Respond to two colleagues by critiquing their strategies for applying psychoed

 
Respond to two colleagues by critiquing their strategies for applying psychoeducation and providing suggestions for how to approach the situation differently. Additionally, share at least one community resource in your area that could help Marcus and his family.
Use the Learning Resources to support your posts. Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.
1 MEG:  
Social Environment and Psychological Functioning
The social environment can influence psychological functioning as individuals respond to trauma. As in in the case with Marcus, having supportive relationships in the community and in the family can help build resilience. They can also provide validation, emotional support and help individuals cope with stress. According to Erikson’s Theory of Psychological Development, individuals in young adulthood experience the crisis of intimacy versus isolation. Intimacy can be described as the capacity to experience an open, supportive relationship with another without the fear of losing one’s own identity. Intimate relationship partners can understand both cognitively and emotionally the other’s point of view and permits the sharing of personal feelings and involves being empathetic. (Zastrow et al., 2019) In the case of Marcus, the support and benefits of intimacy within the relationships in his family may be obstructed by the trauma he experienced and be contributing to feelings of isolation. For example, Marcus initially expressed difficulty in connecting to both his wife and son. It may not only be difficult for his family members to understand his experiences, but it might also be difficult for Marcus to articulate both the experiences when he was deployed as well as the ongoing lasting effects of those experiences, resulting in those feelings of isolation. Trauma can have many lasting effects that can impair daily functioning including, as Marcus is experiencing, lack of motivation, remembering violent scenes from combat, difficulty sleeping, lack of appetite, weight loss, being constantly nervous or on edge and attachment difficulties.
Psychoeducation with Family
Psychoeducation serves to normalise the long-term effects of trauma and thus make them more manageable. Through information and education, survivors of trauma can learn about their natural responses to trauma, be educated on their symptoms and trauma-related behaviours, and how to best manage and cope with their experiences. (Khiron Clinics, 2023) Trauma survivors can be empowered by psychoeducation. It can be a means of validating one’s experiences, offering explanations as to why an individual might behave in a certain way in each situation. Psychoeducation teaches coping skills and self-management techniques which in turn can return some autonomy to trauma survivors. (Khiron Clinics, 2023) In addition to providing psychoeducation to Marcus, research shows it can be beneficial to family members as well. Military members can face challenges in numerous domains following a return from military deployments, including mental health, social and role functioning, relationship functioning and family life. (Sherman & Larson, 2018) A central feature of PTSD is its effect on social relationships. Trauma affects groups of people, not just individuals but family systems can also be impacted because of the social nature of the effects of trauma.  (Allen, n.d.)
When working with Marcus and his family, it is also important to include his son in the conversations, adjusting the approach and content to his cognitive level. By explaining what is happening and the reasons for the difficulties his father is facing in a way that he can both understand and relate to will help him feel safe. Some important points to consider when working with Marcus’ family, especially with his son is to not share too many details about the traumatic event, explain that the symptoms are not their fault, listen to concerns and recognize that it is also stressful for family members. Children may also have mixed feelings about the individual who is experiencing trauma, and it is important to validate and accept those feelings, as well as help to explore and cope with them. (Canada, PTSD and the family 2019) Some strategies to work with Marcus’ son may involve drawing, exercising, participating in family activities, and maintaining routines. Another valuable resource may be using age appropriate storybooks written about post-traumatic stress disorder to help relate the experiences and feelings in language, format and from a perspective that children understand.
Allen, S. N. (n.d.). Apa PsycNet. American Psychological Association. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1994-46158-001 
Canada, V. A. (2019, July 2). PTSD and the family. Veterans Affairs Canada. https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/health-support/mental-health-and-wellness/understanding-mental-health/ptsd-and-the-family#b8 
Khiron Clinics. (2023). Pyschodeducation for Trauma Recovery . Retrieved from Khiron Clinics: https://khironclinics.com/blog/psychoeducation/
Sherman, M. D., & Larsen, J. L. (2018). Family-focused interventions and resources for veterans and their families. Psychological Services, 15(2), 146–153. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000174
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
2 POR: 
 
Analysis of Social Environment
Marcus has had multiple deployments in his career with the army, he has been to Iraq and Syria. Marcus has experienced multiple traumas during his deployment and suffered from some injuries. Marcs has been exposed to combat and has experienced blasts from 3 explosions which were caused by improvised explosion devices. Marcus has sustained several physical injuries such as wounds, mild traumatic brain injury and mild hearing loss. Marcus stated he felt different after his deployment and the experiences he went through. During his deployment, Marcus has endured a lot of things that prohibited his development in many areas. It is hard to adjust when Marcus’ experiences with deployment have been traumatic. “The impact of trauma in the lives of individuals is of increasing focus for treatment providers and social service agencies. Individuals and families often present with many different types of traumas, this is especially true for military populations” (Herzog, 2020). There are many ways these traumas have impacted Marcus’s daily functioning, such as difficulty adjusting to domestic life, hard to feel emotionally connected, etc.
Trauma Impacted Daily Functioning
Marcus has been impacted in a various number of ways, such as difficulty adjusting to domestic life, hard to feel emotionally connected to his wife, difficulty being attentive to his son, not motivating himself for a job or college and stating into space often remembering the violent scenes he witnessed. Marcus experienced having a short fuse with things and when he went for treatment, he was diagnosed with PTSD and was prescribed with anti-depressants. Marcus has experienced many difficulties from his injuries, and it was hard for him to pinpoint the reason for it. It is important that we focus on the traumatic experiences that people of the military face and understand the approaches we should take to address the issues. “To better serve individuals and families with trauma histories, agencies and mental health providers should take a Trauma-informed care (TIC) approach to working with military populations” (Herzog, 2020).
Integrate and Adapt Psychoeducation
“Psychoeducation combines the elements of cognitive-behavior therapy, group therapy, and education. The basic aim is to provide the patient and families knowledge about various facets of the illness and its treatment so they can work together with mental health professionals for a better overall outcome” (Psychiatry, 2020). As a social worker, I would ensure that Marcus receives the appropriate services and help he need to target the traumas he faces. Marcus developed self-actualization which is important as a step towards accepting help because acknowledging that you need help is an important step in seeking help. “Self-actualization as a positive process because it leads people to identify their abilities, to strive to develop them, to feel good as they become themselves, and to be beneficial to society” (Zastrow, 2019).
References
Sarkhel, S., Singh, O.P. and Arora, M. (2020) Clinical practice guidelines for psychoeducation in psychiatric disorders general principles of psychoeducation, Indian journal of psychiatry. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7001357/#:~:text=Psychoeducation%20combines%20the%20elements%20of,for%20a%20better%20overall%20outcome. (Accessed: 11 December 2023).
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Herzog, J. R., Whitworth, J. D., & Scott, D. L. (2020). Trauma informed care with military populations.Links to an external site.Links to an external site. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 30(3), 265–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2019.1679693