Precious Trauma Case Study

My treatment plan for Griselda was designed to help her achieve self-awareness and self-acceptance. Hopefully by using these tools coupled with a support group she will

In order to do this, she must meet with a Psychotherapist for individual counseling once a month for a period of 1 year. In addition, she must also attend group counseling to develop the appropriate coping skills necessary. According to Larry E. Beutler, Rebecca E. Williams and Heidi A. Zetzer, authors of the article “Efficacy of Treatment for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse” (1994), some of the most common and popular forms of treatment interventions available to victims of abuse include individual, family, and group counseling. Research found that these “programs focus their most intensive treatment efforts on the child victim” (Beutler et al., 1994, p.159). Treatment through individual and group counseling is achieved through 4 therapeutic aims: “relieving symptoms, destigmatizing, increasing self-esteem, and preventing future abuse” (Beutler, et al., 1994, p. 159). The second treatment objective Precious must address is to learn about breaking the cycle of abuse. In order to accomplish this goal, she must speak with her mother about the trauma she encountered and learn to manage her anger in a healthy way. According to the article “Effective Practices for Sexually Traumatized Girls: Implications for Counseling and Education” (2007) by authors Lee Underwood, Sarah E. Stewart & Anita M. Castellanos, “Mode Deactivation Therapy (MDT) was

Children who have been abused are left with more than just physical scars. They have many psychological, emotional, and behavioral problems as well. Their social lives are affected dramatically, and they suffer lifelong effects. (Lambert) Children tend to

Claireece “Precious” Jones came into the social welfare office for assistance. A psychosocial assessment was conducted that consist of information such as reason for referral, history of mental, medical, school, family, child abuse and any drug/alcohol information.

Throughout the movie Precious, there are several times when the audience witnesses trauma and its effect on Precious’ life. These traumatizing events include sexual abuse, verbal abuse, physical abuse, and emotional abuse. When people go through these events, their mind will find ways to cope with their situation. These coping mechanisms are depersonalization, derealization, detachment, and dissociation.

What is the impact of historical trauma on a particular client population? How can Trauma Informed principals be used to reduce the impact of historical trauma on specific clients?

Jane is a nine year old girl who has been brought in to therapy by her mother for stealing, being destructive, lying, behaving aggressively toward her younger siblings, and acting cruelly to animals. Jane has also been acting clingy and affectionate toward strangers.

The next assessment is the Psychological assessment. Precious has experienced Sexual abuse from her father and physical abuse from her mother since she was a baby. Precious has flashbacks, low self-esteem, socialization problems, and depression. These are all signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). According to Merriam Webster online dictionary, PTSD is “ a psychological reaction that occurs after experiencing a highly stressing event (as wartime combat, physical violence, or a natural disaster) outside the range of normal human experience and that is usually characterized by depression, anxiety, flashbacks, recurrent nightmares, and avoidance of reminders of the event” (citation). Despite the traumatic issues she was dealing with, she managed to show resilience in some ways. “I'm gonna break through or somebody gonna break through to me” (movie quote). Although she easily could have, Precious did not allow

Based on her history and what she has shared, Cindy may be vulnerable to dismissing her behavior. Cindy experiences bouts of antegrade amnesia, depression, suicidal ideation, low confidence, and chronic pain which involve intracranial hypertension. On the contrary, Cindy also shared that she experiences excessive affection which often annoys others. Cindy grew up in her hometown for the first 14 years of her life. As a young child, Cindy remembers her father as an “extraordinary” man as she holds him with high regard (Zubernis and Snyder, 2016).

Lizzie made slight progress with improving her emotional and behavioral regulation, as indicated by Lizzie’s mother learning how to managing her behavior using positive disciple to reduce the tantrums and negative

The symptoms that are being treated through this individualized treatment plan related to post traumatic stress disorder are: dissociative reactions, irritable and aggressive behavior, concentration problems, and trauma-related external reminders. The first goal is in place to assist Precious in learning to eliminate intrusive memories, a “notable feature of memory in PTSD is the reliving experiences or “flashbacks” to the trauma” (Berwin, 2003, p. 340), and addressing causes of these memories through the intervention of prolonged exposure. In addition, the second goal that is being implemented, preventing and addressing distortions, is being addressed through prolonged exposure. This technique is “a general treatment strategy for reducing anxiety that involves confronting situations, activities, thoughts, and memories that are feared and avoided even though they are not inherently harmful.” (Foa, 1998, p. 65). The flashbacks and distortions that Precious experiences are being addressed through prolonged exposure, due the fact that it

You Cannot Spell Harlem, Without Harm In Push by Sapphire, Sapphire demonstrates how broken the government systems are for the minority community in Harlem. Sapphire accomplishes this by showing that there is an abusive relationship present among several characters on the poverty line and the government systems in Harlem, which are set in place to help the less fortune. All of the characters are struggling whether it be financially or academically. Through Mary Jones, Claireece “Precious” Jones, and Rhonda Patrice Johnston, Sapphire shows that these main characters have an abusive relationship with governmental systems.

In 1987, by the age of 16, Claireece Precious Jones had already endured inconceivable adversities in her young life. “Precious,” as she was called, lived with her dysfunctional, abusive, unemployed mother, Mary, in the New York City ghetto of Harlem. Mary and Precious resided in a Section 8 tenement where they survived on welfare. After being repetitively sexually abused by her own biological father, Carl, Precious became pregnant with her second child at 16 years old. Precious’ grandmother cared for her first child, Mongo, although Mary forced the family to pretend that the child lived with her and Precious so that she could receive additional funds from the government. After Precious’ pregnancy was discovered, she was forced out of the public school where she had been able to hide her illiteracy, and began attending an alternative school called “Each One Teach One.” It was at the alternative school that Precious encountered her first supportive community, as she built friendships with the other females in her GED class, as well as with her teacher, Blu Rain.

When I decided to take the trauma course, I was hesitant at first to take it. I did not know what to expect nor felt I would be prepare listen to stories about traumatic occurrences, despite of the number of years I have worked in the field of community mental health. Therefore, now that we are in week eight, I am delighted to have taken this course. The impression I had at first, has changed my insight concerning what is trauma, as for many years, I did not understand why a person in many instances, could not process their trauma. In a quote by Chang stated, “The greater the doubt, the greater the awakening; the smaller the doubt, the smaller the awakening. No doubt, no awakening” (Van Der Kolk, 2014, p. 22). The goes in congruence with my understanding on trauma and how it has changed during this course. As a result, I feel I am awakening when acquiring more about trauma.

The motion picture ‘Precious’ gives us a powerful experience, mainly because the story line has a thin hopefulness in the dark-clouded life of Precious, Precious is resilient, even though her tragic life influences her personality greatly.