Trauma Recovery Models - Article Example

Name: Institution: Trauma Recovery Models This review will explore the concepts of trauma recovery with particular emphasis on the programs for recovery from military trauma. The rationale anchoring the military recovery discourse establishes from the ubiquitous rhetoric that military personnel are competitively trained, skilled, and that their resilience is unparalleled. Yet, like in other public realms, there are no perfect preparations for extreme danger and deadly encounters, which predisposes the soldiers to common traumatic effects. It is imperative that even the strongest person can be prone to traumatic shock and inherent stress (Moore & Penk, 2011). The symptoms of after-war traumatic stress are increasingly universal particularly because of the emergence of life-threatening military incidents. Noteworthy is that the lasting psycho-social impacts of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD): anger, depression, and predisposition to substance abuse haunt soldiers for years with varied consequences. This report will discuss the discourse of post military incident stress and the differing concepts deployed to mitigate the impacts of military personnel that return home from military missions. Post Traumatic Stress Management The trauma recovery concepts used in post military incidents are treatment programs tailored for service men that experience traumatic events stemming from their routine line of duty. The primary purpose of the programs is to aid the servicemen return to their normal life and improve the quality of their lives while helping them transit smoothly to their retirement civil life. In general, the trauma management programs aim at educating the victims about the potential causes of the stresses, the underlying impacts, and plausible mechanisms of advantageously radiating the hurting thoughts and emotions linked with the trauma, depression, or anxiety (Flint, 2008). It is important that before a description of a treatment model in this context that underlying implications of exposures to trauma are described. When a soldier for instance is exposed to traumatic incidents after the course of service delivery, they are likely to re-experience distressing and intrusive symptoms that are rekindle memories about hurting trauma-related happenings. Noteworthy too is the much missed but most critical trauma management component: traumatized veterans avoiding memories and emotions related to the traumatizing incident often through indulgence to substance abuse. Important to understand when adjudicating a trauma management plan is that the victims may experience increased arousal incidences that can delimit recovery process by exacerbating other psychological problems such as lack of sleep and utter irritability (Segal, William & Teasdale, 2012). The significance of trauma recovery models in the contemporary military realm is underscored by the emerging trends and reports about the surging number of young veterans that return to mix with the public after military assignments especially in foreign countries. There is common sensibility among the psychology professionals commissioned to counsel the veterans that the need for strategic recovery programs has never been warranted than today. This is because despite the scope of military preparation, there is no way of anticipating for traumatic shock of betrayal, physical and sexual violation perpetrated by comrades from own contingents. According to Flint (2008), it is alleged that at least one in three or five women that serve in military missions for the United States experience traumatizing physical or sexual assaults, and more than three quarters of the victims remain silent for fear of retaliatory aggression. Additionally, reports of sexual assaults against military men are surfacing exponentially although they are rarely or never officially documented. These examples serve only to chronicle the scope of traumatic stress among military veterans, and the extent of need for recovery models. Trauma Recovery Models It is apparent that the department of defense has effective psychotherapeutic models for treating the military personnel returning from missions that may have inflicted differing traumatic effects. The cornerstone of the model implementation is often a highly qualified team of mental health professionals that are trained to educate and treat the victims. According to Martz (2010), the most common models deployed for trauma recovery in military veterans include the Prolonged Exposure (PE) and the Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).The two models are strategically designed and implemented in ways that optimize the potential for helping traumatized soldiers to transform from painful trauma-related thoughts. The primary aim of both programs is to guide the veterans in safely exiting memorable conditions that trigger particular trauma incidents that may be continually troubling them. The different trauma recovery models are aimed at breaking the sequence of mental activities that cultivate the avoidance tendency (Witkiewitz & Marlatt, 2012), which only exacerbates the harm of the suppressed memories therefore increasing the intensity of the traumatic stress. The PE and the CPT have particularly been regularly adopted by professionals for their inherent efficacy in aiding recovery for many military victims and veterans. Prolonged Exposure The PE therapy has been one of the models deployed by professionals with remarkable efficacy for managing PTSD cases. The therapeutic strategies of the model aim at helping the traumatized military staff and veterans safely dissipate thoughts, mental images, and emotions that cultivate contextual situations similar to the actual incidents in the field that begot the traumatic stress. In particular, the model aims at addressing disguised fears that make people want to avoid certain situations because of the distress they may cause. Essentially, the PE model