62nd Annual Meeting

October 26 - 31, 2015

Media Theatre 1 (open)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower: A Story of Hope and Healing From Trauma in Adolescence

The film The Perks of Being a Wallflower illustrates the many ways in which development may be disrupted; adolescent sexual development, including themes of homosexuality and coming out; the brutal impact of trauma on individuals and their relationships with themselves, friends, significant others, and families; and the role of the relationship with the self and the other in recovering from trauma. Discussion covers the effects of trauma/sexual trauma on the developing mind of a child, how it changes their identity and their relationship to the abuser, family, and peers; typical development of adolescents and ways in which this can be disrupted; the development of adolescent sexuality, including themes of homosexuality and coming out and the psychological struggles and psychopathology to which this group may be vulnerable; and the treatment of trauma, including the role of processing trauma and using the relationship with self and other to heal from trauma.