Page 94 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 6

Christian Psychology

fer of burden to the infant.” I find this such a I would like to know to what extent the parent’s
powerful point. Some important effects are not trauma is activated by the corresponding age of
quantifiable outcomes, they are simply released the dependent child: e.g., a parent abandoned
lives. A child that does not have to carry bur- as a teenager overwhelmingly confused and
dens—when they are not capable of carrying triggered when their child becomes a teenager.
them!—shows a vision of hard work and sacri- Or, will any infant suffer from general unresol-
fice on the parent’s part. When the burden is not ved trauma of the parent?
transferred to the child, complex trans-genera-
tional trauma can be stopped. The long chain of How does a parent continue to grieve their own
negative coping can be broken! upbringing, while parenting? This article makes
it sound like such grief can or should be large-
Not surprisingly, the mother’s own ability to “go ly addressed when a child is quite young. What
there” and enter into her pain represents a giant if this is not possible? What about additional
step in her healing. Fittingly, this is a “reciprocal triggers, such as the age of the mother when the
joy” for both mother and child. Pity and empa- father died so violently? As a topic of interest,
thy now spread in all directions, reaching into I would like to see further discussion of how a
the past and future. What Dr. Belt has described parent gives what they never received. Can the
is the fragile nature of the relational ecosystem, faith community parent, here?
particularly as trauma lives on in families, affec-
ting all areas of life. Theologians need to incor- As a theologian, I wonder what such a discus-
porate these psycho-dynamic studies in their sion could look like with a fuller address of per-
discussions of how sin pollutes and contamina- sonhood in general (e.g., via trauma theory).
tes people. Sin and trauma have an afterlife that Theologically, we are image bearers who have
seeks out surrogate attachments and can seve- gender; we are gendered image bearers. Secu-
rely twist future relationships. The recognition lar worldviews reverse this. Case study aside, I
of a connection between attachment and faith is would also like to see how this deeper anthro-
deeply significant. Religious attachment is pro- pological identity might work itself out in a ro-
foundly tied to the social models one has. Un- bust Trinitarian theology (e.g., Paul’s eschato-
fortunately, so much of the psychological world logy in his epistles). What difference does our
is practically gnostic on this issue. Through in- union with Christ make, with the promise of
ter-disciplinary studies, believers need to speak resurrection? (1 Cor. 6:14, 19-20)
deeply into this. We need to encourage a new
generation of psychologists to write their dis- Dr. Belt made a good case for therapy in gene-
sertations on the intersection of faith and trau- ral and support groups, in particular. But the
ma. possible financial cost of such therapies could
be staggering. The amount of people in the
Several closing observations should be men- Chicago area, where I live, whose lives resemble
tioned. I’m deeply struck by the therapist’s in- this very case study, would not be able to afford
sight and the ritual of wrapping the mother in the professional care represented in this study.
a blanket—an illustration that is powerful for What are the alternatives? Finally, how spouses
the mother and her supportive group. Simply can come alongside each other, with such com-
put, as a person living with untreated trauma, plex trauma, also needs to be explored at some
the uncomforted mother is not able to comfort point. Maybe a future essay could address the
her own child. Both individuals had lost their challenges that single fathers also face.
fathers! This will continue to matter, to some I was challenged by Dr. Belt’s study and merely
degree. Clinically, however, is it wise to have offer these thoughts and comments as a token
physical contact with a client, touching her of appreciation for the insightful work in this
hair? Different practices will have to decide this essay.
carefully.

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