I am a Texas native from the Houston area, and I also lived in the Phoenix area for several years, and now I have returned to Texas and have lived in the Austin area for the past ten years. My husband and I have two sons and are brand-new empty nesters. My oldest son is a junior at the University of North Texas and is studying digital art and design. My youngest son is 18 and has just graduated from Air Force Basic Training last week, as shown in my picture. 

My ultimate goal in pursuing this degree is to complete my requirements for the LPC program. However, one goal I have for this class is to better understand trauma and the human trauma response. This will not only help my understanding of youth in my current position but will also help my understanding of my future role. 

My current role is in a Title I school, and in a post-covid world, students' mental health needs are ever-changing and constantly increasing. I am one of two counselors in a middle school of 650 students. While I understand the need for mental health services, the statistics are staggering. According to the CDC, recent data shows more than a third of high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic, and nearly half reported symptoms of depression in the year following the pandemic (2022).

Following the pandemic, the CDC states that the lack of mental health resources for adolescents can have potentially devastating effects on mental health (2022).
As I took several of the mental health quizzes, I was surprised at how many answers I got wrong. Even though I work in the mental health field on a daily basis, strategies and schools of thought on mental health are ever-changing and are somewhat subjective, depending on who you ask. As mental health needs are changing, mental health professionals must also change their strategies and mindsets to meet the needs of those with mental health concerns. As the decade continues, it will be vital to prioritize mental health as a topic of importance. Mental health education, resources, and mental health professionals will need to be at the forefront of our society to cope with the mental health challenges to come in the near future (2023). 

In my future role as a licensed professional counselor, knowledge of current trends, strategies, and professional practices will help everyone succeed. This course will give me a more well-rounded exposure to crisis, trauma, and how it affects individuals in a daily setting. It will also provide access to current research, trends, and successful techniques to make a difference with those I come into contact with. 

References

              Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, March 31). New CDC data illuminate youth mental health threats during the COVID-19 pandemic. Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved January 16, 2023 from https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/p0331-youth-mental-health-covid-19.html

              McClintock, E. (2023) The Forecast for 2023: 6 Key Mental Health Trends. Retrieved January 16, 2023 from https://everfi.com/blog/community-engagement/the-

As a mental health professional that works with adolescents in the public school system, the ACE study gives professionals a good baseline point of understanding of what that child might be facing. As someone who works with a lower socio-economic population, this screening provides a starting point to understand the child’s behaviors, thoughts, and actions. A child's brain that has experienced trauma, may have created altered behaviors and coping mechanisms to face that trauma (Stevens, 2019). This screening tool is helpful as a piece of the puzzle, but it may not be the only tool necessary when working with children. Some children may score a zero on the assessment but still have trauma in another form. So while it is representative of many forms of trauma, it may encompass everyone. 

 

Secondary trauma is a type of trauma that was interesting because, as current mental health professionals, it's a possibility that we might be affected by this as well. Secondary trauma is also known as indirect trauma. It is a stress response in reaction to being told about or being witness to direct trauma by another (McDnough, 2022). As a school counselor, I am often exposed to indirect trauma, which is also referred to as compassion fatigue. I must be reminded that I am also susceptible to this form of trauma while offering to hear about others’ traumatic experiences.

Vicarious trauma is defined as exposure to repeated secondary trauma. This causes the recipients of this trauma to experience a change in the way they see the world in a negative view. This is often experienced by caregivers and counselors alike. Symptoms may include feeling emotionally numb, easily distracted, fatigue, and irritability. It is important as mental health professionals that we are aware of these early warning signs and practice self-care.  

Burnout is described as prolonged psychological and physical exhaustion that workers sometimes experience when working with those who have experienced trauma. According to (Shoji et al, 2015), secondary trauma is often the result of feelings of burnout. Although the symptoms of burnout vary by person, some may experience symptoms such as physical and emotional stress, inability to regulate emotions, and low job satisfaction. It is important to recognize these symptoms to ensure that we, as mental health workers prioritize our own well-being.

 

When thinking about trauma in adolescents, trauma can have a profound impact on children. Children lack the emotional development and coping skills to manage the trauma they are exposed to. Because their bodies and brains are still developing, children are more vulnerable to trauma, and healthy brain development can be compromised. What can help is showing any child that they can feel safe and giving them a trusted person to talk to will help them begin to process trauma. 

