Introduction
Various traumas and mental health problems can bring severe complications to the lives of individuals. Often times they are caused by specific events that happened in childhood or bad parental upbringing and prevent people from receiving satisfaction from life and personal relationships. Therefore, when dealing with psychological problems, it is essential to understand patients’ history better and apply different techniques for effective treatment. On the example provided by Suttenberg (2016), it can be seen that one of the powerful interventions is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy that “leads to mood stabilization by identifying, challenging, actively disputing, and ultimately replacing maladaptive and irrational thoughts and behaviors” (p. 231). The case study discussed that even though this particular instance is complicated due to the existence of several layers of trauma, cognitive restructuring is a useful strategy to deal with some aspects of the issue (Suttenberg, 2016). Nevertheless, in order to explore this case better, it is essential to examine other theories and their methods of intervention. Thus, the following paper will discuss the case using two other approaches and suggest an intervention based on them.
Psychoanalysis Theory
One of the concepts with the help of which the Gordon case can be discussed is the psychoanalysis theory. This method has originated from the thought of Sigmund Freud who claimed that every individual possesses opinions and memories in the unconscious mind that influences their choices and behaviors (Mitchell & Black, 2016). Psychoanalysis is established around a highly emotional analytical process of a patient’s personal experiences (Mitchell & Black, 2016). With the help of this thought individuals are able to connect and compare different parts of their lives, such as past and present, thinking and sensing, living, and fantasizing (Mitchell & Black, 2016). In other words, the psychoanalysis theory allows specialists to encourage their patients to find a correlation between certain conditions and understand the cause-effect relationships between them. Even though the psychoanalytical perspective can be seen as odd, vague, and alien by millions of people, it provides informed minds with various tools for the expansion, enrichment, and consolidation of one’s existence and relationship with the surrounding world (Mitchell & Black, 2016). Hence, psychoanalysis theory is a useful practice which contributes to people’s understanding of themselves, their mind and experiences.
Psychoanalysis theory is appropriate for the Holocaust related trauma of Gordon because it can reveal important details about various processes that happened in the patient’s life. As it has been indicated by Suttenberg (2016), this case is associated with an exposure to a number of traumas during the course of life. Since experiencing several terrible situations contributes to the layering effect, “the compression of multiple traumas over time reinforces, hardens, and deeply ingrains core beliefs associated with trauma” (Suttenberg, 2016, p. 231). Consequently, such a psychological state does not let an individual receive joy and satisfaction, appreciate the opportunities life brings, and recover from different minor and major emotional distresses. However, while engaging Gordon in psychoanalysis and getting him acquainted with its techniques, he will be able to release the negative emotions and turn unconscious into conscious (Mitchell & Black, 2016). In general, this approach can explain why specific events are hidden deeply in the patient’s mind and teach him to analyze and connect them to the present time.
Family Systems Theory
It should be pointed out that family systems theory is one of the most sophisticated approaches to explaining the emergence and treatment of various psychological problems since it investigates people as members of their family. As noted by Kim-Appel and Appel (2015), Dr. Murray Bowen, who introduced this theory to the public, developed it during his whole life through the research of “family as an emotional unit” (p. 185). His findings concluded that the family environment could contribute to the process of emotional fusion as well as differentiation (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). A healthy development of a person is possible when family members have a psychological connection, anxiety is absent, and parents keep a positive relationship with their families of origin (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). Bowen’s general idea was that family growth is the procedure of “expansion, contraction, a realignment that supports entry, exit, and development of family members” (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). In other words, the main point behind family systems theory is that individuals should not be understood in isolation from each other; their personalities should be analyzed based on the family interactions and their relationships with relatives.
One of Bowen’s family systems theory’s essential concepts is the differentiation of the self which did not happen in Gordon’s case. The approach emphasizes the importance of a person’s ability to self-regulate and engage in the process of differentiation while being a member of the family (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). This belief means that every individual should have an opportunity to remain oneself without feeling constant pressure to be involved in family life. Even though a healthy relationship requires a desire for togetherness and support, there is also a need for separation and personal development (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). Thus, it can be stated that one of the contributors to the emergence of Gordon’s psychological problems is his inability to grow as an individual personality. After the death of his father, Gordon did not have any choice rather than becoming the head of the family. His mother was in need of emotional support, and, as a result, he was responsible not only for himself but also for his siblings (Suttenberg, 2016). Hence, such an environment did not let Gordon develop as an independent self.
In addition, family systems theory can be applied to the case of Gordon because it can explain his psychological problems based on the feelings and actions he experienced during childhood. It is in the nature of any family to stay emotionally connected throughout life; consequently, the members influence each other’s well-being based on their personal life circumstances, issues, or impressions. Kim-Appel & Appel (2015) concluded that families tend to impact their members so profoundly that it usually seems that individuals live under the same skin. The interdependence of relatives promotes cooperation, cohesiveness, support, and approval while also giving individuals a chance for personal growth (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). At the same time, when particular family members go through problems or suffer from anxiety, they spread these negative feelings onto others and contribute to the emergence of a stressful environment (Kim-Appel & Appel, 2015). Gordon’s parents lived in constant fear and did not receive life satisfaction which made him feel pressured and worried about causing any upset to them (Suttenberg, 2016). In general, he could not feel happy because his parents did not transfer these emotions to him.
