Childhood Abuse: The Biopsychological Approach

Bessel van der Kolk (2014) in his groundbreaking book, “The Body Keeps the Score,” explores how trauma memories are stored nonverbally in the physical body and brain. He recommends yoga as one pathway to release that somatic memory and re-establish equilibrium. Many of the benefits of art therapy are also associated with yoga. They are both experience-based, guided by intention, promote self-awareness, encourage a state of flow, activate the limbic brain, reduce stress, encourage observation rather than judgement, are adaptive, and encourage change and healing (Gibbons, 2015). Yoga stretches can be incorporated into art therapy sessions to address the large muscle movements associated with the ETC kinesthetic component and to reduce tension. Yoga can also induce a state of body-based present-moment awareness and sensory calm.

Spitalnick, Josh. Difede, JoAnn. Rizzo, Albert. O. Rothbaum, Barbara. “Emerging treatments for PTSD” Clinical Psychology Review, Volume 29, Issue 8, December 2009, Pages 715-726, ISSN 0272-7358, Web. 21 April 2016

Yoga has been shown to be effective as an adjunctive treatment for a wide variety of disorders, including epilepsy, diabetes, heart disease, insomnia, and chronic pain (Streeter et al., 2012; van der Kolk, 2014). Streeter et al. (2012) propose that yoga is helpful in such a wide variety of conditions because it reduces allostatic load in the stress response symptom, decreases sympathetic nervous system activity, increases parasympathetic nervous system activity, and increases gamma amino-butyric acid (GABA) levels. Overall, yoga is a practice that may help the body return to a more optimal state of

Despite, all this benefit of using CPT in trauma treatments there are also limitation when using this method for a counsellor/therapist should be aware of. Notwithstanding, the impact CPT has in reducing erroneous thought with PTSD (Sobel, et al., 2009), still recommended for the need more in-depth further studies in understanding the cognitive process in recovery from PTSD. More so, research has to be done or studies that have proven to be successful in using this treatment should be replicated to determine the effectiveness of CPT with different population (Resick et al., 2002). CPT believes that homework and other written work is very vital with this treatment approach, and this could pose as a challenge for clients who might have difficulty

The published articles in this literature review all prove evidence that child abuse can negatively affect those children in either their adolescences or adulthood, or even in both. None of the articles explore if those children abused later abuse their future children, however a study by Ehrensaft,

Evidence points to CPT’s efficacy as a psychological treatment for PTSD and has demonstrated potential to decrease symptoms of depression and guilt. Although more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of CPT with various populations, both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs are recommending CPT as an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. A major benefit of CPT the gains are noticeable in a very short period. The rapid response to treatment is particularly important to military and active-duty populations for whom time may be limited (Keane TM, Marshall AD, Taft

This theory proposes that a traumatic event produces maladaptive assumptions and beliefs about the world, other people, and the self that interfere with recovery (Schultz, Barnes-Proby, Chandra, Jaycox, Maher, & Pecora, 2012). CBITS uses cognitive-behavioral techniques (for example, psychoeducation, relaxation, social problem solving, cognitive restructuring, and exposure). Cognitive-behavioral therapies work to teach people skills to combat these underlying issues, including correction of maladaptive assumptions, processing the traumatic experience instead of avoiding it, learning new ways to reduce anxiety and solve problems, building peer and parent support, and building confidence to confront stress in the future (Schultz, et al.,

The emergence of research dedicated to TF-CBT and its focus removes a significant amount of ambiguity from the prescription of treatment. Due to the overwhelming positive response in research, clinicians now can confidently recommend TF-CBT and prevent further suffering within patients. Also, completing additional research in this area could lead to even more efficient and helpful methods of treatment. For young people who experienced trauma, this interactive treatment method can bring about progressive changes in their behavior and their thoughts, which can help to eradicate PTSD over the course of treatment as well as the time that follows it.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as “a development of characteristic long-term symptoms following a psychologically traumatic event that is generally outside the range of usual human experience” (Nordqvist, 1). Simply put, it is a type of anxiety that affects a patient after a traumatic

Among the most common of mental health conditions is post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, PTSD can lead to severe physiological and psychological changes that are significantly increased when this trauma isn’t caught in its early stages. These traumas have a great impact on the patient’s personalities and perceptions. Therefore, there are different types of treatments that can be implemented accordingly to the patient to improve their psychological condition, and avoid unfavorable results on their mental health.

