Brutal Parenting Techniques and Ptsd

By Lynn L. West, PhDc, BCETS, LCPC

Lynn L. West & Associates, LLC

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Brutal Parenting Techniques and Ptsd

Luke is 8-years old. His parents divorced when he was three. Since then, he has lived with his mother, her fiance and an older sister. He visits his father on weekends on court ordered visitation. His stepsister goes with him to protect him from the violence and brutal punishment inflicted on him by his father. Luke is terrified of his father, but goes to visitation, because he is worried if he does not his father will carry out his frequent threats to kill his mother.

Undereducated, often unemployed and frequently intoxicated and belligerent, Luke's father is an example of a man who openly lives his life in open resistance to any authority. He has frequent encounters with law enforcement, arrests for driving without a license, multiple DUI's, arrests for fleeing from the police, resisting arrest, fighting and assault. He has been incarcerated multiple times.

Luke's father instills discipline in teaching Luke to become a “tough guy” by inflicting pain to intimidate him, such as putting his hands around Luke's throat so that Luke cannot breath; or putting his face in Luke's while screaming and threatening Luke; and hitting him with his hands, feet, or anything that is in his father's reach. His father's behavior has damaged Luke's biological systems. Luke's clinical symptoms include a pattern of avoidance and emotional numbing, hyperarousal of the fight or flight response system, flashbacks, and “freeze” behavior among others.

Luke has not been able to sleep in his own bed since last spring. He wakes up during the night and goes into his sister's room and sleeps in there where he feels safe. His nightmares and flashback manifest as dreams related to worry about his father breaking into his home and attacking his mother to kill or kidnap her. Luke's dreams include secret doors in the wall of his room and his sister's room that provide access from the garage or outside where his father can get into the house. There are bloody, gruesome images of individuals on the walls which make him afraid. He has elaborate details about various weapons that are used to defeat his father and successfully defend his mother in the manner of the story of a hero. Healing is occurring by addressing his fears and protecting him from danger and threatening adults over which he has no control.