Developmental Trauma Disorder: Helping a Refugee Teen Cope with Guilt and Suicidal Ideation

In this session, we meet 15-year-old Jaime, who emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. with his family at the age of 9. Over the course of his therapy, Jaime discloses that he was sexually abused by a family friend, referred to as "Uncle Max," during his childhood. Recently, Jaime learned that Uncle Max also sexually abused his younger brother, "Ro." This revelation has compounded Jamie’s distress, as he feels an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame for not disclosing the abuse sooner, both to protect his brother and to help his parents. When Jaime meets with Dr. Gomez, he expresses that he feels he deserves to die for his perceived failure to prevent the abuse. In this session, Dr. Gomez works with Jaime to explore the profound emotional weight of these beliefs, specifically focusing on the concept of “this world without Jaime.” The Developmental Trauma Disorder: Identifying Critical Moments and Healing Complex Trauma video series provides clinicians, counselors, and other helpers with insights on recognizing and dealing with the most difficult crises and turning points that occur in therapy with traumatized children and families. Each video features a scene where the youth and caregiver are actors playing fictional characters, but the therapists are real. Viewers will see how therapists handle critical turning points during the therapy session to help families safely heal from the severe emotional and interpersonal problems that occur in the aftermath of complex trauma. This series is sponsored by the Center for the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Disorders, a part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.