ABSTRACT
The external and internal reality is put together through the common reference to a 'traumatic state' or 'situation' which is their nexus. Life stories seem to be particularly suitable for gaining an understanding of the significance of trauma in people's lives. Traumatic events create a multi-faceted complex of reactions, which may even be contradictory at times. Ethiopian Jewish adolescents experienced on their journey one or more painful experiences that constituted traumatic events for them. The chapter shows the possible contribution of clinical psychology/psychotherapy to the analysis and understanding of life stories of trauma. It also shows how one can detect various communication signals, verbal and nonverbal, in order to get a better understanding of the emotional influence of various events on a person's life. The concept of trauma does not have a straightforward definition. It is used by psychologists, psychoanalysts and researchers in a variety of meanings.