Since I currently work with adolescents, I will speak to strategies that I have used and have had success with. I recently had the opportunity to be trained in Trust Based Relational Intervention (TBRI). This is an attachment-based, trauma-informed strategy that has worked well with children who have experienced trauma. Another strategy that could be used in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). This is a form of talk therapy that can help individuals start to process and work through trauma and behaviors and set goals for themselves. 

It is important for all healthcare and mental health professionals to receive education and training on trauma and current assessments. If professionals are aware of the warning signs, and strategies, they will know how to better assess individuals and get them the support they need. 

From my perspective as a current school counselor, it's important to understand how grief and trauma affect students since they are most likely facing one or both of these at any given time. It is important to provide students with a safe place to share their thoughts and feelings as well as a safe person to share them with. Having a basic understanding of these practices will help me to create a more empathetic environment to help support students. 

References:

 

McDonough, (2022). Brainline. Secondary traumatic stress should not be underestimated. https://www.brainline.org/article/secondary-ptsd-or-secondary-traumatic-stress-should-not-be-underestimated

 

Shoji, K., Lesnierowska, M., Smoktunowicz, E., Bock, J., Luszczynska, A., Benight, C. C., & Cieslak, R. (2015). What Comes First, Job Burnout or Secondary Traumatic Stress? Findings from Two Longitudinal Studies from the U.S. and Poland. PloS one, 10(8), e0136730. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0136730

 

Stevens, K. (2019). The teen years: Brain development and trauma recovery. Adoptalk. https://nacac.org/resource/the-teen-years-brain-development-and-trauma-recovery/

Post 2: Documentary Selection

The documentary I chose is Escape From A House Of Horror: The Turpin Family. I chose this documentary because of the trauma that these children experienced at the hands of their family. I do not know much about the details of this story besides the headlines that I read. From what I can gather, this is about children who experienced a lifetime of trauma and abuse. These children were held captive and were starved, beaten, and endured unspeakable trauma. I am looking forward to learning more about the amazing story of these brave children. 

Varoquoa, E. (2021, November 19).  Escape from a house of horror: The Turpin Family: A Diane Sawyer special event. [Television Series] ABC News Washington Bureau

Post 3: Documentary Reaction

The documentary I chose is called Escape From The House of Horrors: The Turpin Family. I didn’t have a lot of prior knowledge of this story before I saw this documentary. I had heard general news headlines but didn’t know much about the details of this story. 

What I learned is this is a story about a family of 15 people. Two parents and 13 children make up this family. The children’s ages at the time of this documentary ranged from 2 years old up to 29 years old. These children were raised by both their parents, David and Louise Turpin. For years these children have been starved, beaten, imprisoned, and neglected at the hands of the people they should be able to trust the most (Varoquoa, 2021). 

The beginning of the documentary shows a child, Jordan Turpin, who was 17 years old at the time of the documentary. She climbed out of a window of their California home and had a deactivated cell phone that would only call out to 911. She called the police to report that her parents were abusing her and her siblings and that three of them were chained to their beds. 

The horror that was discovered by police was described as a “hoarder” house with trash, feces, rotten food, and debris in the house. As police discovered the children, they found three of them handcuffed to their bunkbeds and lying in their own feces. Police reported that David and Louise Turpin, had chained them as a punishment for being “bad”. The parents reported that they have the right to treat the children this way because it is stated in the bible that they are instilled with those rights as parents (Varoquoa, 2021). 

Jordan Turpin details how they were often severely beaten for allegedly stealing food while the parents enjoyed lavish meals and takeout. She says they were not allowed outside and had no contact with the outside world. She tells police that she has not taken a bath in a year and is terrified of being killed by her parents if she is caught. 

These children were psychologically scarred and emotionally controlled to the point where they were so scared of not obeying their parent's rules because they would be beaten or killed. These kids did not attend public school and were allegedly home-schooled despite the fact that most of the children did not know how to read or write. Jordan reports that the older children would attempt to teach the younger children what they knew from the few primary-level books they had. 

The parents were taken into custody and eventually charged with fourteen felony counts and must serve a minimum of 25 years in prison. Throughout the trial, the parents maintained their innocence, stating that they did nothing wrong and they love their children. 

