Self-Trauma Theory

There are several approaches and theories as to the reasoning behind the sexual assault. The clinician quickly learns that Ana was sexually abused as a child. The client was raised in a single parent household, which caused the mother to remain away from the home due to her employment. The sexual assault that occurred against Ana as a child is traumatic within itself due to her constant worrying about her religion, having no support, and also not having the issue assessed during her childhood. To have the friend constantly around the family, and maintaining constant access would be traumatizing within itself for Ana. Due to these issues not being addressed during her childhood, Ana has transferred her emotions and behaviors into her adulthood.

These behaviors and emotions affect her social relationships at home, and during employment; it appears Ana has completely closed the world out from her problems.

It also appears that Ana has been able to form a shield over her emotions, which suppressing her thoughts can lead to things such as suicidal thoughts and deep depression.

A trauma based approach focuses on normalizing the client’s symptoms and behaviors as well as focusing on what actually happened with the client versus focusing on what is wrong with the client. This approach also focuses on the client learning how to take control and responsibility of their own recovery during treatment ( Bloom, 2000). Within the self-trauma approach, Briere has also incorporated parts of trauma theory, cognitive theory, self-psychology, and behavioral therapy in regards to working with clients who have survived and experienced child abuse ( Briere, 2002). The self-trauma model also incorporates relational and behavioral research and theory in order to address the many issues with emotional, cognitive, interpersonal, and behavioral effects of the child abuse. The main goal of this type of approach, is to avoid the client feeling overwhelmed. Although the goal is to avoid being overwhelmed, the focus is to expose the client to the traumatic material so that it could be integrate and desensitized ( Briere, 2004). Another theory that could apply to Ana is

the Constructivist Self Development Theory, which is a model that works with adults who have gone through some sort of childhood abuse. This theory was developed by Saakvitne et al. (2000), which focuses on the idea that just as people can harm or hurt each other, they can also help one another profoundly. This theory assumes that the abuse experienced as a child can conflict or interrupt the normal development of the client’s ability to regulate and identify their feelings. Saakvitne et al. (2000) discusses the fact that as a child, there is a dependence on an adult for safety, love, and nurture, but once this is not occurring with the child, their future interpersonal connections and attachments can also lead to disappointments, abuse, or shame. As a survivor of childhood abuse, it becomes difficult to make the connections between their present and past, as well as their feelings and thoughts. Adults who have survived trauma such as sexual abuse are in need of support to help restore their interpersonal connections as well as meaning to their lives ( Saakvitne et al.,2000).