The Clínicas do Testemunho (Testimony Clinics, 2013-2017) were developed by the Brazilian Ministry of Justice in partnership with civil actors to provide psychotherapeutic treatment to citizens affected by traumatic memories of state violence. Originally devised to support witnesses who testified at Brazil’s National Truth Commission, the project underwent significant changes in response to problems and shortcomings identified by practitioners and other civil partners involved. The goal of this study is to examine the nature of these changes and what they can tell us about political (mis)use of trauma. To pursue those goals, key research questions are as follows. First, to what extent do narratives of victimization and the privileging of an individualized perspective on trauma serve to de-politicize state violence? Second, does the ‘victimizing paradigm’ and its depoliticising effects contribute to the evasion of demands for justice?