Introduction
Naturally, as human beings, we need connections to flourish and arise when dealing with various aspects of existence. However, isolation is a significant source of suffering for many individuals at personal and cultural levels, especially those with substantial disorders such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Cormier et al., 2023). A psychological theory called Relational Culture Theory (RCT) strongly emphasizes the value of relationships in the growth and welfare of people.
The theory contends that people grow through and within relationships and that our interactions with others impact our sense of self, our actions, and our emotions (Westcott & Grimes, 2023). Mutual empathy, the necessity for relationships that support growth, the influence of cultural and social circumstances on relationships, and the part played by power dynamics in defining relationships are among the core principles of RCT (Cormier et al., 2023). In other words, relational therapy, or relational-cultural therapy, is a form of psychotherapy that strongly emphasizes the value of relationships and how they affect a person’s well-being. A person’s interactions with others and how these relationships affect their daily lives are encouraged to be explored in relational therapy.
A stressful incident, such as violence, a natural disaster, an accident, or a military engagement, can result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health disease. Intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, avoidance, hyperarousal, and emotional numbing are just some symptoms that define PTSD (Andreasen, 2019). PTSD can have a significant adverse effect on a person’s relationships, career, and general well-being. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), exposure therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and other types of psychotherapy are frequently used to treat PTSD (EMDR). With such particular rationale, the paper will comprehensively discuss a brief overview of RCT, key concepts and principles governing RCT, and evaluate various studies conducted to understand its effectiveness in handling PTSD.
Brief Overview of RCT and Its Practice Technique
The foundation of Relational Culture Theory is the idea that people are intrinsically relational and that our interactions influence our growth and well-being. RCT emphasizes the value of relationships that promote growth and are marked by reciprocal empathy, authenticity, respect, and cooperation (Westcott & Grimes, 2023). These connections offer a sense of belonging, validation, and support and are crucial for people’s psychological development and well-being. RCT emphasizes the influence of social and cultural settings on interactions.
RCT is aware of how power dynamics influence and settled interpersonal interactions. According to the theory, connections that promote growth might be hampered by power disparities, such as those based on gender, race, class, or sexual orientation (Cormier et al., 2023). For instance, those who are members of marginalized groups could feel disconnected from and invalidated by people with greater authority and privilege in their interactions with them. According to RCT, developing connections that promote growth and enhance individual and societal well-being requires resolving power disparities and advancing social justice (Westcott & Grimes, 2023). Another good example is people with PTSD; they always feel disconnected because of facing a traumatic situation.
According to the notion, people grow up in social and cultural circumstances that mold their experiences, attitudes, and values (Cormier et al., 2023). These environments have the potential to either encourage or prevent the establishment of relationships that promote growth. For instance, cultural norms that value competitiveness and individualism above connection and collaboration can impede the emergence of relationships that promote growth (Lértora & Starkey, 2021). Similarly, social frameworks that uphold power disparities and inequities can erode the mutual respect and empathy essential for interactions that boost growth.
In order to counter the prevalent individualistic and hierarchical theories of psychology and psychiatry, a group of feminist psychologists led by Jean Baker Miller established RCT in the 1970s. Instead, they put out a relational model emphasizing connection, cooperation, and mutual growth while acknowledging the significance of connections in the human experience (Cormier et al., 2023). Since then, RCT has been used in various, including community service, education, counseling, and organizational development.
Practice Techniques of RCT
A therapist has employed various techniques in RCT to understand how people engage in unhealthy thinking habits and conducts linked with particular relationships (Lértora & Starkey, 2021). When a therapist identifies and understands behavioral patterns, a friendly and healthy ground is created in the discussion of vital information, mainly the one leading to PSTD (Watkins et al., 2018). RCT primarily engages the integration of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and psychotherapy, and relational interpolations.
The cognitive-Behavioral technique is essential in RCT because patients with PSTD may participate in cognitive-behavioral practices that concentrate on relationships. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is ideally a disorder that some people experience after going through a stunning, frightful, or dangerous incident (Andreasen, 2019). Fear is a normal emotion both during and after a terrible event. Fear causes the body to go through a number of split-second modifications that aid in defending against or avoiding danger. In coping with a traumatic event, CBT emphasizes learning skills that facilitate healthy thinking habits concerning connections with other people (Lértora & Starkey, 2021). Such individuals with PSTD must be assisted by healthcare providers to navigate their thinking patterns linked with particular interactions with people (Andreasen, 2019).
Psychotherapy methodologies are major approaches used in practice that allows a clear interpretation of specific connections that impacts a patient’s life. Under this technique, PSTD patients have a chance to express their interactions with significant people in their lives to experience connection, thus, well-being (Watkins et al., 2018). Self-growth is discussed deeply, and the patient is able to overcome the past or current traumatic experience.
