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Running Head: GROUPS for INDIVIDUALS with TRAUMATIC HISTORIES

Annotated Bibliography on Groups for Individuals with Traumatic Histories Erica A. Ballard SOWK 364 Tuskegee University January 21, 2013

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Article 1 Knight, C. (2006). Groups for Individuals with Traumatic Histories: Practice Considerations for Social Workers. Social Work, 51(1), 20-30. When an individual experiences an array of traumatic events over a particular period of time, coping can be extremely stressful for that individual. The main point of the article is to show what effects that traumatic experiences have on an individual and what therapies or techniques that individuals who have experienced traumatic events partake in to cope. The article releases several standpoints in reference to an individual who may be experiencing the stress of events occurring, or have occurred, in their life. The events that individuals face that causes them stress and are unable to cope with effectively are being physically or psychologically abused, being raped during childhood or adulthood, having participated in a war, or even being bullied as a child. The article underlines Group membership as a very effective technique in helping individuals cope with the stress of their traumas. When a person is in an environment in which they are not the only individual who has experienced the events that they have experienced, it gives that person hope. It gives the person hope to where they are encouraged to receive help and are more pronged to share their experiences with others. Group membership is proven to have a positive effect on individuals such that people are able to release their emotions, build their self-esteem, and be of a help and an encouragement to their group members.