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Hope House Contributions
The spring 2019 Gender Media class voted to give donations to Hope House, a local domestic violence shelter. Thanks for participating in t...
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Students presented about various gender and LGBTQ issues around the world. This gave us a lot to think about in terms of issues and situ...
I really enjoyed listening to Jennifer Greens knowledge on trauma in humans and her personal experiences. I found everything she talked about very interesting and the way she spoke made it very easy to stay engaged. In the beginning of her presentation I was able to connect personal experiences to the definition of trauma and coping. Learning about how humans behave differently has always been a topic I find very interesting. Majoring in Social Work and minoring in Psychology has given me the opportunity to begin learning about behaviors and the human brain. When Jennifer began talking about how the brains release of chemicals during the freeze flight and fight moments in life I was able to use my prior knowledge to make better sense of what was being said. My favorite part of the presentation was hearing about her personal experiences with patients because it made it easier to put these sexual harassment cases into perspective. Becoming aware that there people all around to provide support and resources to people struggling brought me peace. When she explained how she approaches patients and builds trust by respecting their requests and making them comfortable is a skill I will carry with me into my future. I’m very glad I got the opportunity to listen to Jennifer and it opened my eyes to many topics and overall better knowledge about sexual assault and coping.
ReplyDeletePeyton M
Overall I found the subject matter discussed by Jennifer Green very interesting as the topic of Traumatic events as well as extraction of DNA from sexual assault victims is rarely if ever talked about. Often I’ve seen events talked about on the news and wondered, “Why would someone act in that manner?” the speaker offered great insight as to what biologically occurs in traumatic events. One of the things that stood out immediately was that I wasn’t aware of was that people had the ability to “Freeze”, I had been under the impression that a person either fell into the Fight or Flight ability. This third option I was not aware of. I also wasn’t aware that a person’s ability of “higher level” of thinking is shut down during traumatic experiences. This made the actions of people I’ve heard about make more sense. The extraction of DNA is a subject I had known very little about and I for some reason was surprised that the victim had so much freedom as to what was collected. I was under the impression that it was something that was required. The laws in place as far how and when to submit DNA for testing really gave me a positive feeling towards the judicial system and the privacy and freedoms that were given to the victims of sexual assault. I was glad I had the opportunity to learn about such a topic that is often not talked about.
ReplyDelete-Dylan Carnahan
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ReplyDeleteJennifer Green is a forensic nurse who spoke to my class about sexual trauma. She talked about certain characteristics that people who are sexual assault victims display. For example, one might have hypertension or have trouble remember exact detail. Those who have gone through extreme trauma kie in the fetal position and suck their thumb.
ReplyDeleteI thought it was interesting that different jurisdictions have different rape kits that cater to people of that region. I was surprised to learn that if a victim wants to use a kit but not go forward with any of the evidence then the victim is allowed to wait and have that evidence sit on the shelf for up to five years until the victim decides if they wanted to move forward and press charges with any of the evidence.
The most important aspect that I took away from the guest speaker is that taking the time to try and understand the victim from the victim's perspective is very important in allowing the healing process to begin as well as allowing for the victim to trust again.
-Lexi Clary
I found Jennifer’s presentation to be very eye opening and full of interesting information. I think this presentation should be given to people all around the world because I feel that if we show people and explain to them what these events cause and how we can help, then others will want to help and be a positive influence in the community. I also feel that this presentation gave us information on how to get someone we know help and how to support them during thier traumatic event. I also learned that not all traumas are abusive or sexual. It could be a car crash or loss of a loved one. I think the most important thing is to be there for someone who has been through a traumatic events and let them know that you’re there for them.
