Chapter 7: Satanic Panic

        I was going into this final week’s chapter on The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog expecting to read an optimistic and hopeful outcome to the totality of all of the previous trauma and pain, yet I was unexpectedly disappointed, foreshadowed by the title of the chapter 7, Satanic Panic. This chapter honestly left me without words. I went from taking a nap in the middle of reading the chapter (to remove myself from the difficult and enraging content I was reading), saying expletives out loud (from the shock and horror), to wanting to throw the book across the room (as a physical act denouncing the exposed aberrations). When I finally finished this crazy chapter, I had to do some yoga to zen the hell out. Which got me thinking about self care, that I had to practice, even after just reading about this case. I wonder what Dr. Perry did and does, to practice self-care and not experience compassion fatigue throughout his thousands of cases. He must be doing something really effective cause I could not…

            I have never heard of “holding” therapy (or “holding” for short) and was horrified that this was an actual therapy that was used on youth (and hoping that this NOT practiced anymore). Dr. Perry says it all by saying, “This should go without saying, but holding a child down and hurt him until he says what you want to hear does not create bonds of affection but, rather, induces obedience through fear” (p. 164). The fact that Dr. Perry even had to say this or think this, makes me cringe because these were professionals who were using this tactic on innocent children. Professionals! Who probably thought they were doing something good! How could this have been approved?! This is like the acceptability of lashings, beatings, whippings of African American slaves to coerce, manipulate, and oppress them. It seems like most professionals working with children treated them like foreign objects that no one really understood, and it was probably true, since brain research was still developing. And yet, I still seem to think this as a justification for this therapy to be used on children.

What I appreciated most about these 23 pages was Dr. Perry’s clarification that talking about trauma in a child’s (or adults) life doesn’t equal that they will have a full recovery. This is explained in a study his team conducted asserting that children who had to talk about their trauma in therapy had increased chances of developing PTSD, from the coercion. Discussing trauma in fact could be harmful and retraumatizing. But I guess that wasn’t known back then and I wonder if I was a therapist working in that time period, if my values and honor of children would have made me really question and investigate the validity of this “therapy”. Did these case workers/investigators really think they were “helping” children?!

            Although, this chapter was a downer, it re-emphasized my intention and commitment to serving youth. With these last 15 years of research and development of neurobiology which has helped us understand the youth developing brain, the impact of adverse childhood experiences, and trauma, it has allowed us to become more competent serving agents for youth. Our communities need us to present on this information because most people are not aware of this. It is up to us to advocate for children and youth that continue to be harmed by the adultism views of our society. I have a responsibility as a professional to share this with teachers, parents, school faculty and beyond to make sure that youth are being served in the best way possible so that the future looks brighter for every youth to come.

Chapter 6: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog

Chapter 6 highlights two cases that assisted Dr. Perry and his team in designing therapeutic interventions using his neurosequential approach to traumatized children.

We finally get recounted about Justin’s story, the books namesake, and it is just as difficult to read, if not worse. Throughout this chapter, however, one specific theme came up for me that kept me uplifted in spite of hearing the abuse, maltreatment, and traumatic events; protective factors. It is clear that Dr. Perry became Justin’s primary protective factor since he was the first medical professional to ask about his history and his neglect. Dr. Perry also had a devoted team that worked with Justin who clearly soaked up his physical, speak, and language therapies. It is astonishing that the treatment approaches worked so rapidly within a two-week period! I also believe that none of this work would have been possible if Dr. Perry hadn’t succeeded in his first introduction with Justin. It is essential to have that initial rapport building stage and having “positive relationships, [that create] the true vehicle for all therapeutic change” (p. 126). It was also mentioned that part of Justin’s success derived from having 11 months of a strong attachment figure from his grandmother, another protective factor. In his case, Justin also found a supportive foster family that once again formed the strong attachment model that he needed to continue in his recovery. His story was extremely uplifting!

In the next case, we follow Connor’s story that involves an unexpected traumatic event which compares to the previous case of Leon, and yet, their stories diverge on multiple factors that are analyzed and assessed at the end of the chapter. Connor is described from the beginning as having several protective factors, economically well-off, good academic performance, pre-natal care and deliver was healthy. He seemed to have the resources whether in school or at healthcare centers to be evaluated and to be taking several medications for those disorders. When Dr. Perry’s neurosequential treatment plan was introduced his approach initially involved different treatments for Connor, massage therapy, music and rhythm class, and individual therapy. Since these therapies aren’t traditional, his family must have had the financial resources to support this treatment which was a huge relief when considering how burdensome these therapies might cost. Since it seems that Connor’s family probably had a high income to afford these treatments, it would seem plausible that this could be a reason they sought out treatment faster than Leon’s family did and would explain their different trajectories.

Finally, Dr. Perry mentions three different factors that influence outcomes of early childhood trauma and neglect: temperament, intelligence, and time period that trauma occurred. I seem very skeptical about the intelligence factor that is proposed since it is extremely relative and very difficult to assess especially since the measures that are used are limited and probably not culturally relevant. There may be some consistencies in his research that he obviously references but I highly contest this especially since it seems that intelligence could be a way to blame an individual for neglect or trauma that occurred to them. I do believe that high protective factors influence recovery in cases such as these.

Chapter 5: The Coldest Heart

         In these 25 pages, the authors spin the perspective of trauma and attachment by delving into the story of a 16-year-old child perpetrator and/or victim, Leon, who is diagnosed with ADHD and ASPD, awaiting trial to be charged with the death penalty or life without parole. We immediately dive into the incidents of his murder and rape and are forced to judge him by following Dr. Perry’s unraveling of how his “unintentional neglect” was a precursor to his poor social adaptation and potentially violent and cold nature.

