Author Topic: Psychologist advice  (Read 3527 times)

Doglover

Psychologist advice
« on: May 16, 2019, 05:36:13 PM »
Ok, we have a girl of nineteen, kidnapped at seven and kept isolated though not abused. She thinks her kidnapper is her mother and has no memory of her real family. On being returned to her family, the police have arranged a psychologist (psychiatrist?) to see her. My question is: how much would they tell this girl all at once?
 

Dennis Chekalov

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2019, 08:00:31 PM »
So, basically, the police forcibly took her from her only home, forcibly separated from her mother, sent her mother into jail, brought the girl to some complete strangers and said, "It's your family now. You are obliged to love them." Poor girl. First of all, she's nineteen and, therefore, adult. Why would she stay with her “new” family? She would run away. She should be placed into some rehab center with no contacts with her old family.

Doglover

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #2 on: May 16, 2019, 08:22:22 PM »
So, basically, the police forcibly took her from her only home, forcibly separated from her mother, sent her mother into jail, brought the girl to some complete strangers and said, "It's your family now. You are obliged to love them." Poor girl. First of all, she's nineteen and, therefore, adult. Why would she stay with her “new” family? She would run away. She should be placed into some rehab center with no contacts with her old family.
Well, you could see it that way, I suppose. But no one's making her stay, only telling her what has happened. She doesn't have to stay with them, but she has nowhere else to go.

I really want to know what a psychologist would do, how it would be handled.
 

notthatamanda

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #3 on: May 16, 2019, 08:37:34 PM »
I think you have to make her a minor, at least in the US.  The police have no cause to remove a legal adult from the home and won't.  If she was seventeen and there was no plan for temporary custody in place (I can elaborate on that) child protective services would be called and she would be placed in emergency foster care.  Given the foster care system she'd probably move multiple times in the first week and she could overhear what happened, if you want to play it that way.  I'm not sure when they would tell her, but I have a friend who is a child advocate/lawyer, I can run it by her if you want.

A nineteen year old, in the US, would have no support services.  She could stay in the home until the landlord kicked them out, the taxes or mortgage wasn't paid, and evicted.  For a rental situation eviction can take up to a year, depending on the state.  If it is a mortgage or taxes not being paid on a private home, it could take years.  Either way the story would be on the news.  If the real family showed up and offered her a home, she could go with them, because she was an adult, but it would be a hard sell to explain to her why she should without telling her what happened right then.

Sorry I know this wasn't exactly what you were looking for.

Edit:  I thought about it some more.  Your question is what would a psychologist do?  Given that a psychologist is under a ethical, and possibly legal, obligation to act in the best interest of the patient, regardless of who is paying the bill, the psychologist would not withhold the truth about the situation for one minute, especially for a teenager.  The situation is traumatic but there is no benefit to the patient and possibly additional harm to be caused, by waiting to tell them.
« Last Edit: May 16, 2019, 09:34:43 PM by notthatamanda »
 

Dormouse

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #4 on: May 16, 2019, 10:08:35 PM »
Given that a psychologist is under a ethical, and possibly legal, obligation to act in the best interest of the patient, regardless of who is paying the bill, the psychologist would not withhold the truth about the situation for one minute, especially for a teenager.
That's not correct. The decision would be nuanced.
And the psychologist couldn't be sure of knowing the 'truth'.

On being returned to her family, the police have arranged a psychologist (psychiatrist?) to see her. My question is: how much would they tell this girl all at once?
I'd suggest looking at the literature.
Either the media (books, TV or newspapers) or the professional literature for relevant case studies.
 

notthatamanda

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2019, 10:43:01 PM »
Given that a psychologist is under a ethical, and possibly legal, obligation to act in the best interest of the patient, regardless of who is paying the bill, the psychologist would not withhold the truth about the situation for one minute, especially for a teenager.
That's not correct. The decision would be nuanced.
And the psychologist couldn't be sure of knowing the 'truth'.

On being returned to her family, the police have arranged a psychologist (psychiatrist?) to see her. My question is: how much would they tell this girl all at once?
I'd suggest looking at the literature.
Either the media (books, TV or newspapers) or the professional literature for relevant case studies.

