Vulnerable Children & Families

Part 1

Interrogation Vs. Trauma-Informed Therapy Session

1. Compare and contrast three differences in the two interviews.

The police officers were dismissive and unempathetic, while the therapist was empathetic and respectful of the victim.

The police officers seemed to care more about the differences they had uncovered in her statement to them and others, and they never seemed to care about how her trauma could be impacting her memory of the events. The therapist was categorical that whether her statement was true or not, it did not matter, displaying empathy and understanding. She focused on solving her trauma and did not care about her incorrect or different statements. Since there were different reports regarding the days events, the police officers dismissed Maries rape report and accused her of lying based on the victims past. The therapist did not focus on her lying aspect, and she was welcoming of Marie by encouraging her and showing her that it was not her fault.

The police officers were victim-blaming Marie, and the therapist tried to exonerate her.

Victim blaming turns things around, and the victim becomes the suspect or becomes accused of bringing the events of rape upon herself. For Marie, the officers accused her of feeling isolated and lonely, and she came up with the story of rape as she was seeking attention. The police officers failed to take her seriously and only accused her of trying to satisfy herself. The therapist believed Marie from the start, and she did not blame her. Instead, she tried to understand who Marie is and believed she could not make up a story like that not unless there were some truths.

The therapist did not act superior or condescending to the victim as the police officers did.

A therapist should not act superior or be condescending to the client, and the therapist ensured she stayed neutral and was understanding of the ordeal Marie went through. She reassured Marie that her story might not be entirely factual, but there is some truth to it, and due to the torture she had undergone, she carries burdens. The police officers acted superior to Marie by showing her how they could uncover things from her past and interview other people to find out who Marie was. They could have asked her as the therapist did, but they needed to intimidate her into submission. The police officers patronized Marie since they considered her inferior.

2. What did the police officer say and do to revictimized Marie?

The police officers first uncovered past information that they used against Marie. Since she had lied in the past, they assumed she was still lying, revictimizing Marie. The police officers seemed to blame Marie and tell her they had found inconsistencies in her statement and that of other witnesses. It is shocking that there would be other witnesses when she was being raped, and the witnesses did not try to assist Marie. From this statement, the police are putting the honors on Marie to defend herself and demonstrate that her story is correct, yet she is the victim of rape. Bringing up past information was pushing the blame on Marie, making her look like the victim again. Marie might have gone through a tough time in her past, and there was no correlation between her past and the rape ordeal she underwent. Using Maries past information is revictimizing her, and the police officers had a hard time believing that bad things only happen to Marie. The officers believe Marie must have done something or she has a vulnerability, making them go to the DCFS and search for her file.

The police officers were looking for an excuse to justify being raped. Marie was revictimized through the officer showing how she might have made up the story, and she was accusing someone f something he did not do. They brought about information showing she was lonely and she was seeking attention. While they might not have been aware of the impact of their actions, it ended up making Marie a victim again since she had to prove to the officers she was not lying about her rape, and she was not looking for attention. There was a failure by the officers to take her accusations seriously, and they only sought to punch holes in her statement. By demonstrating how her statement to them and the one she said to Connor was different, they put her on the stand and made her the victim.

3. What did the therapist say and do to provide a trauma-informed environment for Marie?

The therapist wanted to know more about Marie, and she did not focus on the accusations of lying or why Marie keeps lying. She created a safe space for Marie to open up by building trust and ensuring Marie felt she was secure and she could be vulnerable. The therapist informed Marie that she did not care if she lied or not, and she was sure that a person does not lie about something like that unless there is some truth in it. Indicating to Marie that she believes her story and there is some truth to it, reassuring Marie the therapist understands and acknowledges her feelings. The therapist created a comfortable place for Marie to open up by indicating that she is Willig to assist Marie to lay down her burdens, and she would love to listen if Marie has something she would like to talk about, giving Marie a chance to talk about her ordeal in her terms.

Towards the end of the session, the therapist asks Marie if she might take anything of value from the ordeal. By telling her that it will not be the last time for Marie to be mistrusted, it indicates that people will find it hard to trust her based on her past, and the situation she faced with the police officers will likely be repeated. Therefore, Marie should think about managing if the injustice happens again. The therapist tried to increase Maries ability to adapt her behavior when faced with the same adversity. The therapist did not re-traumatize Marie and only encouraged her to talk if she was willing. Therefore, Marie did not undergo any further trauma of the evens. The focus of the therapy session was on the individual and not her actions until Marie asked if she was not curious. Since Marie had brought up the subject, it was easy to get her to speak about the ordeal she underwent instead of trying to force it out of her.

Part 2

What is your initial reaction to this case?

It is shocking how the evidence demonstrates that the accused individuals were innocent, but the case was pushed forward due to media and public sensationalization. There was no tangible evidence to support...…system will exert the necessary change in the entire system. Spending countless times in therapy can become monotonous and make the individual reliant on the therapist for their actions. However, with changes initiated at the family level, the individual will adapt quickly because they see changes taking place across the entire system. All family members will make visible changes, which will exert change in others, forcing everyone to make changes. When communal changes occur, individuals will likely conform not to be left behind. Family therapy is always short-term and has long-lasting effects compared to individual therapy. It is easier for individuals to work out something when they put their heads together than for one to do it alone. Therefore, with family therapy, the changes will be more impactful since all members are geared towards a specific goal, and they remind each other when they notice one is not adhering to what was advised.

Family therapy offers a unique approach where all family members can be on the same page with the proposed changes (Carr, 2019). With insight-oriented therapy, the client spends time with the therapist to make changes within the individual. The changes are focused on the individual and not the family system, meaning changes will only occur at the individual level. With no change at the family level, it becomes hard to achieve permanent change in the individual and continue with therapy. Insight-oriented therapy is a long-term approach since it involves understanding the inner workings and motivations of the client. With family therapy, the family undergoes complete transformation where changes have to occur for everyone, making it easy to implement the changes. Even when a single family member is not ready for the change, when they notice everyone is changing, they are likely to follow the bandwagon and begin making changes too. For example, a family might be struggling with communication. When they go for therapy, they are advised on better communication methods. However, one of the family members is unwilling to do what they have been advised. When they go home, the unwilling family member notices that everyone else is doing what the therapist advised, and they seem happy, encouraging them to try it. That is the impact family therapy can have on an individual due to the changes taking place on the others.

Support from those close to the client is vital for effective therapeutic change. Without support, a client will not be motivated to make changes, and they will continue with therapy without having any tangible changes. Support from family is vital for changes to occur, and this can be received when family members attend therapy together and agree to make changes in their lives. Synchronous changes encourage and motivate others also to make changes. There is no looking back with decisive action, and everyone has to be on board. There is also no time to waste trying to figure out things. Change has to occur once a decision is made, and everyone must follow through. Those struggling can learn from others, and they too will begin to catch up. Family therapy teaches new ways of interacting and overcoming unhealthy patterns when relating to each other. Using these new ways, family members can learn how to interact with family members and others outside the family. Therefore, the changes are impactful and become well-rounded because individuals learn and practice what they learn in a safe environment.…