Week 9 Reflection
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2
Week 9 Reflection
Suicide is a major societal health epidemic that has an impact on the psychosocial health
of the people and the society who are affected by grief and loss. According to the research, forms
of treating trauma, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and the stage-oriented models, have
been designed to meet the multi-layered needs of the bereaved people (Dass-Brailsford, 2007).
Reconciling the frequency and effect of suicide is vital in formulating some effective measures
that may be applied in offering support to both individuals and groups who are victims of this
devastating human deprivation.
Attachment styles and their relation to protracted grief give valuable information
regarding suicide bereavement. In a systematic review and a meta-analysis, attachment anxiety
and attachment avoidance were found to have small positive correlations with longer-lasting
symptoms of grief, with the pooled correlation coefficient of attachment anxiety amounting to
0.28 and the pooled correlation coefficient in the case of attachment avoidance being 0.15
(Eisma et al., 2023). These results indicate that people whose attachment patterns are insecure
are especially susceptible to complex grief responses after losing a loved one to suicide.
Brief psychodynamic psychotherapy is based on emotional conflict regulated by
traumatic events. This depends on incidents related to early life experiences, with the
justification that retelling traumatic experiences to a compassionate therapist can lead to higher
self-esteem and better thinking strategies (Dass-Brailsford, 2007). The strategy could be
especially applicable to suicide-bereaved people who frequently feel overwhelmingly guilty,
ashamed, and have complex emotional reactions. The therapeutic relationship turns into the
focus of the therapy, and the non-judgmental presence of the therapeutic system enables the
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clients to identify prevailing situations in their lives that trigger traumatic memories and worsen
the symptoms.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a combination of behavior therapy and cognitive therapy.
It offers effective strategies for alleviating symptoms, strengthening ties between problematic
situations and habitual responses, and defeating thought distortions (Dass-Brailsford, 2007).
Some CBT techniques used in the case of suicide survivors include cognitive restructuring,
anxiety management, stress inoculation therapy, and exposure therapy. These interventions aim
at learning anxiety coping skills, anger management skills, and how to deal with symptoms of
future trauma.
The treatment methods that are to be used when dealing with suicide bereavement need to
reflect the culture. During the formulation of interventions, therapists must consider both the
client's cultural and social background, and professional development, and reading an attempt by
practitioners to acquire cultural knowledge (Prigerson, et al.,1997). This is especially relevant
because suicide has various stigmas and meanings in different cultures.
In my experience, this will enlighten my practice in the following aspects in the future. I
understand that it is necessary to consider attachment styles when dealing with bereaved
customers, as they may reflect a susceptibility to prolonged grief (Eisma et al., 2023). Also, I
realize that the integration of evidence-based therapy combining both medication and
psychotherapy can be the most effective. This is especially selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors with the help of trauma-centered therapy.
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References
Dass-Brailsford, P. (2007). Models of trauma treatment. In A Practical Approach to Trauma (pp.
51-70). Sage Publications.
Eisma, M. C., Bernemann, K., Aehlig, L., Janshen, A., & Doering, B. K. (2023). Adult
attachment and prolonged grief: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Personality and
Individual Differences, 214, 112315.
Prigerson, H. G., Shear, M. K., Frank, E., Beery, L. C., Silberman, R., Prigerson, J., & Reynolds,
C. F. (1997). Traumatic grief: A case of loss-induced trauma. American Journal of
Psychiatry, 154 (7), 1003-1009.