I'm not looking to argue, but what nuances?  Genuinely curious.  The way I see it, the truth is going to have to come out at sometime, what possible benefit to the patient could there be to waiting?  Why would the therapist agree to that?  All I can see is some kid being grateful that this nice family took her in, finding out the truth down the road and feeling very betrayed.  That betrayal would make for great conflict in the story, but now I'm feeling really bad for a fictional character who hasn't even been written yet.

Sorry OP, didn't mean to take it this far off the topic.
 

LilyBLily

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #6 on: May 16, 2019, 11:27:57 PM »
Why doesn't she remember her "real" family? Most people can reliably remember people and events from before age seven.

This girl would have a lot of questions, and, depending on her personality, she might be unwilling to be questioned. Something to consider. 

 

Maggie Ann

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #7 on: May 17, 2019, 12:35:25 AM »
Why doesn't she remember her "real" family? Most people can reliably remember people and events from before age seven.

This girl would have a lot of questions, and, depending on her personality, she might be unwilling to be questioned. Something to consider.

Unless she was abused and brainwashed like Steven Stayner.

Given that a psychologist is under a ethical, and possibly legal, obligation to act in the best interest of the patient, regardless of who is paying the bill, the psychologist would not withhold the truth about the situation for one minute, especially for a teenager.
That's not correct. The decision would be nuanced.
And the psychologist couldn't be sure of knowing the 'truth'.

On being returned to her family, the police have arranged a psychologist (psychiatrist?) to see her. My question is: how much would they tell this girl all at once?
I'd suggest looking at the literature.
Either the media (books, TV or newspapers) or the professional literature for relevant case studies.

The Steven Stayner case is very interesting, not to mention horribly tragic. The original book, I Know my Name is Steven, is apparently very graphic but there are other books written about him. He got away from his captor after about seven years when he was fifteen because the man brought home a five year old. Steven was determined to save the child and did actually escape with the boy. The only thing he remembered at that point was his first name.

I would also suggest that different psychologists would  take different approaches, depending on the case and the personality of the victim not to mention the psychologists own training and beliefs. I think you have more leeway there to slant things toward the story rather than a cut and dried, one size fits all approach.
« Last Edit: May 17, 2019, 12:38:58 AM by Maggie Ann »
           
 

Doglover

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #8 on: May 17, 2019, 02:06:06 AM »
Oh wow! Thank you for all your opinions and insights. The premise is that the child was kidnapped at aged seven by a paedophile, with the aid of his wife. The man then died before he could do any harm but his wife, being afraid of what the child might tell and not able to kill her herself, decided to keep her. However, the child has grown up thinking this woman is her mother and being kept closeted and told lies about her past.

I'm not sure a child of seven would remember the truth when faced with continual assurances that what she remembers are only dreams. There is a lot more to it, but that is the part of this bit.

This story is set in England where, even as a nineteen year old, she would receive a lot of support from social services and the police, as well as counselling. The pseudo mother is under arrest and this girl, although an adult, has never been into the world outside.

Anyway, I just wanted to know how much she is likely to be told all at once. Thanks so much.
 

VanessaC

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #9 on: May 17, 2019, 02:32:20 AM »
I think a large part of it depends on how accurate you want to be.  Thinking about this logically, it's not likely that the psychologist would be the one telling the victim what had happened - I may be looking at this wrong, but I'd see the psychologist's role more as support for the victim in working through issues arising from the kidnapping, etc.  In those circumstances I would expect the police to be telling the victim what had happened, and sharing all their information with the psychologist - perhaps interviewing the victim with the psychologist present?

I wonder also if the police would have a victim support liaison in place, and that person might be the one disclosing facts to the victim?

However, it's been a long day and I may be overthinking this!!

Interesting premise, and best of luck with it.
     



Genre: Fantasy
 

Dormouse

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #10 on: May 17, 2019, 02:47:22 AM »
In those circumstances I would expect the police to be telling the victim what had happened, and sharing all their information with the psychologist - perhaps interviewing the victim with the psychologist present?
The immediate first step ought to be risk and vulnerability assessment.
What actually happens will depend on how the police initially involved reacted.
There are many ways a psychologist or psychiatrist might be involved.
 

