Addictive Disorders and Alcoholism

Biography

Biography: Ashley-Lynn Whyte

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: How do different generational and family systems/dynamics play into/contribute to the cycle of abuse often ongoing and repetitive within generational and family relationships. Does the Power and Control interpersonal characteristic of Abuse including domestic, physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse hold a long lasting and negative impact on one’s overall Emotional Health and Personal Well-Being? Further, are the resources available: including programming, the cross intersection of social systems and counselling frameworks currently help or hinder? Are resources available to provide both intervention and prevention awareness and education, programs for individuals, couples, families, children, and youth to further prevent the abuse cycle from repeating itself within families and relationships? The ultimate Goal being to break the cycle of abuse and create long lasting healthy, happy, positive energy relationships that deeply fulfill and enrich the personal and professional lives of all parties involved. Looking at all types of Abuse from an Intersectionality framework including: Domestic, Sexual, Physical, Emotional and Financial Abuse/ Assaults, the Impact of Abuse and the Long Lasting Effects of growing up in/ living with Abuse and in Abusive Relationships has on an Individual's Emotional Health and Personal and Professional State of Well-Being.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Looking deep into and understanding/ beginning to understand The Impacts , Negative Effects and Trauma of the Abuse Cycle and the long lasting effects ultimately on an individual’s, couples and families Emotional Health and Well-being using a Feminist Analysis, and Intersectionality Approach/Framework. Primary focus is placed on family systems as a whole unit and family dynamics including and acknowledging through information gathering the family history, children’s upbringing, and parenting styles. Then acknowledging and being able to recognize and accept how these roles and systems effect and have an impact (positive or negative) on children’s, youth, and adolescents relationship choices, intimate partner relationship patterns and relationships with others outside of intimate partner relationships: i.e.: friendships, coworker relationships, etc. 

Findings: All types of Abuse contribute to and have a significant impact on one’s individual Emotional Health and Personal state of Well Being. Family Systems, Family Dynamics, generational ‘baggage’ upbringing and deep rooted patterns of family knowledge, parenting styles, and learned vs inherited behaviour all play a huge role in both the intervention and prevention models of abuse and breaking the cycle of abuse within families and intimate partner relationships to further repeat the wheel of power and control behavioural traits when moving forward in new relationships and partnerships.   

Conclusion & Significance: From a Neural Network Therapy(how patterns in the brains are formed to create patterns of behaviour and relations with others- See Canadian Family Health Collective.com) Counselling Approach and Primarily Emotional Health based focus/standpoint, it is imperative to look at the family system as a whole and to acknowledge and recognize from a neuroscience field how patterns of behaviour are formed, created and ultimately and ‘stick’ within our brains unwanted or wanted create our relationships with others based on past life experiences and events (whether perceived by one as positive or negative experience). For an individual’s Emotional Health and Personal Well-being it is both imperative and crucial that an individual acknowledges, recognizes and becomes personally aware of the warning and danger signs of abuse. Including but not limited to abuse behaviours, characteristic traits of abusers, why people abuse/ put down/ control/ ‘need’ others and how patterns of abuse are formed within one's subconscious mind over the developmental human lifespan from infancy to child, to adolescent and teens years to adulthood through generational baggage, family history and upbringing. Abuse stems from deep rooted fears and insecurities within an abusers mindset and interpersonal traits often from learnt behaviour/ passed down behaviours of what is the ‘norm’/ accepted, expected within family systems and family relationship roles with others within the family system and family dynamics. All types of abuse are highly correlated/ intersected. However, each in their own way hold their own challenges, complexities, lasting effects within the mind and body and can create a Traumatic response ultimately negatively affecting ones individuals Emotional Health and Well Being. There are many Grey areas to abuse and each case should be treated with care, exceptions and on an individual basis with thorough knowledge, understanding, informative screening of the family history and background information leading up to the relationships and experiences of abuse and assault. ABCS of Behavioural Motivation: The Antecedent followed by the Behaviour followed by the Consequence- repeats itself depending if the consequence was positively or negatively reinforced or whether it was encouraged/ positively or negatively enabled by others. 

Next Steps: Design, Create and Implement Programming Moving Forward with a focus on preventive model framework instead of interventive based programming with the focus on young children, youth and school aged relationships: promoting positive, healthy energy, give and take reciprocal relationships. Programming focusing needs to be on young boys and young girls roughly before aged 12 in a fun, interactive way to prevent the cycle of abuse and domestic, sexual, physical and emotional abuse in relationships.