Trauma Informed Care Overall, I think this presentation was well done. The video that was shown helped me stay engaged and interested in the presentation, and really showed how even though a child may experience one or more ACEs, there are ways that the community and social workers can prevent the negative effects of ACEs. I think the presentation could have benefitted by rearranging the order of topics, with everything about trauma in the beginning, and then explaining treatment and practice. I thought that the 7 stage model was explained well. I would have benefitted from more real-life and practical examples of what a social worker may say when using a trauma informed care approach. Some of the slides were very crowded and took my attention away from the verbal presentation. The enviro-bio-psychosocial framework was interesting and made sense, however, I found it confusing as to whether this was empirically supported or if it was the opinion of the group - further explanation would have been helpful. Overall the presentation was informative and I learned a lot about trauma informed care and the different types of trauma. Dialectical Behavioural Therapy I thought the group did a great job of explaining what emotional dysregulation, unstable personal relationships, and other relationships look like to give a conceptual and practical understanding of what clients may be experiencing. The group used great intonation that helped maintain my attention and interest. Most of the slides were clear and not overwhelming. The core strategies were explained very quickly, and I think it would have been beneficial to go slower on this part and really emphasize them, but the rest of the processes were explained thoroughly. I liked the metaphor of the deer being hunted as it made the concept easier to understand. I have heard a lot about DBT, but never fully understood what it was. The group did a good job of explaining it in-depth and I did not realize how detailed this therapy was. The skills training group was explained really well and the examples that were given were very helpful for understanding the topic better. I also appreciated that the termination process is included in the therapy, because therapy cannot last forever and it is important to establish goals and plans to continue success after therapy has ended. I appreciate that the group also challenged the practice and the diagnosis of BPD, specifically being overrepresented in women. Working with Involuntary Clients The slides were very easy to follow and added to the presentation, rather than taken away from it. I did not know about reactance theory before this presentation, and I appreciated learning about it. It makes sense, and I think the group explained it very well and how it would impact a client if they are told what to do by someone else. I also appreciated the examples that the group gave as to what you might say to a client - this is helpful for me as I often find myself wondering, “what would I say in this situation?” The skit was awesome and emphasized how important the role of the social worker is in the success of their client. I agree that the social worker should take the perspective that the client is the expert in their own life and they have the power to change their trajectory with the social worker there to guide and support them. It was also great that the group made note that different clients will require different approaches based on their temperman, past, and current experiences. The acknowledgment of biases was a great point to make because we all have biases and if we pretend we do not have them, we will likely not be as successful as we could be. I also appreciated the negotiable vs. non-negotiable conditions that can be discussed with a client. I think this is important because it give the client a sense of autonomy and if they can make the decisions for themselves, they may be more likely to go through with them. The examples of how to gain cooperation and trust of a client were great. One thing that I thought would have benefitted the presentation is a clear distinction between mandated and involuntary clients, with examples and a definition of socially involuntary clients. Animal Assisted Therapy I thought the presentation was very well done. The group did a great job of explaining the pro’s and con’s of AAT and why it may or may not work for some clients. The range of animals that can be used is very neat. I appreciated the aspect of culturally diverse clients and how some clients may be uncomfortable with AAT because of values or cultural beliefs. I think it is important to acknowledge that it is okay for a client to not be comfortable with animals; some clients may have had a traumatic experience involving an animal before. The question the group posed to the class regarding if AAT should be regular practice was interesting. I do not think it should, because there is a lot of risk and not everyone likes animals. This may be due to allergies, cultural beliefs, or traumatic events and the sight, smell, or thought of animals may be triggering. Those who would like to participate in AAT should absolutely be provided the option and have accessibility to this method of therapy. It is also comforting to know that the health and wellbeing of the therapy animal is considered and prioritized. Eye movement Desensitization and Reprocessing The group did a great job of defining trauma to set the stage for their presentation. The outline of the implications was a good way to start the presentation because it made the presentation more meaningful. I really liked the explanation of the brain and how it is associated with EMDR. I have heard a lot of mention of EMDR, but never fully understood it, so this presentation was very helpful and interesting. I thought the story of how EMDR was created was interesting - something as simple as a walk in the park led to the creation of a great therapy. I also think it is interesting how this is one of the only therapies that do not rely on the therapeutic relationship - maybe this could be helpful for social workers who struggle with social connections. The 8 stages of EMDR were clearly defined and explained well. The presentation was very lengthy, and I found it hard to focus after the 8 stages were explained. I think a more succinct explanation of the application to social work and the argument of theory would have been helpful to maintain attention. I was left feeling confused as to whether the group thought this was an effective therapy or not. Internal Family Systems Therapy I think this presentation was very informative and clearly explained. It is a complex therapy model but the group did a great job of defining terms and explaining the method. The examples of firefighters, managers, and exiles and how they all work within the brain were explained well and helped me understand the concept better. I also like that the group offered this explanation as well as the neuroscience way of seeing things because it gave two different methods of understanding. I think this model is good because it is client-centered and non-invasive, with the client in the lead and the therapist checking in. The video was helpful and showed how a therapist may help elicit past memories and experiences while also being mindful and compassionate. The examples the group gave were great. I also found the comparison to Freud’s id, ego, and superego interesting and it made a lot of sense when compared to this model!
