In order to better understand our clients and their experiences, we must first understand the way that our brains work. All of what occurs in the social and emotional aspects of our lives can be explained by using theories of neuroscience. Neuroscience focuses on specific brain structures and how they affect individuals. For years there was little connection between neuroscience and social work, but the importance of linking the two fields has become more popular in recent years. As science has progressed and more information has been discovered about how our brains work, it is necessary for social workers to have a good understanding of neuroscience. Some of the most crucial topics for social workers to understand are the structure of the brain, brain development, neuroplasticity, attachment theory, affect regulation, and trauma. By understanding these concepts, we can provide more effective interventions for the unique clients that we serve.
The human brain weighs approximately three pounds and contains approximately 100 billion neurons (Farmer, 2009, p. 21). The brainstem is the oldest part of the brain and it controls important functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and our fundamental emotions such as happiness or sadness. It also sends and receives information from the spinal cord. Above the brainstem is the thalamus, which connects to the higher cortical regions of the brain. It manages sensations such as touch. The hippocampus surrounds the thalamus and it manages spatial working memory, learning, and emotion. The cerebellum is located at the back of the brain is responsible for movement and cognitive and emotional functions. The outer region of the brain is the cerebral cortex and is divided i...
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...ll as other mental illnesses, which can lead to a myriad of problems in an individual’s life.
Though there is an infinite amount of information that would be beneficial for social workers to know about the human brain, knowing these basics will make an enormous difference in the way that we serve our clients. Understanding the structure of the brain, brain development, neuroplasticity, attachment theory, affect regulation, and trauma is incredibly helpful for any person in a helping profession, and especially for social workers. As we work with our clients, we must remember that their emotions and reactions are almost always in some way related to what they experienced in early childhood and the effect that their childhood experiences had on their brains. Knowing this allows us to be more empathetic and effective when working with the clients that we serve.
... just the illness as a whole. There are also issues with how broad the spectrum of mental illness is. With each new idea in mental health some hope is given that someone will find treatment.
Perry, B., (2006). Applying principles of neurodevelopment to clinical work with maltreated and traumatized children: The neurosequential model of therapeutics. Working with traumatized youth in child welfare, 27-52.
Reviewing the 12 Core Concepts of the National Child Trauma Stress Network, James is suffering from three of the 12 concepts. Number 1 core concept, Traumatic experience are inherently complex. Traumatic experiences are inherently complex no experience are the same varying degrees of objective life threat, physical violation, witnessing of an injury or death. The victim perceives their surroundings and decides what is best for them now safety and self-protection. Number 4 core concept, A child or adolescent can exhibit an extensive range of reactions to suffering and loss. Number 9 core concept, the developmental neurobiology triggers a youth’s reactions to traumatic experience. In this paper, we will be covering another trauma that affects the social worker or case worker who works on these cases of
Social work is a profession which is in place to improve the lives of families, children, and individuals through programs like crisis intervention, social welfare, and community development among other things. Although this discipline is entirely necessary and helpful in all cases and lives it attempts to improve, the article explains that social work often doesn’t employ all available approaches to help their clients, as they fail to incorporate physiological knowledge into their practice, research, and education. (Lefmann & Combs Orme, 2013) As discussed in lecture, Jean Piaget’s stages of cognitive development are used to explain the way a child’s brain develops over their lifetime. The stages of development are used to shape the article, and to explain how Piaget’s theory directly relates to how social work should be studied and used. “This paper overlays the early biological development of the brain with Piaget’s sensorimotor stage of development.” (Lefmann & Combs-Orme, 2013. P. 641)
The parent-child relationship is critical to the physical and brain development of a child. In its most literal sense, ‘trauma’ means a...
It is the one thing in charge of the human experience. Therefor Rutledge states that since social workers work with patrons to aid the modification of their point of view, emotional state, and behavior, it remains to reason that social workers should concern themselves with the structure of the brain and how it functions. Rutledge also suggests that the social workers need to know how the brain grows, how it works, and what may be the cause of it to not be functioning properly, because just like any other body part, such as the heart or lungs, the brain can get sick. So there for social workers need a model for brain based social work (Rutledge, Nicholas, MSW, LCSW,
Bowlby’s (1969) foundational work on attachment explored the formation of a “secure base” in children through healthy attachment with their parents. This attachment allows those children to explore their world with confidence and security. Ainsworth (1978) built on Bowlby’s foundation, exploring behaviors and attitudes associated with different attachment patterns (Thompson, 2010). Recently, a team of Harvard researchers reinforced the importance of secure attachment with their work on how attachment shapes the architecture of the developing brain (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, 2011). They describe the architecture of the brain as being composed of highly integrated sets of connections among brain cells. These neural circuits are “wired” under the influences of both genetics and the environment of experiences, relationships, and physical conditions in which children live. Experiences “authorize” genetic instructions to be carried out and shape the formation of the circuits as they are being constructed. The progression of developmental depends on appropriate sensory input and stable, responsive relationships to build healthy brain architecture. Extensive biological and developmental research over the past 30 years...
