Trauma, culture and belonging | Dr Yemi Penn | #065 Mastering Change

What if culture is not just tradition or identity – but trauma repeated over time? This week on Mastering Change, we speak with Dr Yemi Joy Penn – a self-described “pracademic” – who is challenging how we understand trauma, culture and belonging.  Her work sits at the intersection of lived experience, research and storytelling. Through her PhD, Yemi explores how cultural trauma is formed, how it is sustained, and how it can be transformed – using documentary filmmaking as both method and medium. At the centre of the conversation is a powerful reframe: what we call “culture” may often be a set of behaviours, beliefs and patterns that have emerged in response to unprocessed collective trauma. We discuss: How trauma becomes embedded in culture Why identity is more complex than labels or geography What it really means to belong How people make meaning after suffering Why storytelling and witnessing are central to healing The limitations of traditional academic models This is not just a conversation about trauma. It is a wider exploration of identity, systems and what it means to be human in a complex world. Moment of Care: This episode discusses sensitive topics related to trauma, mental health and distressing experiences. If you feel triggered at any point, please take a moment to check in with yourself and seek support. See Dr Yemi Penn’s session Transforming Cultural Trauma with a Decolonised Lens, at this year’s Transform Trauma Oxford – 4 days, 100+ speakers, up to 40 CE creditsConnect with Yemi via the below links www.yemipenn.com https://www.instagram.com/dr.yemipenn/?hl=en Watch this episode on Youtube: https://tinyurl.com/masteringchangepodcastFollow us on instagram: www.instagram.com/masterseventsltdVisit mastersevents.com/oxford-2026 for more details.