1. ‘Untying the Knot’: Achieving Integrative and Collaborative Care within Trauma and Fear Saturated Systems – A Practice-Focused Discussion Paper
- Author
-
Dilip Balu
- Subjects
050103 clinical psychology ,Health (social science) ,Sociology and Political Science ,Metaphor ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Ecology (disciplines) ,05 social sciences ,Applied psychology ,Collaborative Care ,Child protection ,050902 family studies ,Compassion fatigue ,Developmental and Educational Psychology ,Mental health care ,Natural (music) ,0501 psychology and cognitive sciences ,0509 other social sciences ,Psychology ,Adaptation (computer science) ,Social psychology ,media_common - Abstract
The author's clinical experience with the Child Protection and Mental Health Care systems informs this brief practice-focused paper. The author posits that Secondary Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Trauma are central to understanding the impact of relationally traumatic material and the experience of individuals, families, team and the wider ecology of care systems. In particular, the author hypothesises that the tendency of systems to become fragmented in operation, with silos of sub-parts working parallel to each other, may be a natural adaptation to the ways in which traumatic experience ripples across system boundaries. This ‘ripple effect’ may lead to increasing emotional and relational reactivity, and survival-oriented inward focus of energies and efforts. The metaphor of the brain and nervous system is used to explore ideas of connection and integration in care systems. Trauma-informed leadership by individuals and teams is also touched upon in relation to reducing fear-driven clinical practice.
- Published
- 2017