ReplyDeleteI thought Jennifer's presentation was very interesting and educational. I enjoyed listening to what she had to say. I liked how she discussed how she went to college and got her degree in one thing and then later on found out she wanted to work more as a nurse and went back to school and then got certified to help with sexual assault cases. I think it is interesting how life can lead you on paths you would never have thought of. I thought it was very educational to find out that after someone is traumatized their memories are stored in a disorganized way because the prefrontal cortex shuts down which slows your thought process and limits your attention span. I think this is important for every person who works with victims to realize because some officers or doctors might think that their lack of memory or details mean that it did not really happen and they just made it all up. I enjoyed listening to her speak and think it would be very beneficial for anyone who is thinking about working with victims to come and listen to what she has to say.
ReplyDeletePaige R
I really enjoyed listening to Jennifer Green speak. Sexual trauma is not an easy topic to speak about, especially in a room full of college students. Jennifer's presentation was very insightful, and I am glad that she came and gave us more knowledge on what actually happens with sexual trauma. I was aware of some of the acute things that go along with dealing with trauma, but Jennifer really went deep into the topic and opened my mind more. For example the fight or flight response, I was not aware that "freeze" was a natural response. Later in the day, after listening to Jennifer speak I heard another speak on the same topic, and she told us that there is also another response called "appease," where you just do whatever you're told to survive. You go with the flow, even though you know you're in danger. I feel that after listening to Jennifer speak I am more insightful on the topic of trauma and I may not be an expert now, but I feel that if I come in contact with a victim of trauma, I now have proper knowledge on how to handle the situation.
ReplyDelete-Kayvona Bragg
Jennifer Green opened my eyes to the neurological effects of trauma. I learned that when a person is in a dangerous or traumatic situation, the frontal lobe of their brain basically shuts down and the body is commanded by reflexes for survival. Thus, a person who endured trauma will not understand long, complex sentences and is not able to think as logically or remember details well. I also learned that when a person is in danger, they will either do one of three things: freeze, run, or fight. And a person cannot decide which one of these survival reflexes they will exhibit. Another thing that stood out to me was the emphasis Green put on respecting the "no" when you're trying to help a trauma patient. The major difference between the perpetrator and the trauma professional is that the perpetrator did not respect the victims "no", whereas the trauma specialist does. This helps the specialist gain the trust of the victim. Green stated that the victim's trust must be gained quickly because the more time that passes, the more the evidence disappears. However, she stressed the point that it is crucial not to put pressure on the victim. In order to help the victim, one must believe the victim, respect the victim, and gain his/her trust. If this process is not done correctly, the victim would shut down and suffer even more.
ReplyDelete-Ellie Matthews
I found Jennifer Green to be very informative and thorough. I appreciated listening to her speak and learning more about sexual and life traumas. I liked when she expanded on "fight, flight, and freeze" and that you cannot control which one your body chooses. I have usually only heard the phrase "fight or flight" but have experienced the freeze aspect of the phrase Jennifer used.
ReplyDeleteI found the video snippet from the movie Captain Phillips to be an intriguing and great addition to her content. When Jennifer highlighted the fact that some people simply cannot access their higher cognitive abilities after a trauma, it made me wish that more people, particularly parents, would be more mindful of that before they react in some situations. And when Jennifer spoke about how seemingly useless or pointless details should still be listened to and acknowledged because they can be far from useless after someone is finished telling what happened to them, I agreed with that action.
Another thing that I greatly appreciated was when Jennifer reenacted a scenario of how she helps people after their traumas. She made it very clear how to not impose and give off an air of aggression so that the person would be comfortable. Jennifer Green’s content was very sequential and everything concluded quite well.
- Murielle Mercier
Jennifer Green's topic on trauma was very interesting to me, as I have personally experienced trauma of my own and I work in a trauma center and see the various traumas that come to the emergency room on a daily basis. I was, however, surprised at her statistics stating that a higher percentage of men experience trauma in their lifetime as opposed to women. I found out that she was a ‘freezer’, which I was not aware was a natural response to trauma. I am definitely a runner, as I have experienced with my own trauma situations. I also did not realize that the frontal lobe of the brain completely shuts down in the event of a trauma, which makes total sense if I really step back from the traumas I see at my job. Her talk really gave insight on how I should approach and talk to the trauma patients that I come in contact with; that I need to build their trust before I perform my exam so as not to make them anxious or re-live their trauma. The discussion we had in class was very helpful and eye-opening, and I plan to use my new knowledge in my job field.
