Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Therapeutic Aspects Of Tattoo Acquisition: A Phenomenological Inquiry Into The Connection Between Psychological Trauma And The Writing Of Stories Into Flesh, Everett W. Painter

Doctoral Dissertations

Since the start of recorded history, accounts are replete of individuals being subjected to unthinkable experiences that possess the power to fundamentally disrupt their lives. Survivors of psychological trauma encounter numerous obstacles on the pathway to recovery (Briere & Scott, 2015). Counselors working with this population continue to search for effective strategies in support of restoration (Boxer & Sloan-Power, 2013). One possibility often discussed by trauma survivors in popular media as helpful is tattoo acquisition. However, our understanding of this body modification practice is incomplete due to a social history of stigma and bias (Stein, 2011). The purpose of this …