Intervention
In order to design a possible intervention that would be appropriate for the case of Gordon and that would include each of the theoretical approaches mentioned before, it is first necessary to take a look at the various practices separately. Regarding the therapy of psychoanalysis, it can be noted that it is a long and careful procedure that requires a patient to complete multiple treatment sessions with a professional (McLeod, 2019). The lengthy duration of the therapy is primarily caused by the defense mechanisms used by the client in order to prevent the discussion of hurtful and personal topics (McLeod, 2019). For this reason, the analyst discloses very little information about themselves so that the individual feels comfortable sharing their concerns and emotional distresses (McLeod, 2019). Throughout whole therapy, the person is encouraged to create insights into their behaviors and feelings while being influenced by various techniques, such as associations, inkblots, interpretation, and resistance and transference analysis (McLeod, 2019). Therefore, psychoanalysis therapy is an effective way of receiving access to the deepest thoughts of the clients and understand the roots of the psychological problems they experience in the present life.
As it has already mentioned, family systems theory explores how family members impact each other’s emotional well-being and establish an environment for individual development. Thus, when a person experiences troubles or suffers from mental health disorders, it is essential to analyze the internal processes in their immediate family. It is proved that one of the best ways to begin this kind of treatment is gaining an understanding of the family system by building a genogram (Spiegel, 2017). While entering important information, such as names, critical life events, and the strength of emotional relationships with the relatives, an individual can analyze the prevailing behavioral patterns and dysfunctions that should be addressed (Spiegel, 2017). Moreover, a complete family genogram can be a critical tool in investigating their own feelings and activities by comparing them to those of other family members (Spiegel, 2017). In general, a family genogram is a vital element of any family systems therapy that helps both the professional and the client to understand relationships between the relatives.
In order to construct an appropriate intervention for Gordon by using the two mentioned therapies, it is crucial to include particular practices from each. The first step of a possible treatment process will be designing a family genogram that will encourage him to understand the level of relationships he had with his parents during early childhood and behavioral tendencies that contributed to his negative feelings about himself. Since, most probably, it will be hard for Gordon to share his thoughts about emotional events, such as the death of his father or the mental instability of his mother, a professional should use specific psychoanalytical techniques at this stage of therapy. For instance, free association, during which a person talks about anything that comes to mind, can make Gordon feel more open and confident about sharing his feelings (McLeod, 2019). While free-associating patients can experience an intense memory that makes them feel like they are reliving this situation again and, as a result, it becomes harder to resist talking about it with the doctor (McLeod, 2019). Hence, by practicing the mentioned techniques, a specialist will establish a foundation for patient analysis.
After that, an intervention should focus on understanding and treating the problems discovered during the construction of a family genogram and free association. During multiple sessions, a psychologist should encourage the patient to talk about his childhood experiences and share whatever details Gordon feels were important or disturbing. As mentioned by Spiegel (2017), a specialist should carefully listen to the patient and pay considerable attention to the cycles of grief, guilt, relief, worry, and guilt. At this moment, it may be possible to distinguish different parts of the client’s personality that continually have conflicts and conversations inside the mind (Spiegel, 2017). Such kind of an intervention can prove to be sufficient for Gordon’s case because by using the techniques of two different theoretical approaches it will give him a chance to discover and analyze the most painful memories from his childhood that contribute to the appearance of current psychological problems. In addition, after talking through all the concerns and feelings, the emotions will no longer be repressed and cause new issues.
Conclusion
Overall, it is clear that psychological traumas bring serious complications to the lives of people. They do not give them an opportunity to receive satisfaction from life and find their purpose. Nevertheless, individuals’ present experiences are not the only phenomena responsible for their issues; mental health problems are created during the times of early childhood if people do not receive enough attention from their parents and develop negative feelings about themselves. On the example of Gordon’s case it can be seen how childhood traumas contribute to the emergence of severe psychological issues. Therefore, the presented reflection paper discussed it by using two theoretical approaches and designing a possible intervention.
References
Kim-Appel, D., & Appel, J. K. (2015). Bowenian family systems theory: Approaches and applications. In D. Capuzzi & M. D. Stauffer (Eds.), Foundations of couples, marriage, and family counseling (pp. 185-213). John Wiley & Sons.
McLeod, S. (2019). Psychoanalysis. Simply Psychology.
Mitchell, S. A., & Black, M. J. (2016). Freud and beyond: A history of modern psychoanalytic thought. Hachette UK.
Spiegel, L. (2017). Internal Family Systems therapy with children. Routledge.
Suttenberg, L. P. (2016). Never forget: Cognitive restructuring limitations in Holocaust related layered trauma. Clinical Social Work Journal, 44(3), 231-240.