The minor children, as well as the adult children, have been placed in foster care to adjust, reacclimate and get support for their lives, moving ahead. Since the trial, money has been donated from the public for the children’s care and education needs. However, it was reported that the siblings were split up and put into foster care. Some of the siblings reported abuse by foster care families, and the now adult children reported not having sustainable housing or being able to access the donated money for their needs. They have been failed by the foster care system and have suffered further abuse and neglect. Since the documentary aired, there have been investigations launched into the welfare of the Turpin children, and they have reportedly found consistent housing for all the children (Varoquoa, 2021). 

My response to watching this documentary was emotional, shocking, and very eye-opening. These children not only grew up with abuse and direct trauma, but they have also been emotionally stunted, and even the adult children are very child-like.  They were also re-traumatized by the system and, unfortunately, were further victimized. These children will need some intensive life coaching. The specific children who are now adults will need life coaching resources and be productive members of society. I am afraid their journey is just beginning, but it is my hope that they can now do this on their own terms. 

References:

Varoquoa, E. (2021, November 19).  Escape from a house of horror: The Turpin Family: A Diane Sawyer special event. [Television Series] ABC News Washington Bureau

Discussion Post 4

This situation with the Turpin children is difficult to categorize because it is such a unique situation. The children have been exposed to many types of trauma. The first and the most prominent type is direct trauma. According to What is Trauma (2018), direct trauma is an experience or event that happens directly to the person and can be both physical and psychological. All of these children have been affected by direct or primary trauma. Since these children have been physically abused, neglected, and psychologically battered, they definitely qualify under this category of trauma. The children were neglected, starved, beaten, and chained to their beds. They were not allowed to go outside or have any contact with anyone else in the outside world. They were essentially held as prisoners in their own homes. The children reportedly suffered from  While this is an extreme case of direct trauma, there are other types of trauma that are evident with this case.  Due to the unusual nature of this case and how long the abuse went on, chronic trauma would also apply to these children. Chronic trauma is defined as an individual that experiences multiple trauma experiences or repeated trauma incidents (What Is Trauma, 2018). When the abuse was discovered, the oldest child in the family was twenty-eight years old, and the youngest child was two years old. The children repeatedly endured this abuse and trauma daily. Jordan Turpin described her emotional state while being held prisoner as “very bad.” She reported that she and her siblings were emaciated, depressed, hopeless, and had nightmares daily. Jordan described her mental health in captivity as wanting to end her life for a long time. She reported that she would rather die trying to escape than do nothing to help her siblings, who were chained up to their beds (Varoqoa, 2021).  

Since this is the only environment these children have ever known, they are not only physically stunted; they are emotionally stunted as well. The children did not have any educational instruction, and the Tuprin parents obtained a homeschool license even though they did not ever teach the children. 

Due to the intense and repeated trauma these children experienced, interventions that are now provided will be vast and ongoing. State resources have been allocated for therapy, life coaching, financial coaching, and reassimilation planning. Since the children had no trusted adult throughout their childhood, treatment must be intensive and ongoing. Research shows that without having safety, food, and a trusted individual, children may have decreased mental health, lower grades, and increased risk of substance abuse or medical complications (SAMHSA, 2022). 

The Turpin children will have a long road of recovery ahead of them, and Intense therapy is needed, as well as life coaching. Treatment will be necessary to help them process the repeated trauma and how to move on and pick up the pieces. The children will also need a case manager who will guide them in life decisions and help them learn how to manage money, shop for food, interact with others, and make a plan for success. Community resources and other local organizations, along with child services, will be beneficial in providing wrap-around services for all of the Turpin children.

References 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Understanding Childhood Trauma. https://www.samhsa.gov/child-trauma/understanding-child-trauma#:~:text=Impact%20of%20Trauma&text=Learning%20problems%2C%20including%20lower%20grades,e.g.%2C%20diabetes%20and%20heart%20disease)

Varoquoa, E. (2021, November 19).  Escape from a house of horror: The Turpin Family: A Diane Sawyer special event. [Television Series] ABC News Washington Bureau

What is trauma, (2018, September 13).         https://integratedlistening.com/blog/what-is-trauma/