involves repeated exposures to the thoughts, emotions, and situations that associate with the traumatic stress, which mitigate their power of causing stress in on an individual (Foa, Hembree & Rothbaum, 2007). The one exposure therapeutic program that has been lauded for working for trauma victims integrates the components of education, breathing, and real world practice. It begins with introductory sessions that take the trauma victim through the process of the treatment. This education phase helps victims to learn more about the symptoms of their conditions, and understand the goals of the therapy. Effectively, education surfaces as the foundation for any trauma recovery model because it sets the ground for succeeding sessions. In the PE therapeutic model, candidates are coached through strategic breathing practices that help them relax and manage the domino effects of anxiety or fear. The essence in this context is for the veterans to learn how to manage breathing changes when gripped by traumatic anxiety. The real world practice is yet another aspect of the PE in which the victims are exposed to factual situations that prototype the conditions experienced previously (Follette & Ruzek, 2006). This is particularly important in aiding trauma victims to learn how to accept situations that they were previously avoiding for fear of anxiety or distress. For instance, the veterans may be coached to safely exit driving avoiding thoughts, which may have been connected with traumatizing experiences of witnessing fatal car bombs in the road during service delivery. Through this model, exposure to real world practice gradually reduces trauma-related distress therefore helping the veterans once more lead sober and normal lives as before. Another component of the PE program is the imaginal exposure through which the counselor talks victims about trauma memory repeatedly (Joy, 2006). This component of the psychological treatment is particularly important in aiding victims to accept the reality and rise up to move on with much control over their thoughts and feelings. People exit the mental slavery mode when they are helped to realize that fear is only from within and can be managed through making sense of the events leading to the trauma and choose to move on with fewer negative thoughts. Trauma Recovery Models do not always lead to Recovery It is important to note that despite their documented successes, trauma recovery programs often do not deliver full recovery. The prevailing gap in psycho-social research is the understanding of empirical factors that prevent at least half of military personnel suffering PTSD from full treatment (Beckner & Arden, 2008). Additionally, despite the increased awareness, many military men and women suffering post service trauma never seek treatment safe for their fears of re-living traumatic events. This area leaves grey areas that warrant more research to unveil issues that compel the soldiers from seeking professional medical help from strategically designed models that have demonstrated efficacy in others. New Trauma Recovery Models Research is recommendable that seeks to unveil innovative approaches of treating post traumatic conditions. In particular, the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET) (Ford, 2009) has been increasingly innovative in that it integrates practices that help victims figure out the processes leading their brains to shift into perpetual alarm state. Ref lauds this model for the ability to reveal the facts to the veterans and helping them device mechanisms of resetting their minds in order to eliminate the mental imbalances associated with the false conditioning. Conclusion This report revolved around the broad discourse of trauma recovery models. Although trauma recovery concepts a varied and show differential scopes of efficacy, their progressive implementation with victims benefiting gradually at each phase has emerged a synergy for achieving designated goals. The trauma recovery concepts used in post military incidents are treatment programs tailored for service men that experience traumatic events stemming from their routine line of duty. The PE therapy has been one of the models deployed by professionals with remarkable efficacy for managing PTSD cases. It is important to note that despite their documented successes, trauma recovery programs often do not deliver full recovery. The prevailing gap in psycho-social research is the understanding of empirical factors that prevent at least half of military personnel suffering PTSD from full treatment. References Beckner, V.L., & Arden, J.B. (2008). Conquering post-traumatic stress disorder: The newest techniques for overcoming symptoms, regaining hope and getting your life back. London, UK: Fair Winds. Flint, L.M. (2008). Trauma: Contemporary principles and therapy. Santa Barbara, CA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Foa, E., Hembree, E., & Rothbaum, B.O. (2007). Prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD: Emotional processing of traumatic experiences therapist guide. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. Follette, V.M., Ruzek, J.I. (2006). Cognitive-behaviour therapies for trauma. (2nd ed.). New York, Guilford Press. Ford, J.D. (2009). Posttraumatic stress disorder: Scientific and professional dimensions. New York, NY: Academic Press. Joy, M.J. (2006). Novel approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. New York, NY: IOS Press. Martz, E. (2010). Trauma rehabilitation after war and conflict. New York, NY: Springer. Moore, B.A., & Penk, W.E. (2011). Treating PTSD in military: A clinical handbook. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Segal, Z.V., Williams, J.M.G., & Teasdale, J.D. (2012). Mindfulness-base cognitive therapy for depression. (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guildford Press. Witkiewitz, K.A., & Marlatt, G.A. (2011). Therapist’s guide to evidence-based relapse prevention. New York, NY: Academic Press. Read More

