Trauma Model Synthesis Presentation
Create a brief poster board presentation that will attempt to synthesize the primary model in which you chose to do the extended readings (i.e., sensorimotor psychotherapy, CPT, EMDR, TF-CBT, PE) and synthesize it with the secondary theories of Betrayal Trauma and Interpersonal Neurobiology.
In addition, you will choose one counseling theory and synthesize it with the trauma models.
Below is the vignette to use for the project:
Jessica, a 35-year-old female, begins counseling because she is experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, and panic. During the clinical interview, she describes her depressive symptoms that includes anhedonia, hypersomnia, weight gain, feelings of excessive worthlessness, inappropriate guilt, and fatigue. The counselor also notices Jessica has a difficult time concentrating and presents with psychomotor agitation. Jessica describes how her anxiety mostly relates to a continuous state of restlessness, constant worry about what others think of her, and negative ruminating thoughts that are difficult to control. Last, Jessica describes when she has a panic attack she experiences a racing heart, sweating, trembling, shortness of breath, and a fear of going crazy. These panic attacks only happen when she feels abandoned by someone close to her. Jessica also describes feeling excessively sad and rejected when she perceives abandonment. She reports struggling with these symptoms for the last several years and has seen many counselors during this time.
Jessica reports an extensive childhood trauma history, with two notable traumas. When she was two years old, Jessica reports her father abandoned her and her mother in an angry tirade, and her father was her primary caretaker at the time. Jessica also reports that from the age of five to nine years old every night her mother would enter her room as she slept and berate her with verbal and emotional abuse. For example, she would tell Jessica that she wished she had an abortion and that no one could ever love her.
Jessica describes how these anxious and depressive symptoms are affecting her relationships. A year ago, her life partner ended their relationship which spiraled her into further depression and anxiety, and currently she is overdependent on her friends and hypersensitive to any perceived abandonment by them. Jessica tells how she constantly is reaching out to them and wanting to help them with their lives so they will love and accept her, but knows she is ultimately driving them away. Jessica admits she tries to help her friends with their problems so they will not leave her but feels desperate to be accepted and experiences extreme panic when she perceives being abandoned by others. She is returning to counseling to understand her relationship patterns and reduce her symptoms.
