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Recommendations for Dynamic Treatment of Identity-Based Trauma: Opening the "I" to Reflection
Cory K Chen1, John R Keefe1, Ranjana Srinivasan1
1Department of Psychology, Long Island University, Brooklyn, New York City (Chen); Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) New York Harbor Healthcare System, New York City (Chen, Srinivasan); Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York City (Keefe); Department of Psychiatry, New York University, New York City (Srinivasan).
American Journal of Psychotherapy
|October 19, 2023
Summary
Many trauma treatments fail, especially for identity-based violence. Psychodynamic therapy offers a flexible approach to address systemic factors and patient identities, improving trauma treatment outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Trauma Studies
- Psychotherapy Research
Background:
- Current trauma treatments are often ineffective for many individuals.
- Traumas targeting identity require addressing systemic factors like oppression and marginalization.
- Existing treatments may overlook the impact of invalidation and identity policing on trauma survivors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the ineffectiveness of current trauma treatments for identity-based violence.
- To advocate for psychodynamic approaches that integrate patients' intersectional identities.
- To provide a framework for understanding therapist-patient identity dynamics in trauma treatment.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of psychodynamic theory and intersectionality.
- Presentation of clinical concepts relevant to therapist-patient identity dynamics.
- Inclusion of a case study illustrating identity's impact on trauma symptoms and treatment.
Main Results:
- Psychodynamic approaches can flexibly address identity-related dynamics in therapy.
- Intersectional identities significantly influence symptom manifestation and treatment course.
- Therapists' lack of expert knowledge regarding patients' cultural experiences necessitates cultural humility.
Conclusions:
- Psychodynamic therapy is well-suited for addressing complex trauma involving identity.
- Cultural humility and self-reflection are crucial for clinicians treating diverse trauma survivors.
- Integrating patients' intersectional identities into treatment planning enhances therapeutic efficacy.
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