The Therapeutic Power of Holocaust Memories

The act of remembering the Holocaust goes beyond preserving history. Holocaust memory and its disclosure are essential for psychosocial interventions with survivors and their descendants. Reflecting on and exploring the past can help survivors and subsequent generations gain a deeper understanding of traumatic experiences and find healing and closure. This chapter reviews the historical developments in therapeutic support for Holocaust survivors and their families, emphasizing the increased recognition of the significant role of transforming memories into narratives. This chapter concludes with some thoughts about the potential role of Holocaust-related cognitions in future interventions supporting Holocaust descendants who cope with adverse events.