The psychological sequelae of prolonged and repeated exposure to relational trauma can manifest into a challenging clinical picture typically known as Complex PTSD. Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) is a multimodal and integrative model particularly designed to address attachment disturbances and extreme forms of affective avoidance and dysregulation commonly seen in survivors of relational trauma. Conducting this treatment in a language that is not the patient’s native tongue may interfere with emotional processing, a key component of AEDP. The purpose of this case study is twofold. First, it aims to examine the benefits of experiential and attachment-based models for the treatment of “Rosa,” a bilingual woman and survivor of relational trauma, who presented to treatment with depressive and Complex PTSD-like symptoms. Second, the study explores whether actively incorporating Rosa’s bilingualism and ethnic identity into the treatment enhanced her capacity for emotional processing and other related aspects of AEDP. Presenting the course of treatment with Rosa constitutes an ideal avenue for exploring the clinical challenges one may encounter in doing psychotherapy with bilingual trauma survivors—where the affective processing of traumatic memories may be lost in translation. Rosa’s course of treatment also illustrates the creation of an individualized treatment plan that can address these barriers by amplifying the emergence of relational safety and ultimately facilitating the patient’s new experience of core state (Fosha & Yeung, 2006), an integrated state of clarity, ease, and self-compassion.
Subject (authority = RUETD)
Topic
Clinical Psychology
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TitleInfo
Title
Rutgers University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Identifier (type = RULIB)
ETD
Identifier
ETD_8210
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Form (authority = gmd)
electronic resource
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application/pdf
InternetMediaType
text/xml
Extent
1 online resource (vii, 93 p.)
Note (type = degree)
Psy.D.
Note (type = bibliography)
Includes bibliographical references
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Psychic trauma
Subject (authority = ETD-LCSH)
Topic
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Note (type = statement of responsibility)
by Nicole Vigoda Gonzalez
RelatedItem (type = host)
TitleInfo
Title
Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology Electronic Theses and Dissertations
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rucore10001800001
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PhysicalLocation (authority = marcorg); (displayLabel = Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey)
Rutgers University. Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology
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License
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Author Agreement License
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