Treating Trauma in Children

EFFECTS OF TRAUMA

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 body’s 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 brain’s 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 neuron’s 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 person’s 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 child’s 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 children’s 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 components 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 children’s 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 child with the physical stimulation they needed to develop a well-regulated and responsive stress response system by holding and rocking the child no matter the age (Perry & Szalavitz, 2008). Neglect of children at a young age denies them the ability to develop these connections, and they will struggle to deal with challenges they face later in life. Mama P. understood that the children needed love, and she offered it the best way she could. The critical components of her intimate and effective work with Virginia and Laura are physical affection, responding predictably, showing warmth and sensitivity, playing with children, and interacting with children based on their needs (Perry & Szalavitz, 2008).

Physicians can implement these strategies by encouraging parents to be more involved in their children’s lives. Physical affection can be seen in how a parent holds their child, what they do when the child cries, and how they soothe the child. Physicians can move from prescribing medications and focus on making observations or asking how the parent is fairing to determine they are coping well with caring for the baby. Parents’ childhood history can inform the ability of the parent to care for their child. Therefore, physicians should always document the history of the parents’ child and should not rush to prescribe medications. The core concepts applicable are protective and promotive factors can reduce the adverse impact of trauma, and developmental neurobiology underlies youth’s reactions to traumatic experiences.

c. Provide personal reflection and the impact the readings had on you. Discuss how the chapters further inform trauma practice.

The readings offered additional insights into how the brains of children develop. The knowledge gained from the readings will improve my ability to offer services to traumatized clients because I will better understand how their brains have grown and the connections they have formed over the years. Understanding what is lacking in a child and how to offer them support is beneficial to a therapist as it ensures they work from the point of information when helping the client. It is intriguing to learn how the brain develops and the impact of trauma on a child. Mama P. understood what children needed even though she did not have the certifications possessed by physicians. She demonstrates that lived experiences have more impact than what we can ever learn in a classroom. Therefore, we should always be open to new ideas and knowledge, even if it comes from an unlikely source. Laura was undertaken through numerous tests, and she was forced to stay in the hospital taking medications and supplements, yet all she needed was a physical relationship with her mother. I was surprised that none of the physicians recognized the need for Laura to be held, and they treated her in the same way they would with an adult patient.

The Davidian children were introduced to fear from a tender age, and they were molded to believe others, not in the group, were out to harm them. Their brains formed connections associating outsiders with fear, and they developed anxiety when dealing with outsiders. The children’s brains developed negatively, resulting in negative experiences. They did not know how to act or make choices for what they wanted. Healthy relationships modified the unhealthy relationships they had before, and most of them went on to be successful in life. The reading demonstrates the possibility of modifying negative experiences through healthy relationships. Therefore, the brain can develop different associations if they are molded appropriately.

d. Discuss what core concepts apply to the cases presented in the chapters.

The core concepts applicable to the cases are youth can exhibit a wide range of reactions to trauma and loss, trauma and post-trauma adversities can strongly influence development, protective and promotive factors can reduce the adverse impact of trauma, and developmental neurobiology underlies youth’s reactions to traumatic experiences. Youth can exhibit a wide range of reactions to trauma and loss explains why the children felt anxious and uncertain about their removal from the community. The Davidian children were placed in a safe environment, but they never felt safe because they had been taught to fear those outside their community. Their past, ongoing trauma made them aggressive when asked specific questions that triggered their traumatic memories. Some children would become aggressive by breaking crayons or throwing tantrums. Other children would shut down so they could dissociate from the traumatic event reminders.

Trauma and post-trauma adversities can strongly influence development. The children in both cases had faced traumatic events that interfered with their development. The innocence and playfulness of childhood were never allowed, which denied them the ability to develop autonomy or self-definition. The children’s development was interfered with, and they could not function normally without therapy.

Protective and promotive factors can reduce the adverse impact of trauma refers to how the children managed to overcome their trauma through healthy relationships. In both cases, the children fully recovered, and they managed to overcome their trauma, though there was still a tendency for some to seem disconnected. The brain is a social organ, and using strong social connections, it is possible to heal from traumatic events. Buffering the effects of trauma experienced by the children is vital, and it is possible through supportive adults.

Developmental neurobiology underlies youth’s reactions to traumatic experiences. The Davidian children kept anticipating something bad happening to their parents and believed they would all die. When probed, the children were unwilling to let down their guard, but they managed to express their thoughts by drawing.

Part 3

a. How they ended up at their current job position. What are the best/most rewarding aspects of their job?

The position is Grant Writer, and the professional interviewed is Sofia. Sofia ended up as a Grant Writer when she started working at a nonprofit organization. She was recommended for the position due to her writing, research, and analytical skills. Sofia has a degree in sociology, and she is passionate about helping people in dire need of support. As a Grant Writer, Sofia is mandated with matching funders to projects supported by the nonprofit to ensure the organization raises the funds it needs to achieve its mission and objective (Worth, 2020). Writing is an essential aspect of the job because most funders might not have time for a one-to-one conversation or meeting. Therefore, a Grant Writer should have exceptional writing skills, and the materials should be backed with research. People donating funds do so for projects that are dear to their hearts. Therefore, the Grant Writer should ensure they target the correct donor for a particular project based on what they support. Researching a donor is vital before preparing the materials to share with the donor.

The writing process is the one thing that Sofia likes the most. One of her hobbies is writing, and she feels rewarded when she writes a proposal to share with others. Developing the story, pulling together the different program elements, and telling the story to someone else. Working with a nonprofit that supports a cause she likes is another reward she gets from her job. “There is joy in working on something you like and support,” she says. Having a donor commit and donate funds to the organization based on what she writes is the most rewarding aspect of the job. The donation indicates that her work researching and writing the proposal was not in vain, and the donor was impressed. “There is no greater motivator than receiving positive news about something you have worked on,” she states.

b. What are their greatest challenges in raising funds and/or writing grants for a nonprofit organization?

The greatest challenge to raising funds for grant writers is time. There is never enough time to research, analyze, and write a grant proposal. Sofia states that there have been many occasions where she found herself burning the midnight oil trying to finish a grant proposal. Grant proposals have deadlines, and meeting these deadlines can be tasking. To personalize and ensure that all proposal areas are covered can take more time than anticipated, leading to less time for writing the proposal. Therefore, to ensure one has enough time to complete a proposal, one should plan accordingly and not waste too much time focusing on one area (Worth, 2020).

The second challenge is telling a good story. Donors want to support a project they feel is worthy. The grant writer’s job is to make the project look as worthy as possible. Presenting a compelling argument is vital for engaging the reader and convincing them to fund the project. Engaging with the funder can be beneficial to earn more about what they are passionate about. However, it is not possible to meet and interact with most funders. The grant writer has to create a story that presents the organization and supports what the donor is passionate about. The story should be informative, engaging, and appealing to the donor.

Lastly, fear of rejection. There is always a 50/50 chance a donor will reject the proposal. No grant writer wants to experience rejection. However, it is part of the job, and it should be used as a learning tool. Fear of rejection hinders Sofia’s performance because she constantly tries to perfect her proposal, spending more time than necessary, and time is never enough. Sofia indicates that she tries to accept that the proposal might be rejected and prepares herself psychologically. When she started the job, the fear of rejection made her forego applying for specific grants. Her fear of rejection subsided as she gained more experience, but it is still there.

c. What do they view as the most important elements in writing grant proposals that get funded? What do they view as the most important elements of a successful fundraising event?

The most vital elements that lead to funding are research and writing. A well-written grant proposal will express ideas clearly and succinctly. Clarity is vital since the donors have a short time 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.