Trauma Focused Therapy for Sexually Abused Children

Child Abuse and Neglect

The ecological model is used to understand the person-in-environment perspective and is based on the idea that individuals are influenced by their environment in which they live and interact. On the micro level, this means that Brandon’s behavior, thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by his immediate environment, such as his family, friends, peers, and school. On the mezzo level, this means that Brandon’s behavior and environment are affected by larger systems such as his community, culture, and society. Lastly, on the macro level, this means that Brandon’s environment is affected by larger social structures such as government, economic, and political systems.

The social worker likely used the ecological model by first understanding Brandon’s individual context, such as his family, peers, school, and community. The social worker learned that Brandon’s behavior had become triggered during Covid lockdowns when his mother’s boyfriend was staying with them. The social worker learned that Brandon slept with a loaded BB gun and felt insecure and threatened and still needed to process his feelings towards his father. The social worker saw that addressing these issues would necessarily involve giving Brandon the opportunity to assess his relationship with his mother and father, his peers, his school environment, and the community resources available to him. That is why the idea of a trauma narrative was used for an intervention, as a trauma narrative can help victims process their feelings (Madigan, 2011). Narrative therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the stories that people tell about their lives and the role that these stories play in shaping their identity and behavior. One aspect of narrative therapy involves helping people to explore and make sense of difficult experiences, including trauma (Leichsenring et al., 2020). When a person has experienced trauma, it can be challenging to process and make sense of their feelings. They may feel overwhelmed by their emotions or may have difficulty expressing them. Narrative therapy can provide a safe and supportive space for people to explore their feelings about their trauma and to find meaning in their experiences. One way that narrative therapy can help trauma victims is by allowing them to tell their story in their own words. This process can help them to make sense of their experiences and to find meaning in what happened. It can also help them to feel heard and understood, which can be very healing. Another way that narrative therapy can be helpful is by helping people to identify and challenge any negative beliefs or thoughts that they have about themselves or the world as a result of their trauma. For example, a person who has experienced trauma may believe that they are to blame for what happened or that they are somehow "less than" other people. Narrative therapy can help them to challenge these negative beliefs and to develop a more empowering and positive narrative about themselves and their experiences.

Strengths that the social worker may have missed in assessing Brandon and his mother could include the presence of extended family, religious or spiritual beliefs, and community resources. Brandon’s extended family may have provided support for him and his mother, and their religious or spiritual beliefs may have helped them cope with the trauma. Additionally, the social worker may have missed the community resources that could have been available to them, such as counseling services, support groups, and legal assistance.

The social worker applied social work ethics and values in the case by engaging in a nonjudgmental, respectful, and culturally competent manner, and by advocating for the best interests of Brandon and his mother. Additionally, the social worker likely addressed their power differential and maintained a professional relationship with them. The social worker also applied social work ethics and values in the case by first ensuring that Brandon and his mother were heard, respected, and understood. There was never an indication wherein it seemed that either was being ignored or disregarded as insignificant. This allowed the social worker to identify the strengths in the family and to help them develop coping strategies to deal with the trauma. The social worker also demonstrated a commitment to addressing the trauma Brandon had experienced by providing trauma-focused counseling to address his impulsive behavior and providing low-dose anti-depressants. Additionally, the social worker addressed the mother’s worries by providing her with cognitive behavioral therapy. The challenges the social worker identified could have had a significant impact on Brandon if they had not been addressed. These challenges included Brandon's impulsive behavior, his mother's worrying thoughts, and the trauma he had experienced. Without effective interventions, Brandon may have developed long-term psychological issues, such as anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder leading to the kind of predatory behavior that his mother feared would manifest (Morash et al., 2020). On top of that, Brandon's mother may have been unable to provide the necessary support and guidance for Brandon to cope with his trauma. Without proper support, Brandon may have been at risk of developing self-destructive behaviors, such as substance use or criminal activity.