How the Treatment of Childhood Trauma of an Adult Patient Using Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy Significantly Reduces Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety

by

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I: INTRODUCTION1

Overview of the Study1

Client Information2

Treatment History4

II. HISTORY OF THE PATIENT5

A. Judith Herman5

B. Robert Stolorow6

C. Dan Siegel8

D. Bessel Van der Kolk9

E. Allan Schore10

REFERENCES12

I: INTRODUCTION

Overview of the Study

The purpose of this study is to illustrate how treating complex childhood traumas of an adult patient, significantly reduced her symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve the nature of her relationship with others. This study will explore how childhood exposure to emotional, physical and sexual abuse leads to the development of complex post traumatic stress disorder due to the helpless nature of childhood and the total control that caretaker exercise during childhood. According to the definition given by Judith Herman, who is the autor of this new diagnosis, complex post traumtic stress disorder is expressed through multiple levels of alterations that have negative impact on affect regulation, consciousness, self perception, perception of the perpetrator, relationship with others, system of meaning. One the consequences of these alterations is the development of depressive and anxiety disorders as well as difficulty in relationship in life. I will use different theories and studies that will allow a deeper understanding of the development, maintainance of those alterations as well as treatment that will alleviate those alterations. The object relation theory devopped by Melanie Klein and the attachment theories expanded by Bolwby, Ainsworth and Main will provide how valuable information about how a child develop a healthy or unhealthy relationship with him/herself, others and the world. Stolorow, Herman and Siegel will demonstrate the importance of interpersonal relationship and how it affects the developing brain, but also one's ability to repond to stress appropriately.

I will present the perspective of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy on depresion and anxiety and dificulty in rleationship also demonstrate how the use of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy techniques help deacrease anxiety and depressive symptoms while addressing the sequeale of childhood trauma.

The patient selected for my dissertation study is a 32 year-old White American female, married with two children, who was self-referred through her Employee Assistance Program. Her presenting symptomatology conformed to the following DSM-IV diagnoses: Major Depressive Disorder (296. 21), Anxiety Disorder NOS (300.00), Relational Problem (V62.81). Although, the treatment will be conceptualized utilizing a stage based approach of treatment of trauma which has three components that are establishment of safety, remembrance and mourning and finally reconnection, the hypothesis that is offered in this case study regarding treatment, is that addressing childhood traumas, using the combination of Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy and Emotional Focused Therapy, significantly reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety in a female adult victim of childhood sexual and physical abuse.

Client Information

The patient is a 32 year-old Caucasian female who has been married for more than seven years and has an eight-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son. Regarding her family of origin, the patient gave the following information: She is the second born of a family ...