Effects of Trauma

Part 1

Summarize what you learned from the Seven Slide Series.

The brain is a remarkable problem-solving machine known in the universe today. It is complex and comprises around 80 to 100 billion neurons and ten times as many glial cells (The Child Trauma Academy Channel, 2013, September 6). Multiple parts are found in the brain that allows human beings to perform things that no other species can do. It can absorb and store more bits of information than any other species, which gives humans the unique abilities they have. The absorption of information is done through different means. There are external sensory organs that give information to the brain about what is happening in the outside world. Internal sensory organs provide information on the bodys status. The absorption of information allows the brain to accumulate experiences from previous generations, enabling us to understand where we come from and how we were brought up. The relationships formed by humans are possible due to the brain. These relationships allow us to unify our brains to solve complex problems, make inventions, create things, and become productive (The Child Trauma Academy Channel, 2013, September 6). Without forming relationships, it would not be possible to join hands with another person and develop an invention or create something that one person cannot do.

According to The Child Trauma Academy Channel (2013, September 6) the brains micro architecture comprises neurons vital for their capacity for communication. Information moves from the neurons to the respective area where an action is triggered. Neurons comprise dendrites, which are receptive areas of the brain. When neurons are sufficiently stimulated, they transmit signals down the neuron and then down the axon into the presynaptic terminal, where a signal is triggered that releases the neurons neurotransmitter. The transmission of signals to the neurotransmitter and back creates a chain of interconnected neurons working together to allow complex functions to take place in the brain. Without the neurons, it would not be possible to transmit information from the body parts to the brain, and the brain functions would be impacted.

The brain receives information from primary senses like eyes, ears, nose, and internal senses. The primary senses deliver information about what is happening in the outside world. The internal senses continually send information to the brain giving information about the different parts of the body. The input received from the outside world and inside the body is monitored continuously, stored, and acted upon by the brain to keep the individual in equilibrium. Equilibrium refers to the person being healthy and safe (Van der Kolk, 2014). Also, the monitoring ensures that the person can be a healthy and productive member of their living group. The brain acts on processes and acts on information on multiple levels. These levels move from the lower parts of the brain to the upper parts. The top part mediates complex human functions like thinking, speech, and language. The middle areas, like the limbic area, mediate emotional content. The diencephalic and cerebellum parts of the brain modulate motor activities (The Child Trauma Academy Channel, 2013, September 6). The lower parts are involved in fundamental physiological activities. We can elicit various responses based on the input we receive from the outside world mediated by the brain. The brain can change, and the top parts are easier to change than the lower parts. Pattern repetitive experiences influence neural networks and affect how they respond to given stimuli.

The most dynamic part of the brain is the cortex. The cortex modulates and regulates our impulsivity. As a person grows, they become more capable of modulating their impulsivity due to their cortex, as seen in normal child development. However, if anything happens that compromises the development of the cortex, there will be compromised cortical modulation. Some of the things that might impact cortex development are head injury, developmental neglect, or drinking alcohol. The underdevelopment of brain parts will affect a persons ability to regulate themselves, and they cannot function normally.

Part 2

a. Please discuss the development of the brain and how it relates to varying reactions of the Branch Davidian children who were exposed to chronic fear. Consider the impact of the quality and number of relationships in a childs life that Dr. Perry refers to. What Core concepts apply?

During the first years of life, the brain develops sequentially and rapidly. Young brains have miraculous plasticity that enables them to learn love and language quickly. However, plasticity makes children highly susceptible to negative experiences. The brain creates connections from a tender age, and these connections prompt the person to react in specific ways when triggered. Young children were taught early in life to fear, and this affected the childrens brain development (Perry & Szalavitz, 2008). The brain adapts to the behavior of the individual. Therefore, with constant marination of fear, the children were always shown the negative impact of certain events and how they should not trust others. The children became fearful of others who were not in their group and found it hard to talk to others. The varying reactions of the children are based on when fear was instilled in the child. Children exposed to fear early in life tend to avoid fearful situations and might develop pervasive anxiety. However, children exposed to fear later in life tend to develop event-related fears, and they deliberately try to avoid specific cues (Perry & Szalavitz, 2008).

