Blog #3 (chapter 5&6)
Van Der Kolk provided an incredibly helpful analogy at the beginning of Chapter 5 to explain what the conditioned reflex was. He gave the example of a dinner bell signaling it was time to eat. When I was in High School, I had Spanish class before lunch everyday. They staggered which class got let out so the lunch room wasn't mad chaos. My specific class got let out 5 minutes after the bell went off. I remember feeling suddenly hungry when this bell went off. I started salivating knowing that I'd be getting lunch in 5 minutes. However, if they stopped serving us lunch after that bell. I'm sure after time my brain would learn to stop expecting food.
This example was so helpful in understanding this concept. When people have experience chronic trauma, their brains have been wired to expect trauma. So, when a child is taken out of their home any loud noise, angry voice, or sound can trigger them to thinking that it is not safe. This literally causes their brain to go back into the state that it would be in if trauma was occurring. This concept is so important when it comes to helping a child or even an adult struggling with trauma. Consistency with a person who's experience trauma will slowly retrain their brain to assess safety appropriately.
When looking at safety, Van Der Kolk explains that there are three different levels. Level 1: social engagement is where one feels they can call for help or support from people around them. When if one doesn't or can't get help, they go to level two: fight or flight. This is where one either will fight back against the danger or run away. If one cannot fight back or isn't able to run, they progress into level three: freeze or collapse. These levels will be helpful when working with clients who question their safety. Because part of the brain shuts down when we don't have a sense of safety, it will be crucial to determine our client's level of safety before digging into the reasoning behind their actions.
I didn't agree with the evolution foundation that Van Der Kolk based some of his science out of. I don't believe that we came from animals. Instead, we have been created in the image of God. It is God that created all these responses in our body to be good. It is a result of the Fall that we have trauma. It's because of sin that our bodies don't respond like they were created to. I differ from Van Der Kolk in my ways of treatment. I don't believe that self empowerment, engagement, or behavior modification can provide lasting change, rather a redeemer.
Abby, good point when you say that people expect trauma to continue to occur when it has not been treated. I agree that we have to determine our client's level of safety. I do admit that it is difficult for children to explain what safe means. I do a lot of education on that when I'm determining the safety of my kids.
ReplyDeleteCan you help me understand what you mean that you don't believe in empowerment, engagement or behavior modification can provide lasting change? Are you saying that God only can make a person change? Empowerment, engagement, and behavioral modification are part of scientific studies to show that as people gain these skills, their symptoms are no longer present and they are able to function in a normal capacity. Help me understand what your approach would be for someone who does believe in the evolution foundation?
Abby, you made some really great connections throughout your post! I had to chuckle about your connections in your first paragraph about your lunch period, but that's awesome that you were able to connect to the reading in that way! You also make some great points about trauma in children and how they react to sights and sounds. I see this quite frequently - one my clients, who has been removed from her mom's care, does really well with me when we are one on one. However, the moment she see's her mother in a supervised visit, she is a completely different child and this happens in a matter of hours. We are really trying to work on our emotions, and it's honestly hard not to get frustrated when I feel like we are making progress, and then she see's her mom. However, I know this is the trauma. I also appreciate your connections to your spirituality. I agree the pain and trauma are results from the fall, and yet God has made us in his image to be redeemed. What a beautiful picture that is.
ReplyDeleteWe'll learn more about the levels when we study polyvagal theory next summer in the neurobiology class. This is a helpful framework when working with clients. I think we can still believe in creation and the need for Jesus in our lives and also believe in the efficacy and benefits of behavior modification and self empowerment. God wants us to seek wholeness for ourselves and for our clients, so when teaching clients adaptive ways of behaving, thinking, or feeling, we point them in the direction to be able to heal in their physical/emotional state and give them an opportunity to see God's goodness and kindness through that too (and potentially make spiritual progress). Some may find the Lord when they are completely broken, with no skills, and some may find him when they are functioning "better" after we've helped them gain some skills. Either way, we hope they find Him and we work hard to help them function the best they can in the meantime.
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