within everything that I have done since then — the awards and accolades, the spotlights and attention, the characters and the laughs — there has been a subtle string of apologies to my mother for my inaction that day. For failing her in the moment. For failing to stand up to my father. For being a coward.”
So, while the “joke” Chris Rock said was about Will’s wife, the fact that she was being targeted in combination with the look on her face (signaling to Will her level of upset and distress about what was said), triggered a split-second accessing of (and instantly being placed inside of that) memory to an earlier time when he was 9yo and wasn’t able to protect his mom (the woman he loved).
Will’s reaction last night was that of that 9yo traumatized little boy who simply reacted in the way that 9yo boy wanted to react back then.
Does having a history of trauma (big or little) give a “free pass” for the present-day trauma reactions that involve the harming (physically, verbally, or emotionally) of another? No, of course not.
However, it does highlight the extreme importance of understanding trauma and it’s many manifestations, and addressing it with effective trauma-informed approaches that address the emotional, physical (because we hold emotions in our body), and mental aspects of trauma.
Hopefully, rather than simply vilify Will, and say he has “an anger problem,” people close to him can help him recognize that this is “A TRAUMA PROBLEM,” and help him get the trauma-informed help in the form of therapy in combination with modalities as EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques, or “tapping”), EMDR, or other somatic modalities that can effectively and efficiently release the traumatized aspects held in his memory and body.
Once his trauma and his emotions are no longer dictating his actions, he could have a much more measured and effective response to situations such as that that occurred at last night awards ceremony.
My further hope is that if anyone reading this finds that they are stuck in patterns of extreme reaction (such as Will experienced), or even less severe reactions, but you recognize are getting in the way of you living life the way you really want, please consider getting trauma-informed support.
Even if you’ve not experienced “Big T” trauma, ALL of us have experienced various “little T” traumas that have impacted each of us in various ways personally and/or professionally—some with mild behaviors and impacts, some not so mild.
As physicians, we are masterful at suppressing so many of our emotions, and the thoughts and memories associated with them. However, trauma has a way of impacting us in great big obvious ways (as we saw with Will Smith), and not such obvious ways (perfectionism, workaholism, lack of boundaries).
I’m not suggesting any of us go unearthing swaths of past trauma (please don’t do this unless you are working with a trauma-informed individual).
Simply be aware that it may be impacting you in ways you recognize and have yet to address, or in ways you never quite thought of as being associated with trauma. And, if needed, allow yourself to get the support you need by working with a trauma-informed therapist, trauma-informed coach, or other trauma-informed practitioner/modality.
Now published by KevinMD.com here: https://www.kevinmd.com/2022/03/will-smiths-slap-is-a-trauma-response.html