The significance of trauma recovery models in the contemporary military realm is underscored by the emerging trends and reports about the surging number of young veterans that return to mix with the public after military assignments especially in foreign countries. There is common sensibility among the psychology professionals commissioned to counsel the veterans that the need for strategic recovery programs has never been warranted than today. This is because despite the scope of military preparation, there is no way of anticipating for traumatic shock of betrayal, physical and sexual violation perpetrated by comrades from own contingents.

According to Flint (2008), it is alleged that at least one in three or five women that serve in military missions for the United States experience traumatizing physical or sexual assaults, and more than three quarters of the victims remain silent for fear of retaliatory aggression. Additionally, reports of sexual assaults against military men are surfacing exponentially although they are rarely or never officially documented. These examples serve only to chronicle the scope of traumatic stress among military veterans, and the extent of need for recovery models.

Trauma Recovery Models It is apparent that the department of defense has effective psychotherapeutic models for treating the military personnel returning from missions that may have inflicted differing traumatic effects. The cornerstone of the model implementation is often a highly qualified team of mental health professionals that are trained to educate and treat the victims. According to Martz (2010), the most common models deployed for trauma recovery in military veterans include the Prolonged Exposure (PE) and the Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).

The two models are strategically designed and implemented in ways that optimize the potential for helping traumatized soldiers to transform from painful trauma-related thoughts. The primary aim of both programs is to guide the veterans in safely exiting memorable conditions that trigger particular trauma incidents that may be continually troubling them. The different trauma recovery models are aimed at breaking the sequence of mental activities that cultivate the avoidance tendency (Witkiewitz & Marlatt, 2012), which only exacerbates the harm of the suppressed memories therefore increasing the intensity of the traumatic stress.

The PE and the CPT have particularly been regularly adopted by professionals for their inherent efficacy in aiding recovery for many military victims and veterans. Prolonged Exposure The PE therapy has been one of the models deployed by professionals with remarkable efficacy for managing PTSD cases. The therapeutic strategies of the model aim at helping the traumatized military staff and veterans safely dissipate thoughts, mental images, and emotions that cultivate contextual situations similar to the actual incidents in the field that begot the traumatic stress.

In particular, the model aims at addressing disguised fears that make people want to avoid certain situations because of the distress they may cause. Essentially, the PE model involves repeated exposures to the thoughts, emotions, and situations that associate with the traumatic stress, which mitigate their power of causing stress in on an individual (Foa, Hembree & Rothbaum, 2007). The one exposure therapeutic program that has been lauded for working for trauma victims integrates the components of education, breathing, and real world practice.

It begins with introductory sessions that take the trauma victim through the process of the treatment. This education phase helps victims to learn more about the symptoms of their conditions, and understand the goals of the therapy. Effectively, education surfaces as the foundation for any trauma recovery model because it sets the ground for succeeding sessions. In the PE therapeutic model, candidates are coached through strategic breathing practices that help them relax and manage the domino effects of anxiety or fear.

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