Advanced Psychotherapy Flashcards
Birthing trauma
Trauma is in the eye of the beholder. The event itself may not be as important as how the event is perceived by the individual (Beck, 2004).
Typically involves feelings of vulnerability and loss of control -
Perception of lack of caring: felt abandoned, stripped of dignity, lack of support, and reassurance
Poor Communication (mothers felt invisible)
Feeling of powerlessness: betrayal of trust, didin’t feel protected by staff
Do the ends justify the means? A healthy baby justifies the trauma endured?
Psychophysiology of Trauma
it is not understood that people who have been traumatized hold an implicit memory of traumatic events in their brains and bodies - can be expressed in symptoms of PTSD nightmares, flashbacks, startle responses, and dissociative behavior
Strategies to Heal the Brain Postpartum
Grounding activities, creating a safe space, phsyical movement, positive self talk, engaging all senses, securing social connections, mindfulness pracitce, neurofeedback, EMDR, Emotional Freedom Technique (acupoint tapping), Brainspotting, Cognitive Processing Therapy,
Healing the Body Strategies
Establishing social connections, utilization of heat (baths), engaging the body (deep breathing, yoga, medicaiton, sleep, movement), Complementary treatments such as acupuncture, massage, aromatherapy)
Trauma in the Perinatal Period
Past Trauma may unexpectedly resurface during the perinatal period (sexual violence, physical abuse, familial abandonment), symptoms may represent behaviors that were adaptive at the time of the events, Some women do not register their histories as traumatizing but may still feel the phsyciological effects of trauma.
Trauma Informed Birthplanning
Book: When Survivors Give Birth (Penny Simkin and Phyllis Klaus)
To support those who have experienced abuse, assault, domestic violence, medical trauma, perinatal loss, and/or childbirth fears
Offering individual choice and outlining specific wishes for medical and nursing providers
Fostering a sense of ownership over one’s body
Indications that Trauma might have occurred
Hyperarousal/Hypervigilance, Emotional Dsregulation, Numbing/Withdrawal, Somatization symptoms (panic, GI distress, headaches), Body dysmophia, sleep disturbance, flashbacks, dissociation, disconnect from the baby, behavioral responses (Self destructive, substance use, self- injury, avoidance…`
Ways to recognize resilience
Increased bodning with family and community, redefined or increased sense of purpose, increased commitment to a personal mission, revised priorities, mindfulness of present moment, closing identifying key learning
Power Over
Power With
You can’t change
Your brain is plastic
Judging
Observing
People need fixing first
People need safety first
Operate from the dominate culture
Cultural Humility
People are out to get you
People can live up to the trust you give them
Right and wrong
Multiple viewpoints
