Youth Work, Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing - Essay Example

A Critical Review in the Contemporary Themes in Youth Work Practice, Thematic Area Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing Description The following recording is that of a journal written by author Bruce D. Perry titled Brain and Mind and was published in Netherlands in the year by Kluwer Academic Publishers. The article has proven valuable in the contribution of new insights to the various contributions of a child’s development. Understanding The article tries to explain what makes a person who they are in the end and what influences if any play a part in building their character among other things as they grow into adulthood. The main message of this article bases itself upon the development of a child as they grow at the influence that genetics and the environment they are placed in has on them (Perry, 2002). The article argues that human beings and their humanity are as a result a result of both nature and nurture and thus none can be successful without the other. In this case nature is in reference to the genetic components that make up heir system while nurture is in reference to the various experiences that they go through while growing up at the various stages of their lives (Perry, 2002). The argument is that these two factors are essential in the development of a human being thus it ca n be said that both genes as well as experience are interdependent of one another. The understanding that I received from this article is that there is a need for both genetic development as well as experience for an individual to grow into a well rounded figure and a lack of any of these factors or a provision of negative ones will in turn deprive the person from forming into a well adjusted individual when they are in the adult stages of their lives (Perry, 2002). The article also explains that the earlier stages of an individuals lives (that is, from infancy to around their years as a toddler) are the more vital parts of an individuals life when the experiences that they undergo will have a vital effect on them and their psychological and emotional development (Perry, 2002). This is clearly seen in an example whereby a child who is not touched during their early stages as a baby is likely to suffer more and such an experience have an adverse effect as compared to a child who has reached puberty undergoing the same experience. This example also exhibits that different experiences are vital during different stages of one’s life and do not really play a large role after that stage in life has already been passed. The article has also argued that the neurodevelopment of an individual is highly influenced not only by the genetic transformations that take place, but by the various experiences as well (Perry, 2002). This is to say that the neurodevelopment process does not only rely on the development of the various genes within the brain but are also affected by the various microenvironments that they may be subjected to. These microenvironments play a role in determining what sort of developmental activity takes place within an individual’s neurological system and thus can simply not be ignored in this scientific process. Critical Thinking My evaluation of the above presentation is in agreement with the arguments that the author has based in his article. This is due to the fact that despite the important role that genetics have to play in the developmental of a child both physically and in neurological terms, the experiences that the child goes through cannot be ignored as they are the basis on which a child will form the mind frame on which their thoughts will operate on (Dobson & Perry, 2010). While the genetic development is a natural occurrence and thus does not really have to be chided onwards (nature), the experiences are influenced by the environment that the child is placed in and thus will need to be given more attention to ensure that the child is undergoing the right kind of experiences at the right time so as to ensure that they will have a positive impact on them. A good example on how experiences mold the mind of a child can be seen in an individual who simply lacks the empathy that is found in other individuals (that is, they do not feel sorry for individuals who they may witness suffering) as a result of never having experienced the loving nurturing care of a parent or guardian during their early stages in life. This lack of experience may have left them bereft of the proper emotion to have towards their fellow individuals as they never experienced it themselves (Perry & Dobson, 2009). Practical evidence that supports this argument can be found in schools all over the world whereby a child who is raised in a violent home tends to be violent themselves and thus is often involved in physical altercations with other children on the play ground as a result. This is because of the environment they were raised in, their mind subconsciously taught itself to perceive violence as acceptable behavior leading to their actions (Perry, 2006). Such examples prove that the experiences that a child undergoes in the environments they are in play just as big a factor as the genetic processes in the development of a child. Values These discoveries have served to reaffirm my personal as well as professional values that a child’s environment is always an essential consideration in the evaluation of a child (Brendtro etal 2009). One of the top priorities while raising a child is to ensure that they are placed in positive surroundings that are filled with love and care to allow their proper development as an individual (Perry & Hambrick, 2008). It is not only important to provide the basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter but the emotional needs of the child must be catered to as well to ensure that they are in a position to learn and develop positively from their environment. Conclusion In conclusion, a number of question were raised as I read this article such as whether or not I as an individual do my personal best to provide the children that I interact with the best environment possible to ensure their positive growth and as a result it has enhanced my awareness on how I treat the young around me during my interaction with them. I believe this will result in enabling me to create a better more positive environment for them and to be more understanding of their needs. References Brendtro, K.L. et al. 2009. Deep Brain Learning, Pathways to Potential with challenging Youth, Starr Commonwealth. Dobson, C. & Perry, B.D. 2010, The role of healthy relational interactions in buffering the impact of childhood trauma in Working with Children to Heal Interpersonal Trauma: The Power of Play (E. Gil,Ed.), The Guilford Press, New York, NY Perry, D. B. 2002. Childhood Experience and the Expression of Genetic Potential: What Childhood Neglect Tells Us About Nature and Nurture. Brain and Mind 3: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Dordrecht. Perry, B.D. 2006. The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics: Applying principles of neuroscience to clinical work with traumatized and maltreated children In: Working with Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare (Ed. Nancy Boyd Webb), The Guilford Press, New York, NY Perry, B.D. & Dobson, C.D. 2009. Surviving childhood trauma: the role of relationships in prevention of, and recovery from, trauma-related problems. Counselling Children and Young People: Journal of CCYP, a division of British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy Perry, B.D. and Hambrick, E. 2008. The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, Reclaiming Children and Youth, 17 (3) 38-43. Perry, B.D. 2009. Examining child maltreatment through a neurodevelopmental lens: clinical application of the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, Journal of Loss and Trauma Read More