Room is a movie about a teenage girl, Joy, who is kidnapped and forced to live in a soundproof shed for seven years. During her time there she becomes pregnant by her captor. The movie is set during a time when she decides to try another escape plan with the help of her now 5-year-old son, Jack. The escape is successful, and they embark on a journey of becoming accustomed to living in the world. Several scenes which greatly impacted my thinking regarding trauma resolution with adults and children will be described.
The Review
Throughout the movie I noticed changes in the resiliency depicted by Joy and Jack. When in the room, Joy demonstrated a tremendous sense of strength in attempting to raise Jack as normally as possible. Yet, once freed, she truly struggled in coming to terms with what happened to her. Jack, although very quiet and reserved after escaping, somehow managed to demonstrate incredible coping skills, reminiscent of how he coped in Room.
One scene with high potential for use within the therapeutic process is the argument between Joy and her mother once she had been rescued and was then living with her mother. Joy stated she just wanted Jack to connect with something and was clearly very upset and triggered into a state of anger. Joy expressed to her mother not understanding why she was not happy now that she felt she should feel happy because she had been rescued. She blamed her mom for teaching her to be nice and therefore having caused her imprisonment. Her mom did not handle her anger well and yelled that her life changed as well. Joy expressed confusion over how she felt and that no one understood what was going through her head. Essentially, she felt like she was not needed because her mom was able to move on in her life without her. The argument finished with the mother asking Joy what it would be like if Jack was taken away from her. In this scene, we had the first true insight into Joy’s thoughts and emotions.
Additionally, a scene in which a TV reporter was interviewing Joy is also therapeutically useful for several reasons. First, more information on Joy’s thoughts and emotions was revealed. However, more importantly to note, were the inappropriate questions asked by the reporter demonstrating a complete lack of trauma-informed practices or concern for the victim. One question was meant to cause Joy to consider having given up Jack to her captor, assuming it would have been a better course of action. Unfortunately, this situation was a major trigger for the onset of ruminations leading to Joy’s attempted suicide. Sadly, the one who found her in the bathroom was Jack.
Another scene that was incredibly powerful was the return to Room at the end of the movie. Prompted by Jack, Joy agreed to return and bring closure to that portion of her life. This scene occurred after Joy returned from what is assumed to have been mental health aid after her attempted suicide and things seemed to be going well. Although Joy was incredibly uncomfortable there and visibly desiring to leave the area, Jack made the comment that it’s not Room because the door is open, lending more insight into his processing and effectively putting Room in the past. He proceeded to say goodbye to everything in room and asked Joy to do so as well, although she did not.
Scenes that warrant further reflection include the positive coping skills displayed in the very beginning of the movie in Room, the psychiatrist’s words and evaluations when Joy and Jack first arrived at the hospital, and the art therapy with Jack depicted at the grandmother’s house. The coping skills depicted at the beginning of the movie provided great information on how to promote resiliency and posttraumatic growth. The psychiatrist’s comment, “the most important thing you did was get him out while he’s still plastic” reveals awareness of neuroplasticity and the beginning of therapy with the assumption that some psychoeducation was provided. Additionally, the doctor seems to have insisted on inpatient treatment for both, although it was denied by Joy. The format, location, and interaction during art therapy is also worthy of further reflection to consider how it could be approached.
Therapeutic Implications
In the very beginning of the movie, Jack and Joy revealed a remarkable level of resilience. Although it fluctuates between enduring the trauma and post trauma, the resilience demonstrated in the beginning scenes have value for use in the counseling process because they demonstrate coping mechanisms that allow the characters to endure the trauma in the best way possible. Examples such as having routines, imaginary play, conflict resolution, exercise, and celebrating milestones all attempted to establish normalcy in an abnormal situation. Attention brought to the importance of resiliency provides an opportunity to discuss how protective factors related to resilience can lead to an “ability to thrive and grow during adverse and/or chronically disruptive experiences” (Steele & Malchiodi, 2012, p.173). The success of the characters at the end of the movie can be partly correlated with the protective factors that were employed by Joy during the time they were locked in Room.
