Immigrants seeking asylum in the United States are often here as a result of violent and traumatic episodes in their home countries. Unfortunately, the healing process and the process of legally entering the US are sometimes at odds with each other. Since we provide evaluations for people facing deportation to prove that they have reason to seek asylum— like PTSD resulting from trauma in their native lands— we are sensitive to the challenges involved in the process. Where one might imagine this being a matter of adults striving to overcome trauma on their path to asylum, the truth is that people of all ages find themselves in this situation, and children can be the most vulnerable. We appreciated seeing a light shined on this fact in a compelling article on KPCC’s website today, and we hope you’ll read the excerpt below and click through for the full story.
In the effort to help the thousands of unaccompanied Central American children who have arrived at the nation’s border, doctors and therapists like (Elena) Fernandez often work closely with attorneys like London. The evidence of physical and emotional trauma that clinicians document in exam rooms and in therapy sessions can be critical in helping the children’s attorneys make a case for why they should be allowed to stay in the U.S. But doing so effectively can be tricky, because the lawyers’ and therapists’ professional goals often collide.
“This is very difficult,” Fernandez said. “Obviously the attorneys need to get the facts, and push and pressure the patient. But while we’re trying to work with all these emotions — this stress, and anxiety and depression — they’re re-traumatizing the patient.”
London understands Fernandez’ position.
“If they go to an (asylum) interview and say, I don’t really want to talk about being afraid, they’re not going to be able to stay here,” she said. “But the therapist’s goal may be, let’s get the child as far away from talking about the trauma, because they’re really not ready to process it. So it gets messy.”