Trauma is often seen as an event; however, trauma is actually the impact on a client’s life as a result of an experience (Saunders, 2016.) There are many factors that determine the effect the trauma will have on a person to include: developmental processes, the meaning associated to the trauma, and sociocultural factors (SAMHSA, 2014). Traumatic experiences can cause a person to have an unintegrated state of sensations, feelings, thoughts, behavior, and/ or images so strong they interfere with the person’s normal functioning. This state causes the person not to be able to access memories, sensations or somatic responses necessary to overcome events that are overwhelming, and can be developmentally intrusive (Saunders, 2016). In posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), unintegrated feelings, sensations, and images can become triggered, and the brain reacts with the same feelings of being overwhelmed. These reactions of PTSD are a result of unintegrated memories about a single
Adult development is crucial to the success of an individual and their quality of life. But there are many factors that can delay a person from reaching certain milestones. When accessing a person who has experienced child abuse, these delays become prominent. Because individuals have to suffer trauma during childhood development, these events can cause lifelong issues. One of the major issues that develop is that of mental health disorders. These disorders ultimately have both lasting results and can correlate to other major issues. From the beginning, because of the lack of establishing healthy emotional bonds with adults, it can often cause mental health disorders. These mental health and attachment disorders can continue to affect the developmental process in adulthood in the areas of maintaining maintaining healthy relationships. Gainful
Children experience decreased development in the left brain when traumatic events occur (Network, n.d.). Imagine being a child and growing up with these types of events occurring. A traumatic event in a child’s life can cause a child to experience a long lasting negative effect. Life events are happening everywhere and more often in the lives of children (Understanding Child Traumatic Stress, n.d.). Trauma can cause them to do three things. First, they try to see what the danger is and how serious it is. Secondly there are strong emotional and physical reactions. Thirdly they attempt to come up with what to do that can help them with the danger. Traumatic events can cause a child to develop differently, which effects the young child stage,
Szalavitz, Maia. "How Child Abuse Primes the Brain for Future Mental Illness." Time. N.p., 15 Feb. 2012. Web. 7 Apr. 2014. .
Childhood trauma has a significant impact on the life of a child. It affects the child’s overall functioning and development, including emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social elements. (Perry, Pollard, Blaicley, Baker, & Vigilante, 1995). An overwhelming number of children experience some type of trauma in developmentally critical years which, as previously mentioned, has a major impact on the various aspects of their functioning- specifically their development. Trauma can present itself in a multitude of forms. It may occur that the child lives or lived in a state of poverty or that he suffered a significant injury or the loss of a parent or caregiver. A disheartening number of children experience neglect or abuse in its various forms;
Although the brain only weighs about three pounds, it is a very powerful and essential organ in the body (Brain Structures and Their Functions). The cerebrum, cerebellum, and the brain stem are the three main parts of the brain. The cerebrum fills up most of the skull, its main functions are for remembering, problem solving, thinking, and feeling (Bellamy 23). It also controls movement throughout the body. The cerebellum is located towards the back of the head. It controls mostly just coordination and balance (Brain Structures and Their Functions). The brain stem is underneath the cerebrum and in front of your cerebellum. It attaches the brain to the spinal cord and controls functions like breathing, digestion, heart rate and blood pressure (Carter 12). The brain is also divided into halves. The left side of the brain controls the right side of the body, while the right side of the brain, controls the left side of the body (Bellamy 17).
Janoff-Bulman (1992) asserts that trauma develops with exposure to an environment that lacks predictability, benevolence and worth. Twardosz (2010p. 62) research study indicates,” Traumatized children have difficulty with processing tasks, verbal memory, spatial memory,
All experiences change the brain, both good and bad. This is because the brain is designed to change in response to patterned, repetitive stimulation. The stimulation associated with fear and trauma changes the brain. Over the last twenty years, neuroscientists studying the brain have learned how fear and trauma influence the mature brain, and more recently, the developing brain. It is increasingly clear that experiences in childhood has relatively more impact on the developing child than experiences later in life. (Perry) The functional capabilities of the mature brain develop throughout life, but most of critical structural and functional development takes place in childhood. By shaping the developing brain, the experiences of childhood define the adult. Simply stated, children reflect the world in which they are raised. If that world is characterized by threat, chaos, unpredictability, fear and trauma, the brain will reflect that by altering the development of the neural systems involved in the stress and fear response. “The human brain is designed to sense, process, store, perceive, and act on information from the external and the internal environment. These complex systems and activities work together for one overall purpose – survival.”