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Student's Name Instructor's Name Course Number Date Remembering Trauma: Connecting The Dots Between Complex Trauma and Misdiagnosis in Youth The Review There are few areas of clinical endeavor that are fraught with more controversies than that traumatology- a field that is concerned with the treatment and nature of traumatic stress reactions. Over the past decade, how and how extensively people remember trauma has attracted much attention not only for its intrinsic importance in philosophy and psychology but because of its practical ramifications in the therapeutic realms. Movies can play a critical role in facilitating understanding; they can help survivors comprehend that even in their sufferings, they are not alone and that their feelings and thoughts are common and normal reactions to traumatic events. Such films can be used to instill hope through the practice of forgiveness, provide vital information on how to heal, and place role models who inspire and encourage healthy coping mechanisms. "Remembering Trauma: Connecting the Dots between Complex Trauma and Misdiagnosis in Youth" discusses how the mass media effect can influence youths, and by extension, adults who have experienced trauma in both negative and positive ways and how carefully chosen movies can have therapeutic, personal and professional implications. The film is a short narrative movie (16 minutes) that depicts the story of a youth (Manny) who is traumatized from early childhood and onto older adolescence. It provides an illustration of his trauma interactions and reactions with different service providers, including his therapist, probation officer, and school counselor. The idea behind the making of the film is a true story that shows the various ways that trauma can impact youth. As an informational product, the film supports the critical importance of adopting the trauma lens to work with child-serving systems and the radical and detrimental effects that can result from not incorporating the trauma framework. As an awareness tool, the film strives to educate its audience on the existence of trauma that manifests into adulthood and also serves as a powerful educational tool as to the different ways trauma can be mitigated through existing systems. As a child, Manny grows up around a violent father who screams at him and ridicules him for not performing the different activities he assigns him to his liking. His ridicule is often followed by violence towards him and his mother, who is often frantic about helping Manny not to disappoint his father. Another scene that has a significant impact in the film is when he is coming from a school with his sister, only to witness two young men physically violate her. He responds by running away in fear, but when he is older, he spots a young man harassing a young lady, and he responds by viciously assaulting the perpetrator, only to regret it later. Manny's trauma manifests in his school work when the teacher complains that he is unable to keep his concentration in class and speculates that he might be

suffering from ADHD and bipolar disorder based on his family's background. He is often violent to his classmates, and this violent trend continues throughout his youth. In this film, viewers ought to look out for the manifestation of childhood trauma in adulthood, especially when the traumatized individuals are in a position to respond to the triggers. How Manny responds to his wife can be contrasted to how his father responds to his mother and the rest of the family, especially when he is agitated. An aspect that would warrant further reflection would be how the traumatized individual responds to treatment and therapy from their childhood through youth and adulthood. In one instance, Manny complains that the medication he receives only numbs him but never solves any of his problems. Therapeutic Implications Manny's angry tirades are a common feature of his trauma, and scenes where he experiences violence, have significant value for the therapeutic process. When Manny assaults a young man who is seen to be harassing a young lady on the street, it is evident that his violent outbursts from his school days are yet to be behind him. As the scene progresses, he is seen to respond to his probation officer by saying 'I don't know what happened' right after he is asked to explain the events that led to his assault ("Remembering Trauma Official Film"). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an efficient and common form of therapy in this area, and this scene would help my clients understand how CBT can work for them by identifying links between how the beliefs and thoughts we have, how we feel, and also the approach we choose to respond to different stimuli. This scene is of particular importance because anger management interventions that I would propose would typically target the physiological and emotional elements of anger, the cognitive processes that fuel dysfunctional anger, and the communication and social skills necessary to alleviate anger. I would use this scene that expresses angry tirades to make a connection to my clients by proposing relaxation-based interventions, stress inoculation, cognitive restructuring, and social skills training. All four training processes take time to master, and during this period, the emotional and physiological experience would help my clients recognize their biased and dysfunctional thinking processes attributable to past trauma and instead develop more helpful and rational thinking processes that align with reality. In a similar fashion, it becomes easier to develop an emotional connection with a client as they go through the motions and take up new directions in life, paths that lead to the development of anger management skills and awareness. The rationale for using this scene is rooted in the film's backbone of illustrating the impact of complex trauma and its potential for misdiagnosis across different service systems. Although the film features a young Latino man and his family, the experiences and challenges are unique to the character, especially because it is based on a true story. However, it is understood that traumatic experiences are often multiplied by systems of oppression such as heterosexism, racism, and sexism, among others. The 'angry black man' stereotype is rooted in slavery and is a common feature in African American history and the Civil Rights movement, according to Hargons et al. (2022). The scene carries the weight of generational trauma that expresses itself every day through individuals who have either tried to deal with the problem or are just victims of the same. Manny, similar to many youths of his background, manifests his anger tirades as an expression of his childhood that was, in turn, inflicted upon him by his father, who was