Ideally, people who face traumatic situations keep flashbacking, get bad dreams, and have frightening thoughts. Rational interventions, in this case, are essential in building and firming the patient’s relationship with close people such as friends, family members, healthcare providers, and colleagues (Cormier et al., 2023). Activities concerning the impact that past connections had on interaction with current relationships are focused on relational interventions.
Rationale on Relational Cultural Theory and PTSD
Understanding the relational and cultural aspects that contribute to the onset and maintenance of PTSD can be facilitated by applying RCT to the condition. RCT emphasizes the importance of using proper coping mechanisms in addition to the impact of trauma on relationships that promote growth (Lértora & Starkey, 2021). An approach to psychology called Relational Culture Theory (RCT) places a strong emphasis on the value of connections and relationships in people’s lives. According to the notion, close ties with family, friends, and significant others are especially important for mental health and well-being.
Around 7 to 8 out of every 100 people will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, according to the National Center for PTSD. Women are more likely than men to experience PTSD, and some people may be predisposed to the disorder due to genetics (Lértora & Starkey, 2021). Not every person with PTSD has experienced a life-threatening situation. Once a friend or member of their family is in danger or suffers trauma, some people acquire PTSD. The disorder can also result from a loved one dying suddenly and unexpectedly.
A traumatic experience can lead to the development of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental health disease. A person’s life may be seriously disrupted by the symptoms of PTSD, which include acute fear, anxiety, and other symptoms (Andreasen, 2019). Although there is little study directly testing RCT’s efficacy in treating PTSD, the theory’s emphasis on connections and relationships may be useful in controlling PTSD symptoms. For instance, one of the foundational tenets of RCT is that relationships that support growth are defined by shared empathy, authenticity, and empowerment. People with PTSD may be better able to control symptoms like loneliness and social withdrawal by putting more emphasis on creating and sustaining these kinds of relationships (Andreasen, 2019).
Individuals experiencing traumatic events have unhealthy coping strategies, including using substance abuse, avoiding others, being angry and violent, and engaging in dangerous. Taking alcohol and drugs is more likely to happen with people traumatized, which is a significant health risk of developing other health complications. Avoiding others is highly linked with stress and anger (Lértora & Starkey, 2021). Avoiding other makes PTSD clients feel isolated, and as a coping strategy, they become violent and engages in dangerous conduct. Although it is understandable and natural to feel angry after a traumatic event, anger and violent conduct create more problems that are difficult to handle and recover from.
The need to address power disparities in relationships is another point stressed by RCT. As such, it may entail addressing the powerlessness and lack of control that frequently accompany traumatic experiences in the setting of PTSD (Andreasen, 2019). The ability of people with PTSD to reclaim their sense of agency and control over their lives may be improved by creating relationships that are more equitable and balanced. There are some risk factors that raise your vulnerability, even though it’s impossible to anticipate who may experience PTSD as a result of stress (Watkins et al., 2018). The nature of the traumatic incident itself plays a major role in several risk factors. When an individual life or personal safety is seriously threatened during a traumatic incident, there is a high possibility of developing PTSD as a reaction. The more acute and protracted the threat, the higher the risk (Watkins et al., 2018). Moreover, intentional, human-caused harm such as rape, assault, and torture often has a superior psychological impact than “acts of God” or other, more impersonal mishaps and disasters. It also matters to what degree the traumatic incident was unavoidable, uncontrollable, and inevitable.
Research evaluating RCT effectiveness on PTSD.
Relational Cultural Theory takes its name from Relational-Cultural Theory, which was created in the 1970s by psychologist Jean Baker and emphasizes the value of relationships in a person’s life (Westcott & Grimes, 2023). Jean Baker believed that focusing on independence did not lead to personal development as much as developing ties with others did. The scientific literature currently does not have a lot of information about relational therapy. The validity of this therapy hasn’t been well studied, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t effective. The foundation of the therapy is a set of related concepts that have been examined extensively. Relational therapy also incorporates ideas from cognitive behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy that have also been supported by empirical scientific studies (Westcott & Grimes, 2023).
Further studies are required to determine the precise efficacy of RCT in handling PTSD; the theory’s focus on connections and relationships may offer a viable foundation for addressing some of the disorder’s primary symptoms (Westcott & Grimes, 2023). A theoretical approach known as Relational Culture Theory (RCT) emphasizes the significance of links and relationships in comprehending human growth and well-being. It is frequently employed in relation to the trauma, especially in recognizing and treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) (Westcott & Grimes, 2023). The usefulness of RCT in treating PTSD has been examined in several studies in recent years.
One vital research study that has shown the effectiveness of RCT in handling PTSD was done by Hall et al. (2018) to evaluate the effectiveness of RCT-based intervention for veterans with PTSD. The intervention involved twelve weekly group sessions that concentrated on building and firming relationships, mainly from the perspective of military service trauma. The findings revealed that intervention resulted in significant improvement in PTSD symptoms and measures of social support and connection (Hall et al., 2018). Veterans reported feeling more hopeful and were capable of coping with symptoms after completing the intervention showing how relational cultural theory was essential in handling their PTSD experienced when in the line of duty. The study overlaps with the one conducted by Grace et al. (2020) that evaluated the effectiveness of using a six-week RCT-based intervention for women with PTSD. The study produced similar results, and participants reported strong empowerment after completing the intervention.
