A Happy Place of Taboos - Maey T.
Description:
The artefact illustrates how collaborating integrative psychotherapy with social work’s trauma-informed galactic approach can support members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community in (re)developing their sexual wellbeing after exposure to trauma. The artefact captures significant timepoints of individual galactic experiences, which symbolically display vulnerabilities and resiliencies of psychosocial disabilities, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), deriving from violent forms of trauma acquired brain injuries (ABI).
Lets blast off to a new dimension!
Significance:
When people hear ABI’s, they think of work-related accidents, diseases, or drugs/alcohol use. However, this artefact informs viewers by focusing on trauma related ABI’s caused by violence. The trauma-informed galactic approach combined with integrative psychotherapy (specifically group, art, acceptance and commitment therapy) addresses the intersection of LGBTQIA2S+ people’s sexuality and psychosocial disabilities, caused by domestic and/or sexual violence. While O’Shea et al (2020) outlines ABI’s as the leading cause of disabilities in Australia, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2024) reported 4.4 million Australians had a disability, and over a quarter were psychosocial disabilities. Although O’Shea et al (2020) outlines that existing peer-peer programs fail to address people with ABI'S sexuality concerns with themselves and others, collaborating these models can develop interrelational programs that holistically support and focus on improving client’s quality of life and sexual wellbeing. If integrating multiple counselling models into practice has effectively supported people with psychosocial disabilities – imagine integrating models across different professions.
Explore your inner galaxy!
Positionality:
I was most excited to for this subject as I consider myself a sex-positive person who is comfortable with the uncomfortable, such as conversations regarding sexual ‘taboos’ existing in society. After learning PTSD is an ABI and psychosocial disability (NSW Health 2023), I reflected on my own experience of PTSD related to domestic and sexual violence. I recognised many circumstances where I had the inability to engage in relationships, including sexual/romantic. Although I do not suffer from PTSD symptoms presently, this discovery empowered me to learn more about the intersection of psychosocial disabilities and sexualities outside my experience. This is foundational for me to develop greater awareness when supporting clients in future roles of psychotherapy, as disability is inevitable for everyone who experiences the process of aging (Whatcott 2021). Henderson et al (2013) highlight’s that over 70% of the global population with mental illnesses do not receive support due to unawareness of experienced symptoms and support service. I would like to contribute to declining that number.
What galaxy did you come from?
Impact:
The gem I am taking away from this subject is Fava and Fortenberry’s (2021) trauma-informed approach to sexual wellbeing. While Lee (2021) emphasises that people are “sense makers” who seek to understand the self and the world in a social context through reflecting on past, present, and future, Marshik (2015) adds that humans learn by attaching meaning and creating connections with things from animate/inanimate things, stories, music, colours, anything! This was the case for my engagement with Fava and Fortenberry’s (2021) 7 domain model, which focuses on peoples development of sexual esteem, resilience, forgiveness, self-determination, comfort, respect, and safety. I related these concepts to my personal experience of managing psychosocial disability symptoms and navigating what led me to overcoming traumatic experiences, which was empowering. By using art in a peer-peer group dynamic to create meaning and share galaxies with each other, this collaboration of models can empower people to thrive as resilient individuals.
What is unique about your galaxy?
Wish List:
Sexual and domestic violence contribute to LGBTQIA2S+ members development of acquired brain injuries (ABI), including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a psychosocial disability. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIWH) (2023) describes trauma-related psychosocial disabilities main symptom as difficulty developing romantic and sexual relationships. While the most common cause of ABI’s is domestic violence, the AIHW (2024) highlights LGBTQIA2S+ individuals experiencing homophobic-oriented violent behaviours, later causing severe psychosocial disabilities (PTSD). The AIHW (2023) reported 98% of surveyed participants were seeking psychosocial disability support to improve own quality of living, including (re)developing their sexual wellbeing.
Oshea et al (2020) essentialises trauma-informed, peer-peer program developments that support LGBTQIA2S+ people with trauma-related psychosocial disabilities affecting their sexual wellbeing. This involves promoting individual self-determination, respect, comfort, esteem, forgiveness, safety, and resilience, primary aspects of Fava and Fortenberry’s (2021) 7-domain model to developing sexual wellbeing. This trauma-informed approach challenges psychosocial disability obstacles by understanding and attaching meaning (Marshik 2015) to own traumatic experience(s). Occasionally, people suppress trauma-related memories, causing difficulty to understand their experiences (Wright et al 2017). Collaborating social work models with integrative psychotherapy (art, group, acceptance and commitment (ACT)), supports these individuals (Cherry 2024).
Programs encourage peer-peer verbal healing (group therapy) while art therapy allows expression of their experiences in comfortable, creative forms (Cherry 2023). Social works ‘galactic’ approach of art allows individuals to compartmentalise and situate their sexual identities and contexts in their galaxy (Kattari 2019). This visual reflection supports making sense of personal experiences (Lee 2021), by attaching meaning (Marshik 2015). This entails 6 processes: reflecting while “being present”, “defuse”/detach from and “accept” traumas through verbalisation, “self-as-context” view of own thoughts/feelings, and aligning with own “values”, core processes of ACT (Harris 2019). The 7-domain galactic approach combined with integrative psychotherapy support’s LGBTQIA2S+ members with trauma-ABI’s to (re)develop their sexual wellbeing by overcoming psychosocial disabilities intersectional influence on their relationships.
Comments are closed.
One Comment
I love this image and your use of the hidden flowers. I liked your connection to medications and how it impacts libido as this is a side effect many would disregard as impacting people with disabilities. It is so great to read about your experience and what has driven you to choose this subject. It is so important for health professionals to be engaged in learning about disability and sexuality. I wish you all the best in your career in policy! I am quite fond of the pizza metaphor so I enjoyed that you linked it to your image. Thank you for including suggestions in your wish list, I found this helpful. If you had a larger word count, I think your image could also relate to shame around sexuality and you could also link the medication to forced sterilisation and forced birth control that has occurred among the disabled community.