Jan Hurst-Nicholson

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Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #11 on: May 17, 2019, 04:44:43 AM »
Ok, we have a girl of nineteen, kidnapped at seven and kept isolated though not abused. She thinks her kidnapper is her mother and has no memory of her real family. On being returned to her family, the police have arranged a psychologist (psychiatrist?) to see her. My question is: how much would they tell this girl all at once?

This actually happened in Cape Town. I remember the girl was very conflicted and needed a lot of counseling.

https://www.iol.co.za/news/stolen-baby-found-17-years-later-1824397

Non-fiction, Fiction, family saga, humour, short stories, teen, children's
Jan Hurst-Nicholson | author website
 

Leo

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #12 on: May 17, 2019, 10:41:28 AM »
I think a large part of it depends on how accurate you want to be.  Thinking about this logically, it's not likely that the psychologist would be the one telling the victim what had happened - I may be looking at this wrong, but I'd see the psychologist's role more as support for the victim in working through issues arising from the kidnapping, etc.  In those circumstances I would expect the police to be telling the victim what had happened, and sharing all their information with the psychologist - perhaps interviewing the victim with the psychologist present?

I wonder also if the police would have a victim support liaison in place, and that person might be the one disclosing facts to the victim?

However, it's been a long day and I may be overthinking this!!

Interesting premise, and best of luck with it.
In those circumstances I would expect the police to be telling the victim what had happened, and sharing all their information with the psychologist - perhaps interviewing the victim with the psychologist present?
The immediate first step ought to be risk and vulnerability assessment.
What actually happens will depend on how the police initially involved reacted.
There are many ways a psychologist or psychiatrist might be involved.

Good insights. I wouldn't expect the police to provide much more than a brief description of the girl's situation. It depends on the officer's role and their particular interest in the girl's psychological well being. The personality of the police officer, or more likely the social worker who liaises between the police and community services, could be explored in a bit of detail too.

Although the girl is a victim of kidnapping with malicious intent there appears to be no actual physical or sexual trauma...? The trauma appears to be psychological and emotional which would slowly come out through many therapy sessions. Are the biological parents involved? They would form a very important role in the therapeutic process too. In fact they would be calling the shots in regards to choice of therapist, number of sessions, content, etc. They too will need counselling.

The psychologist is unlikely to interfere with the girl's own processing. Their role is to listen and only add insights as needed. So much depends on the particular theoretical mindset of the therapist. They could use Rogerian or Humanistic, Jungian or plain CBT, it depends on the therapist's experience and interests on how they would go about providing therapy in a situation like this.

There is much interesting material you could tease out here. Good luck.
Post-apocalypse or epic fantasy anyone?
Or perhaps tarot and astrology are more up your alley?

 

Doglover

Re: Psychologist advice
« Reply #13 on: May 17, 2019, 01:41:51 PM »
I think a large part of it depends on how accurate you want to be.  Thinking about this logically, it's not likely that the psychologist would be the one telling the victim what had happened - I may be looking at this wrong, but I'd see the psychologist's role more as support for the victim in working through issues arising from the kidnapping, etc.  In those circumstances I would expect the police to be telling the victim what had happened, and sharing all their information with the psychologist - perhaps interviewing the victim with the psychologist present?

I wonder also if the police would have a victim support liaison in place, and that person might be the one disclosing facts to the victim?

However, it's been a long day and I may be overthinking this!!

Interesting premise, and best of luck with it.
That is it. The police here have family liaison officers and that would be who they sent to talk to her initially, wouldn't it? Then they would probably offer counselling.

You've all given me lots of ideas.  Thank you so much.  :banana-riding-llama-smiley-em

Ok, we have a girl of nineteen, kidnapped at seven and kept isolated though not abused. She thinks her kidnapper is her mother and has no memory of her real family. On being returned to her family, the police have arranged a psychologist (psychiatrist?) to see her. My question is: how much would they tell this girl all at once?

This actually happened in Cape Town. I remember the girl was very conflicted and needed a lot of counseling.

https://www.iol.co.za/news/stolen-baby-found-17-years-later-1824397

Thank you, Jan. I shall give that a read.