With seemingly never-ending violence, natural disasters, and soldiers returning home from wars growing numbers of people are suffering long lasting mental health crises. It is imperative for clinical social workers to implement effective interventions that address trauma and loss within families.
For this Discussion, view the “Levy” video. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1uh62KiMMLaSuNE8FrdLlcJ70OSex_dg6/view?usp=drivesdk
By Day 3
Post a description of the how the trauma related behaviors evident in the Levy video affect family interactions and the family system. Identify the problems in this case and explain whether these problems would best be addressed through individual treatment, family treatment, or a combination of both. Review the literature and recommend an evidence-based family intervention that might help Jake and Sheri and their sons. Describe how the intervention is implemented and its underlying theory. Explain how this intervention might help the Levy family and ameliorate the presenting problems. Finally, describe why you chose this intervention. Use this week’s resources or the literature to support your conclusions.
By Day 5
Respond to a colleague’s intervention choice that differs from yours. Contrast the underlying theories of the two interventions. Explain whether you agree or disagree with your colleague’s identification of the problem and recommendation to address the problem through individual and/or family treatment.
Colleague: Stacey
Post a description of the how the trauma related behaviors evident in the Levy video affect family interactions and the family system.
Jake is displaying trauma-related symptoms due to his experiences in Iraq. Jake’s trauma manifests in anger, outburst, frustration, and verbal altercations with his wife(Laureate Educaion,2013).. Jake is currently self-medicating to cope with his undiagnosed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Jake’s drinking has begun to cause his family distress by his anger outburst, inability to follow through with his obligations at work, and aggressive communication style. Jake’s drinking is starting to conflict with his family dynamics. For instance, how Jake was communicating with his wife resembles a chaotic relationship characterized by erratic and limited leadership (Olson, 2002). Jake’s behavior also affects family cohesion by creating an unhealthy and unbalance distance between the couple (Olson, 2002).
Identify the problems in this case and explain whether these problems would best be addressed through individual treatment, family treatment, or a combination of both.
There are a multitude of problems presented in this video. First, Jake stated that he is no longer the man he used to be before Iraq. Second, Jake’s behavior is causing conflict and distress with his family. As a social worker, I would address Jake’s presenting problem through a combination of individual and family treatment. Individual sessions will assist Jake in processing his feelings, emotions, and experiences. Family sessions will allow Jake to disclose his experiences to his family while the social worker helps guild the family through the healing process.
Review the literature and recommend an evidence-based family intervention that might help Jake and Sheri and their sons. Describe how the intervention is implemented and its underlying theory.
For the Levy family, I would recommend Trauma Focus- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) as the intervention for the family. TF-CBT is effective for veterans’ families given their risk for heightened mental health problems, stress, child maltreatment, and intimidate partner violence (Ridings et al., 2019). As a social worker, I would implement TF-CBT through psychoeducation, trauma narratives, pro-social coping skills, and ensuring the family’s safety (Ridings et al., 2019). The underlying theory of TF-CBT is to reduce parental depression and PTSD symptoms, emotional distress, strengthened parents’ ability to support their children, and decrease children’s feelings of shame (Ridings et al., 2019).
Explain how this intervention might help the Levy family and ameliorate the presenting problems.
TF-CBT will assist the Levy family in overcoming their presenting problems because Jake will have the opportunity to process his trauma through a narrative discussion. Through psychoeducation, Sheri and her sons would be able to gain an understanding of (PTSD) and Jake’s experiences while in Iraq. TF-CBT use of pro-social coping skills will address Jake’s self-defeating behaviors such as drinking and Sheri’s emotional distress. Finally, TF-CBT will help the children process their feelings and emotions.
Finally, describe why you chose this intervention.
I selected this intervention primarily due to its focus on helping families overcome their trauma.
Reference
Ridings, L. E., Moreland, A. D., & Petty, K. H. (2019). Implementing Trauma-Focused CBT for Children of Veterans in the VA: Providing Comprehensive Services to Veterans and Their Families. American Psychological Association, 16(1), 74-84.
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