ReplyDelete-Alyssa D
Going into this, I did not know what to expect. Usually guest speakers put students to sleep but this speaker talked about real life issues. She talked about reactions that are genuine and real. Trauma is a serious thing and this who have experienced atraumatic event need to be handled with care. I never knew that everyone was so different when it comes to trauma and that people can react to traumatic events in so many different ways. I thought the fight, flight or freeze thing was interesting. I didn't know that "freeze" was added into the equation because I have always heard of "fight or flight." It makes sense though, there are probably plenty of cases where people just freeze during a moment of terror. What's also crazy is that people never know until they get put into a traumatic situation. I have never been in a super traumatic situation so I do not quite know which of the 3 I am. I also thought it was very interesting that the director of "Captain Phillips" decided to use the actual trauma nurse that treated Captain Phillips. Her coaching of Tom Hanks added a lot of emotion and intensity to that final scene. All in all, I enjoyed this guest speaker and have a high amount of respect for her.
ReplyDelete-Garrett Bell
The guest speaker was very informative. She was an expert on the subject so obviously she knew about the topic and conveyed her knowledge very well to the class. One of her main points throughout the presentation was that a nurse, or whoever is in contact with a person who has endured a trauma, needs to be well trained and educated on how to talk to a person who has experienced a tragic event. You have to be very careful about what you say, so as not to place blame on the victim, make them feel like they're in danger again, or remind them of the tragedy, etc. Also, victims can respond in many different ways. For example, one victim may want to go through with the whole rape kit and file it with the police. While a different victim might not want to do the rape kit or speak with a law enforcement agency. The nurse has to be careful to not try to persuade the victim one way or another, but to let them choose for themselves. She also explained how it helps for a nurse to earn the trust of the victim in order for the victim to feel more comfortable and safe. It was interesting to learn that we cannot necessarily choose how our body reacts during a fight or flight situation. Our brain is pre-wired to react a certain way. It is possible to freeze, fight, or flee the situation.
ReplyDelete-Makenzie Musgrove
I enjoyed listening to Jennifer Green’s trauma care presentation. It was very insightful and I felt like her personal stories regarding traumatic events directly related to my own personal experiences and also seeking help with trauma my sister’s traumatic experiences because she has been through too much for someone who is only 20 years old. While Jennifer was displaying all the nonverbal cues one can reveal when dealing with a traumatic event, I instantly thought of my sister and how her nonverbal cues almost equally matched; this occurs a lot of times when she gets anxious in general now. I thought it was very interesting to bring up that everyone’s response to trauma can end up in a “Freeze, Flight, or Fight” response that one can’t control. I’ve seen that with my sister and my own trauma experiences. Furthermore, I learned the stages of a trauma event consist of a ‘pre-crisis’, ‘impact’, then ultimately, a ‘crisis’ occurs that can be simple or extremely acute and hard to understand. Her presentation even revealed tips to handling with someone who is not responding well to a crisis. She added, when speaking to a victim, that you must use 5 words or less at a time, be kind, establish trust, respect the “no”, etc. This establishes overall grounding with a victim and from there you can list out your options of care in front of them, letting them choose which they prefer, allowing them the opportunity to seek the proper care and establish a potential case to prosecute. I greatly appreciate her presentation and lending hand to anyone who is seeking resources or support.
ReplyDelete- Dylan Doss
Jennifer Green's visit back to her old stomping grounds Avila university was a very informative, about the neurobiology of patients who have experienced sexual trauma. I really found and respected her honesty in sharing her personal experience with trauma. I know people have that I know that have been in a traumatizing car accidents and still don't talk about them. also the experience about losing her younger sister, and connecting it to it you a freezer, fighter, or a runner. with us being on the border between
ReplyDeleteKansas and Missouri a lot of laws and polices be different so I was glad that she presented both states sexual assault kits, and the differences between them. Jennifer also commented on the future Missouri developments in this field. The video she selected to show us how they would experience goes down first hand was very helpful and made me appreciate her doing her job. she used me as an example of how she talks to her patients, and I knew we were acting but I really felt comfortable and like I could trust her with me if a situation like that ever happened. I know people that have been sexually assaulted and they've come to me after and I didn't really know what to do besides wanting to commit a crime.