manifesting trauma inflicted by his father before him. This scene demonstrates the importance of dealing with trauma before it becomes transferrable to future generations. As Manny explains to his probation officer, he is not quite sure what took over him before he reacted the way he did, but this is true; this is a common phenomenon in our society today. Understanding how trauma affects future generations should be the backbone of every parent who wishes to see their offspring succeed in a world that is becoming increasingly dangerous. As a result, such scenes should be used to create awareness; first because they harbor emotional intensity, and they can be used to explain elements of the past and possible future outcomes. Personal Implications I connected with the movie through the strong imagery, strong language, and exceptional characters who made the movie the masterpiece it is. There were scenes that were not only personal to the character but felt closer to home. Our society today is riddled with instances of traumatic cases that manifest differently, as can be witnessed in secular media. Life's demands have often left children at the mercy of guardians and other individuals while the parents are out trying to eke out a living. As a result, children are abused and neglected, and as a result, turn to the wrong people for help, hoping to find solace, only to be abused further. The underprivileged children who live in violent neighborhoods are more likely to witness or experience instances of traumatizing violence before they enter their teenage which has a ripple effect across their academic performance, social performance, and later adult life. This movie provides interesting statistics that are heartbreaking, to say the least, where children are denied emotional, cognitive, or spiritual support as the foundation of their moral code that is supposed to carry them through to adulthood. It is also easier to connect to this movie, having seen the world through this lens to reveal the filthy underbelly of capitalism that has left perhaps hundreds of millions of people at the mercy of a few greedy individuals. This film confirmed to me the psychodynamic perspective that was originally proposed by Sigmund Freud. The idea is that unconscious psychological processes such as fear and anger are instrumental in the shaping of the personality of individuals in their adulthood. As a small boy, Manny helplessly watched as his sister was violated by older boys whom he thought were friendly. Although he paused for a second, perhaps contemplating fighting back, he ran away in fear only to awaken the same trauma as he witnessed another young man harassing a lady on the street. This time, he did not hold back to fight the other young man, a confirmation of the psychodynamic perspective. This film also confirms to me the fact that individuals who have experienced past trauma report a slowing of time. On several occasions, Manny's recollection of his traumatic episodes seem to slow down time, and he seems lost to his reality, and he is seen to be constantly oblivious to his surrounding, even to his wife's voice. However, the film added to my understanding of trauma treatment to the fact that social support is a critical facet of recovery, especially when Manny is grounded by the love of his family and the encouragement he receives from different support systems. Medication alone is not sufficient in trauma treatment, especially among people who have experienced repeated trauma. Having a strong support system compliments CBT and shortens the road to recovery. The information gathered in this film is especially helpful in understanding childhood/adolescent crises/trauma. Although it provides vivid descriptions of one individual's experiences, it only adds to the desire to learn more about other reported cases and the road to recovery. I will utilize

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this information as a springboard to do further research and commit myself to learning so that if and when I come across individuals who need my assistance, I can be better positioned to offer them help from the point of knowledge. The information provided in this film can also be used to explain many of the dysfunctionalities present in modern-day societies, especially where there is a lack of accountability and subsequent erosion of the moral code, specifically instigated and promoted by policies that exhibit greed and a general disregard for certain societies and human life in general. Professional Implications As a professional, ' Remembering Trauma: Connecting the Dots between Complex Trauma and Misdiagnosis in Youth' brought me back to the foundation of psychology, where one must understand that a developing brain organizes itself in accordance with experiences and stimulation. Despite genetic makeup, childhood trauma is vastly associated with the environment and reinforced by the stimuli that exist within that environment. The film brought to light the fact that if the interactions with the environment are negative and neglectful, then neurodevelopment will unfold differently compared to an environment that is consistently nurturing. Also, because children do not have the cognitive awareness to discern or discriminate the quality of interactions, all they have is the biologically dependent conditioning that is commonly developed around the totality of the child's sensory experience. In this case, Manny's experiences as a child influenced his conduct as a young adult with sudden and strong anger outbursts that often led him to account for his actions to a probation officer and a counselor. There were some scenes that I strongly agreed with on a professional level. Scenes of regret after acting out in anger are a common feature of PTSD, and there are several scenes that explain this fact in the film. When Manny returns home to find his wife holding their child, she disallows him from holding the baby unless he gets cleaned up. In this scene, there is a slight indication of anger that suddenly turns into reason, and he calmly walks away to the bathroom to get cleaned up, only to have another recollection episode. This scene indicates the progress made with the help he has been receiving, whereby his anger becomes more controlled around people he has affection for, further advocating for the need for treatment for individuals who have experienced childhood/adolescent crises/trauma. Another scene that I agree with is when faced with his probation officer and the possibility of incarceration, he seems to lose hope and says, 'Maybe I should stop trying.' This is a point that many recovering patients get to and is usually a turning point for their recovery. With proper support and guidance, this point should pivot the patient to keep up the fight and strive to make sustainable positive changes that will have positive outcomes for the patient. I learned that people are often a summation of their life experiences, especially those that take place during the formative years. There is often a common reason why the penal system is riddled with African Americans from poor backgrounds and disenfranchised communities. Such individuals are often prosecuted for violent behavior such as robbery with violence, gang association and activity, rape, or other violent crimes. I also learned that to become a competent therapist, there are several competencies that I need to be acquainted with. These include; educating myself, having a flexible attitude, being non-judgmental and respectful, being organized and practicing professionally and ethically, and having a sober understanding of the importance of communication. Manny's communication with his probation officer and therapist

has had a profound impact on his decision-making process, although there are instances of lapse of judgment. Being a competent therapist, in my understanding, calls for a continuous process of rediscovery and reeducation, especially with the new studies conducted every other time. By understanding that people are the sum total of their experiences, it is not difficult to understand why human nature is as diverse as it is today and why human systems are sometimes as flawed as they are. Childhood/adolescent crises/trauma have a direct bearing on the state of our everyday lives through public policy, lobbying, human conduct, political affiliations, spousal selection, among others, and eventually, the quality of lives we lead. As a therapist, I have learned that psychology is a discipline that is necessary and even critical to the survival and evolution of our race.

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