Another study conducted by Kress et al. (2018) on the use of relational-cultural theory in counselling patients who had traumatic stress disorder revealed that Relational‐cultural theory (RCT) was essential in counselling clients with PTSD. It helped individuals to feel a sense of belonging and promoted relationship‐building and growth‐fostering connections for many clients who were required to manage their problems in living (Watkins et al., 2018). Furthermore, RCT gives counselors a non-pathologizing and culturally sensitive framework to utilize with clients who have traumatic stress disorders and are looking for deeper connections and a sense of worth in their interactions with others, themselves, and society at large (Kress et al., 2018). Miller and colleagues claim that partnerships that promote growth and are rich in empathy and reciprocity are those that have an excellent interpersonal connections. In order for therapists and counselors to effectively work with a wider range of clients, the relational-cultural theory focuses on the cultures and situations that shape relationships (Kress et al., 2018). These problems are tackled by the therapist within the boundaries of the therapeutic alliance and the client’s connections outside of therapy.
Similarly, Watkins et al. (2018) reviewed evidence-based psychotherapy interventions (a vital technique of RCT) to treat PTSD. Using the 2017 methodology by the Veterans Health Administration and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) and the American Psychological Association (APA), they discussed the psychological treatment of PTSD. Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy were all strongly advised in both standards (CBT) (Watkins et al., 2018). Each of these therapies has a solid body of research to support it, and each is trauma-focused, which means it deals with the traumatic event’s memories or associated thoughts and feelings. Evidence-based psychotherapy is crucial for the effective treatment of people with serious diseases like post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a small body of literature (Watkins et al., 2018). The strategy employs modern therapy based on the interests, values, requirements, and cultures of the patient. Assessment, participation, and interventions are made easier by the use of empirically established methodologies.
In a study conducted by Lasinsky. (2020) on Integrating Relational-Cultural Theory Concepts and Mask-Making in Group Supervision showed how the theory is effective in handling PTSD (Gómez, 2020). The article shows that supervisees in the clinical stage of counselor training typically experience anxiety, which is a related symptom of PTSD concerning evaluation and competence (Andreasen, 2019). There is no individual who likes being stressed when they are in the line of duty because of linked adverse health consequences. Current literature has acknowledged that incorporating relational cultural theory ideas in supervision can be employed to restructure supervisees’ anxiety and encourage professional growth (Lasinsky, 2019). Using RCT by employing a healthy coping strategy, the supervisees reported contentment in handling daily anxiety and predicted future career advancement (Gómez, 2020).
Conclusion
In summation, Relational Cultural Theory (RCT) is a type of psychotherapy that strongly points out the significance of connections and how they impact a person’s wellness. Relational Cultural Theory emphasizes the exploration of a person’s connections with others and how these relationships impact their daily lives. Relational Cultural Theory is a result of Jean Baker Miller’s research on human connection and how culture affects relationships in the 1970s and 1980s, which gave rise to the model. Miller’s writings primarily dealt with women, privilege, power, and the dominant and subordinate roles that are manifested in interpersonal relationships. During the period, there was a shift in the practice of psychotherapy away from purely introspective tactics and toward a focus on the dynamics of interpersonal interactions and how they affect people as a whole. RCT incorporates cognitive-behavioral therapy, which is goal-oriented, concentrates on flawed reasoning, and encourages self-awareness and constructive behaviors. The daily interactions with other people are governed by these principles grounding RCT. Also, it draws on psychoanalytic and psychodynamic therapeutic ideologies.
In working effectively with a wider range of clients, the relational-cultural theory focuses therapists and counselors on the cultures and situations that figure relationships. The therapeutic union and the client’s acquaintances outside of therapy are the frameworks in which the therapist handles these issues. Through various techniques of RCT, Jean Baker thought that fostering relationships with others sparked personal development more than a focus on independence, especially to individuals experiencing traumatic events.
From the studies identified, it is evident that Relational Cultural Theory is effective in counselling individuals experiencing PTSD. Using RCT to major disorders can help healthcare professionals to better comprehend the relational and cultural factors that influence the development and maintenance of PTSD. In addition, the negative effects of trauma on connections that foster growth, RCT emphasizes the value of employing healthy coping methods. By providing experience in detecting crippling behavioral patterns that one tends to gravitate to in relationships, RCT can be helpful for most people, especially the ones suffering from PTSD. Also, it addresses issues and trauma connected to particular relationships, providing healing advantages for people who have experienced trauma and/or abuse in the past and current. In addition, this therapy may include advice on how to resolve disputes in a range of social contexts, including the workplace and family gatherings.
References
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