Ryon Holmes
ReplyDeleteWith Jennifer Green's visit back, it was nice having her back to give us a presentation on neurobiology of the patients she deals with and what comes with that. Her talking about the trauma of the victims and then her talking about her personal experience with trauma was quite interesting. Then when she brought the point of being a freezer, fighter, or a flyer and you don't know until it actually happens or something personal happens and how she found out what she was. Transferring to how she treats the patients and listens to them and how she compensates their needs. I felt like she was very trust worthy and very dependable.
Jeremi Barnes
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed Jennifer's speech. The part that stood out to me the most was the "freeze, fight or flight" part. I have been in situations where i have had to run and some where i have had to fight, but i've never caught myself being the freezer type. It could be the fact that nothing really traumatizing has really happened to me. She mentioned at the end that statistics show that everyone in the class knows at least one person that has experienced sexual trauma, and at first i did not know anyone but when i went out to eat with a friend last night she told me about a sexual trauma experience she went through.
All in all i think Jennifer did a great job speaking and keeping us awake with her jokes here and there. Hopefully no one i know or myself has to visit her at the hospital soon!
I really enjoyed listening to Jennifer Green. I look up to her because she has a really tough job and I would not be able to do it. Personally, I wouldn't be able to stay calm if I knew what that person just went through especially if it was a child. I didn't know that there were so many different ways that could cause that kind of trauma. Out of all of the guest speakers that I've listened to her is by far one of my favorites because she was so easy to understand. When she talked she made you want to listen to what she was saying, and she kept the class involved all throughout the entire talk. I knew a little bit about the fight flight and freeze but I didn't know that it could go that in depth. The main thing that surprised me with this is that your other senses shut off and you automatically do what your programmed to do. This presentation really opened my eyes that trauma can really come from anything that has happened to you. Everybody is different when it comes to trauma. Some people can get over it faster than others, and others react different when it comes to talking to people about their traumatic experience.
ReplyDelete-Tayler Metzger
Listening to Jennifer Green's speech pushed me more into pursuing what I want to do as a nurse. I like hearing other nurses perspectives about their job and learning what I may be going through in the future. Since I do want to be a neonatal nurse, I know there will be hard situations where a baby will not make it and hearing what Jennifer had to say about how to cope with the emotions of these sort of events does help me prepare with what I may go through. She also talked about things that I was not aware of. For example, I did not know that a whole part of your brain can shut down when going through a traumatic event. It makes sense though, now that I think about it. Jennifer made me realize that I am a freezer. Also, with the sort of tips she gave out to help someone who is physically and/or emotionally abused were helpful. I know some people who mentally struggle with their well being and listening to what she said gave me several ideas on how to help someone in need. Overall, I did enjoy Jennifer’s speech. It was informative and touching.
ReplyDelete-Sabrina P.
Listening to Jennifer Green was a true inspiration. Being an Avila alumni and a basketball player helped me connect with her. She opened my eyes up to a lot of things and made me realize what kind of mentality it takes to do exactly what she does. She is not only a nurse but a mentor to many patients. She teaches the victims that it is okay to love and trust again. She is mainly a neurobiologist that treats more patients than not that have had to deal with sexual assault. I gained a lot of respect for her when she was so open and honest with her personal event. I found it very interesting about the Kansas and Missouri kits that she showed the class, I honestly never knew those kits were a thing that took place for an incident. I also thought it was interesting to learn that your body automatically choses if you are a flight, fight, or a freezer. The video helped open my eyes that the stuff she deals with is life and things do happen on a daily. She helped me understand what it takes to do what she does, and without people like Jennifer victims would live the rest of their lives in fear, doubt or any other emotions they will face after something so traumatizing.
