International Journal of Emergency Mental Health and Human Resilience
Open Access

Abstract

Women who live in marginalized communities of color; and or pregnant; with lack of community resources has a greater risk of social and generational trauma; which correlates to their children being diagnosed with a physical or psychological disorder. The goal of this paper is to fill in the gap of psychological development where mothers can gain trauma focused training and continue adequate sustained growth and development, while utilizing evidence-base techniques to control the amount of stress in the motherâ�?�?s social environment that could affect gene expression and epigenetic changes to her unborn child. Can stress related trauma be passed down by generations? What are the parameters when addressing a motherâ�?�?s needs when it comes to environmental stressors? Are there benefits to trauma focused training while the infant is still in utero? To answer the above questions; the writer will explain the â�?�?Diathesis-Stress Modelâ�? and the corotation between genetic factors and the psychological growth and development of the fetus. The writer will also review ongoing interventions for mothers who are currently pregnant, starting at 20-25 of fetal development. The writer will use eight psycho educational therapeutic group counseling sessions to address traumatic experiences in the motherâ�?�?s social environment. The â�?�?Depression Anxiety Stress Scaleâ�? (DASS) and the Psychological Distress Profile (PDP) will be used as quantifiable methods when addressing depression, anger, hopelessness and anxiety and how these affects correlate with expecting mothers and their unborn child. Lastly, the writer will discuss a new conceptualized stage theory.

Biography

Micheal McGee is a graduate student in the counseling psychology program at Bowie State University (BSU) and the current Graduate Student Association President. A former health care senior management professional, he worked in the disability field for over 20 years, serving people from diverse populations with developmental or intellectual disability and mental health disorders. He has been the director of residential services at EPIC (formerly Southern Maryland Vocational Industries), supervisor of employment services at MVLE, mid-Atlantic executive director at Sunrise Community Services, Mid-Atlantic executive director for Sunrise Communities, executive director for United Cerebral Palsy of Maryland, a member of the 2021 cohort of the White House HBCU Scholars Recognition Initiative and the Maryland Counseling Association human rights chairman and Emerging Leader of 2020–2021.