         Some startling facts that Dr. Perry discussed were Leon’s low verbal and high performance IQ scores, that also correlated to the same variances in percentages in the prison population. Leon’s presented with high scores in his ability to read situations and people’s intentions and low verbal skills, which Dr. Perry says that this dissonance could be explained by adverse early childhood experiences. Although we don’t know Leon’s ethnicity, I would like to assume that he is a person of color. I wanted to add that Leon was in already in a maximum security prison, at the age of 18, and we currently know that African American’s make up 40% of the prison population but only make up 13% of the US population and Latinos make up 19% of the prison population but only make up 16% of the US population (https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/rates.html).

         Sometimes doctors and scientists, in this case psychiatrists, too, wish to explain human biological behavior just as mathematicians wish to solve complex mathematical solutions to problems. However, we know the human body isn’t as simple as 1+1=2 and we see exactly that in the Leon’s life. Throughout this chapter Dr. Perry, wants to find a neurological explanation to Leon’s actions just as he has been able to explain other client’s behaviors based on traumatic events and poor attachment style. However, as he explained at the end of the chapter he was not able to provide a solid answer as to why Leon had murdered and raped two innocent teenagers.  I believe that one of the most influential factors that influenced Leon that Dr. Perry overlooked were a cultural/societal examination of Leon and his family’s environment.

         Leon’s family, who was obviously low-income, had to make an abrupt move to another city that removed them from their extended family that provided psycho-social support to Maria. It is possible that Leon could not find another job because he was discriminated against and if that was the case, it forced this family to become isolated in another city. Marias, intellectual disability, and possible depression when they moved, was also another factor that Perry didn’t really examine further. It was really difficult to read that Leon was left alone in a dark room at one month old because his mother didn’t know what he needed, however it explains his insecure-avoidant attachment style since Maria literally avoided for most of the day.

 Since the extended family was the driving force in assisting Maria raise her children, the move to an unknown city with no social support system caused Maria to just barely survive herself. Although, Leon had two parents that were there, we don’t know how discretionary discriminatory practices also affected Leon at school, in his neighborhood, and within his community that affected the outcome of Leon’s life. We can’t exclude these possible racialized acts that influence young people of color especially when deteriorating neighborhoods are a result of racist institutional practices that have forced people in limited opportunities for upward mobility, lack of employment, and higher rates of crime. Leon already had the stacks against him, and yes, his failed early childhood attachment was a factor, however, Dr. Perry limits his scope in reflecting and examining further Leon’s place within a hegemonic culture. Yes, Leon was broken and cold, but that is because the system also broke him.

Chapter 4: Skin Hunger

            This chapter explain to us how our need for touch and love are necessary for our survival. It showed us exactly what could potentially happen if we go skin hungry, and the serious and often fatal developmental ramifications if we are withheld from such dire physical needs. This chapter took me on an emotion roller coaster for many different reasons and it invited a very personal reflection through my own experiences. This is a fragmented conglomeration of some of those reflections.

            When I used to teach sexual health, about 6 years ago, I was introduced to the 5 Circles of Sexuality created by the original work of Dennis M. Dailey, Professor Emeritus, University of Kansas. He labeled 5 capacities within the realm of our sexual selves that encompasses what it means to be a sensory being that is beyond merely sexual intercourse. They are sensuality, sexual intimacy, sexual identity, reproduction and sexual health, and sexualization. I bring this up because skin hunger is a sub category of sensuality. Our relationships with our first caregivers initiate the relationship of who we are as sensory beings, through taste, touch, smell, sight, and hearing. What the authors in the book explained is that caregivers touch and affectionate is needed throughout the lifespan of an adolescent, starting with infants and toddlers. However, adolescents also need this type of developmentally appropriate touch because that need for healthy, safe, loving touch is still essential to their brain development. Thinking about this example makes me reflect back on my Peace Corps service in Guatemala where I would often tell my cohort that when I hugged them it wasn’t just purely for affection and care, but also, it was serving a higher primordial purpose of quenching the need for touch and affection where that would normally be fulfilled by loved ones or friends back home. Many of them laughed or looked at me with strange eyes, however, once we had been in the country for about 6 months, they understood quite clearly their desire for comfort and consolation from receiving and giving hugs from other Peace Corps volunteers.

            Another deep reflection and sense of satisfaction and comfort that I encountered in this chapter was scientifically supported evidence of what my Mexican culture and family have shown me and passed down to me for generations… that family is everything. Family is the central part of my culture not only because it is a cultural value but because we are a community centered. The act of being around people that look like me, think like me, pray like me, believe what I believe, are healing because of the fact that I feel less stressed when I am around them. That medicine that they bring me and that I bring them; our interconnectedness is in it of itself, healing. Our elders already knew all of this information, however, doctors had to reaffirm this for us to make sense and believe it. The act of being around loved ones and family is stress reducing. My family is one of the most important parts of who I am, mostly because our childhood experiences are very unique. We find comfort and solace in each other’s company, but I can also now prove that it is stress reducing!

            Lastly, I wanted to reflect back on Laura’s journey and label her attachment style based on the information given in this chapter. Based on the Siegel’s classifications, I would identify Laura as having an insecure ambivalent attachment style. Her mother was mostly present for Laura, however, there were many times that she didn’t know how to connect with Laura on an emotional level and would often harshly punish her or ignore her because of her unfamiliarity of what her daughter needed physically and emotionally. Since Virginia experienced difficulty in expressing emotion with Laura, she was often detached and cold towards her. What we were expressed in concluding the chapter were the lasting effects of this attachment style by the  aloofness and disconnectedness that Laura portrayed in her interactions and connections with other people.

http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/for-professionals/lesson-plans-%09professionals/200