Healthy relationships have the potential to offer beneficial therapeutic experiences. Childhood support changes the biology of the brain, and these changes can only occur in healthy relationships (Perry & Szalavitz, 2008). Quality relationships allow the child to build trust, which is the foundation for overcoming fear. Cooperation and interaction with a trustworthy person allowed the children to overcome their fear of others, and they could lead everyday lives. The more relationships the child has, the more connections they have to different people, and they can rely on those people for different needs. These healthy relationships give the child the support they need, and they can begin to build trust and overcome the trauma they suffered. The core concepts applicable are youth can exhibit a wide range of reactions to trauma and loss, and trauma and post-trauma adversities can strongly influence development.

b. Discuss and detail the therapeutic style of Mama P. Find at least five key componets of her intimate and effective work with Virginia and Laura. Draw parallels with how clinicians can utilize these techniques in treatment. What core concepts apply?

The therapeutic style used by Mama P. is Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT). TF-CBT addresses childrens emotional and mental health needs, and the children brought or placed under the care of Mama P. needed emotional assistance. The children have emotional scars related to their upbringing, and they never received the love required by a baby. Neglect and abuse victims need to be physically stimulated to build trusting relationships with others. TF-CBT gives the children the ability to learn and build new neural networks they can use to cope with life stressors (Dye, 2018). Mama P. provided the...…reading and understanding the proposal. Remember, there are numerous other proposals that they will go through before deciding. Therefore, the proposal must stand out, which can be done through creative writing. Persuasiveness in writing is essential since it makes the proposal stand out. Communication is an essential part of proposals that receive funding. Written and non-written communication is essential to receiving funds because donors will vet an organization before releasing their funds. Sofia says that a grant proposal is like a CV, only the best, colorful, and content-rich will be picked. Therefore, she works hard to ensure that the proposals she writes meet the grant requirements. The structure of the proposal should be vital. A grant proposal should be well structured and offers information about the organization, how the funds will support the project, and how donors can measure performance.

A successful fundraising is one where the organization succeeds in raising the funds it wants and maybe surpasses the target. However, the focus should not be on the funds only. A fundraiser can be successful based on the connections and networks built during the event. An organization can have a fund-raising event that attracts numerous donors. However, not all donors would be interested in donating funds to support the program. Therefore, the grant writer can use their social and networking skills to interact with the people in attendance to find out what causes they support or are willing to support. The information is vital for future projects organized by the organization. Therefore, the focus of any fundraising event should be on meeting the funds target and acquiring new contacts. Donors will also be happy to interact with some of the people behind the projects they fund. Seeing the employees and interacting with them will be a source of satisfaction because they can find out more information regarding the organization and the projects.

d. Discuss at least two things you learned from your interview of a fundraising professional.

I learned two things from the interview with Sofia: the skills needed to become a grant writer and the grant writing process. After the interview, I realized that not anyone could become a grant writer. Grant writers are people with sound research, analytical, and storytelling skills. Research is vital for grant writing because the grant writer needs to find out information about the grant they are writing and tailor their proposal to the grant requirements. Analyzing data is another essential skill for grant writing. Grant writers have to analyze different data to determine differences and similarities in large datasets. The viability of a program is determined by analyzing data availed to the grant writer. Storytelling skills allow grant writers to preset their proposals creatively and engage. The story will determine if the organization receives the funds or not. Therefore, a compelling and persuasive story is essential to win the donors heart. Writing a grant proposal is like writing a cover letter for a job application. It should be captivating enough and offer enough information to the reader.

Grant writing starts by first researching the available grants. The grant writer has to determine the grants that align with the organizations objectives before they can start preparing the required documents. After identifying a grant, the grant writer proceeds to research the foundation offering the grant and identify the key individuals. The information is vital for the writing process because one knows who to address and how they can appeal to their emotions to receive the funding. Before writing the proposal, the grant writer will analyze the project seeking funds and determine if…