Changing a person’s overall quality of life; it is a psychiatric comorbidity and typically follows an often life-long course especially in cases of young children and adolescents. Due to the nature of threatening trauma, PTSD is becoming significantly more common and may affect up to 10% of women and 5% of men at some stage in their lives, depending on the nature or severity of the traumatic event, the prevalence rates of PTSD in its victims have been reported to approach 100%. According to (Kar, 2011), “The PTSD syndrome is a conglomeration of various cognitive, behavioral, and physiological disturbances characterized by three symptom clusters, i.e., intrusion, avoidance, and arousal.” (Kar, 2011). Since the first introduction into the diagnostic classificatory system (DSMV) in the 1980’s, a considerable amount of research has been done to determine the efficiency of cognitive behavioral therapy in patients with PTSD. The purpose of the article was to review and evaluate the studies of CBT for PTSD following a multitude of various kinds of trauma, and others that were related to physical disorders in children, and adolescents. The article was also meant to review the long-term effects and the role of a preventative measure that CBT could deliver, the current understanding of CBT and its mechanism of action were also

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders describes posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an acute stress disorder (2013). Individuals that experience this disorder are exposed to or have had an experience of near death or bodily harm (American Psychiatric Association. 2013). Evidence based therapy that has shown positive outcomes in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which is based on changing behavior. The use of client-centered therapy can also be beneficial with this type of client if applied in addition to CBT. Joseph stated that a client-centered approach to PTSD could result in Post-traumatic growth (2004). Post-traumatic growth does not try to bring the client back to the original state before the trauma but bring the client beyond their previous level of functioning (Joseph, 2004). When a person experiences a trauma, they can have a myriad of emotions, it is the therapist responsibility to help the client make better sense of the issue and continue functioning in a normal manner. Not all traumas are alike and not all clients can be treated equally. The most significant aspect of treatment in helping this type of client is the approach the therapist takes which should include the temperament of the client and the goals the client seeks. Included here is an examination of a fictitious client that has experienced a trauma and the therapist care plan. The therapist

One always hear the saying, “The mind is a terrible thing to waste” but does society know what the mind really is? Post-Traumatic Stress disorder commonly known as PTSD is a mental illness that affects the mind. Throughout one’s lifetime, one must have heard or even experienced PTSD at some point. This disorder can develop after a traumatic event or even after an overwhelming period in one’s life. This study was developed to illustrate the causes of PTSD, how it affects the mind and the treatments and issues associated with this mental illness.

The vast majority of those receiving CBT treatment are unable to alleviate their mental state, and as high as 58% of those after receiving treatment still demonstrate the characteristics, or symptoms, associated with the diagnosis of PTSD (Cloitre, 2009). In addition, studies have shown that “only 32-66% reach a good level” of being able to gain a stronger mindset and emotional state in the hope to be better able to function within society (Foa, 2009; Schnyder, 2005). Although there have been more emphasis placed on PTSD in regards to research on psychotherapeutic treatments, the impact of this type of treatment remains stagnant while those whom to continue to suffer from the disorder remains constantly rising. The severities of the symptoms onto people’s lives reflect that of a chronic disorder, continuously impeding their life both psychological and health-wise (McFarlane,

Yoga's psychological benefits include; improvement of anxiety, depression, stress tolerance, addictive disorders, bi polar disorders, eating disorders, insomnia and overall emotional balance. Physical benefits include; improvement of chronic pain, reduction of heart rate and blood pressure, increased circulation, and function. The benefits continue; improvement in venous return of the