ReplyDeleteListening to Jennifer Green was a true inspiration. Being an Avila alumni and a basketball player helped me connect with her. She opened my eyes up to a lot of things and made me realize what kind of mentality it takes to do exactly what she does. She is not only a nurse but a mentor to many patients. She teaches the victims that it is okay to love and trust again. She is mainly a neurobiologist that treats more patients than not that have had to deal with sexual assault. I gained a lot of respect for her when she was so open and honest with her personal event. I found it very interesting about the Kansas and Missouri kits that she showed the class, I honestly never knew those kits were a thing that took place for an incident. I also thought it was interesting to learn that your body automatically choses if you are a flight, fight, or a freezer. The video helped open my eyes that the stuff she deals with is life and things do happen on a daily. She helped me understand what it takes to do what she does, and without people like Jennifer victims would live the rest of their lives in fear, doubt or any other emotions they will face after something so traumatizing.
ReplyDeleteJennifer Green’s speech was quite informative in many aspects. In a way, it was a bit frightening knowing that I still have yet to find out which reaction I’ll take in a traumatic event.
ReplyDeleteListening to Ms. Green speak about the reactions of “freeze, flight or fight” that people have when something traumatic happens to them in their lives makes me think back on this tragic incident that happened a few back. When I was in my junior year of high school, a heartbreaking event occurred at the middle school I went to. A group of friends were driving recklessly and got into a car wreck. Those same group of friends left one of the other friends in the car. She was badly injured and passed. Very tragic. It had everyone wondering like how could they knowingly leave that poor friend there? I assume it must have been the “flight” reaction that the other friends had.
I appreciate Jennifer coming back to Avila to and informing students on the neurobiology of patients who experience any type of trauma. It is definitely something that needs to be talked about more.
Jennifer Green discussed many important facts and personal stories when she came to speak to us. The way she spoke you could tell instantly how passionate she was about helping victims. I liked how she told us her story about how she went to school for one thing, but then ended up going back to school for nursing and then became a SANE nurse. I remember thinking how amazing it is when life leads you to opportunities you would have never thought possible. When she addressed how one's body either reacts by freezing, running away (flight), or by fighting it made me wonder which one I was. I was also touched by her story of how she found out which one she was. I thought she was very strong for sharing that with us. Another aspect I enjoyed about her speech was the way she says she interacts with the victims she treats. I liked how she tries to give them power in every situation. She does this by asking their permission to enter the room, she tries to earn their trust, tries to make sure she is below their eye level, and most importantly reassuring them that they are safe and she does believe them. I think it is important for anyone who works with victims of a crime, especially one of sexual assault, to understand that their memories are stored in a disorganized way. Jennifer stated that when going through a trauma the thought process is slowed and the individual has a limited attention span.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed listening to Jennifer's speech and think anyone who is thinking about going into a law enforcement field needs to listen to her speak.
Paige Rackers
Gendered Media
ReplyDeleteDotty
8 February 2018
Guest Speaker
The lady came to speak with the gendered media class about what physical, and mental abuse do to a person. The most memorable thing about the entire presentation was whenever she would act out what she would do in a real situation. I thought it was very interesting with all the paper that the crime departments go through and how few sexual crimes there are for her personally. With porn being a growing empire I would think that sex would be more prevalent with all of the perverts who think raping somebody for sex is okay. Rape is something that somebody will never forget and how she described it seems to me Damon Gontarek
the symptoms those girls were mortified. I would think that the people would be mortified more than what they are and have a longer lasting impact in their lives. Maybe the memory loss is the way to prevent us from seeing the moments that was the most frightening thing in a life. I was amazed on how many things could be considered traumatic. In some ways growing up can be traumatic. I appreciate that somebody considers college a traumatic experience I thought it was a place that we learned not to traumatize us through stressors.
For some reason my post didn't go up on the 8th like I posted it it didn't go through.