The scene in which Joy argued with her mother is the first time the viewer receives more in-depth insight into the thoughts she had ruminating after being rescued. This scene has value in the counseling process mainly for the attempts at connection and communication that Joy displayed towards her mother. Two major themes stand out: one theme is related to the profound depression Joy experienced along with her surprise that it is even there, and the second is her lack of perceived purpose in any of her loved one’s life. Bringing awareness of client’s possible feelings has the value of creating a space of acceptance. Dialogue regarding possible reasons why Joy may have felt depressed even though she was no longer imprisoned may bring to light issues of shame. Perhaps Joy, in part, also missed the familiarity of Room in a similar way to how Jack expressed wanting to be in Room. Conflicting emotions without a container can bring about an overwhelming number of feelings. Joy refused psychological help, which can also be a very valuable conversation with a client. Additionally, she felt that life went on perfectly without her, and therefore felt even more out of place. Her mother’s reaction was not trauma-informed; discussion regarding the way to properly handle difficult conversations such as the one in this scene can have high value in the counseling process. Spiritually, many themes of acceptance by God can also be bridged by addressing this scene. Comfort can be found in learning the safe place that God offers those who seek to refuge themselves under His wings.
The choice Joy made in accepting a television crew to interview her proved to be disastrous for her wellbeing. This scene has value in depicting the importance of selecting wisely who is allowed into the inner circle of trust. The reporter clearly did not have Joy’s wellbeing in mind when asking triggering questions and led her to ruminate on thoughts that brought condemnation rather healing. Although Joy was told that she was able to stop the questioning when she was uncomfortable, emotional boundaries were crossed for the sake of good television. This scene can be used to make a cognitive connection between safe people and openness.
The last scene that portrays very strong therapeutic implications is the closing scene in which the characters find closure by going to Room. This act allows them to put Room into the past in their memory, functionally differentiating what was from what is. The act of visiting Room also has the potential to help with processing the trauma so that they avoid getting stuck in memories of Room since they can observe it from a new perspective. A spiritual connection can also be made through this scene with the words of Paul in Philippians 3:13, “Brothers, I do not count myself to have laid hold of it yet, but only this: forgetting what is behind and reaching out for what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of Elohim in Messiah יהושע (Yeshua).” (The Scriptures, 2018).
Personal Implications
On a personal level this movie impacted me greatly. Although not the exact true story, this movie is based on the unfortunate consequences of a young girl who endured even more than is depicted in this movie. The strength and resilience shown by Joy in horrible circumstances reminded me of the importance of human connection. Joy tells Jack towards the end of the movie that he saved her twice; first when he successfully completed his part of their escape plan, and then when he sent her his hair after she attempted suicide. However, I would say the child saved her in part first by coming into the world. Taking care of him became an all-consuming job that kept her going through all those years of chronic rape and abuse.
Steele and Malchiodi (2012) state that “to help children resolve a trauma, there must be a safe adult to support them” (p. 7). It seems to me that Jack was able to better resolve the traumatic situation he was born into because he always had his mother taking good care of him. Additionally, once they were rescued, Joy had a difficult time resolving the trauma and this could be due in part to a lack of understanding on the part of her father, and in some ways her mother. I think this is significant because Joy was only a teenager when she was taken. Therefore, these examples in the movie confirmed my understanding regarding the need of a safe adult in the life of a traumatized child.
Another personal application this movie has had in my life is the greater understanding that a safe adult is able to produce an environment that is trauma-informed for all children, not only those that have gone through a trauma, in order to increase resilient characteristics in the child (Steele & Machioldi, 2012). As a mother, I am more aware that I previously was of these resiliency characteristics and my impact as the parent on fostering them. Joy’s character convicted me as I considered how I may have behaved in such a situation, and how I behave in the much less dire situations we face on a daily basis. A greater awareness of using all events, no matter how small, to demonstrate to my children that the adults in their life will care, protect, and be compassionate with them has the ability to foster resiliency and help them handle future traumatic situations in a better way (Steele & Machioldi, 2012).
Lastly, this movie also brought to my attention the need for believers of God to live in a state of awareness that although this life is filled with trauma, God is willing and able to show Himself faithful through the trauma. In John 17:14-21 Yeshua prays, “I have given them Your Word, and the world hated them because they are not of the world, as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the wicked one. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world. Set them apart in Your truth – Your Word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world. And for them I set Myself apart, so that they too might be set apart in truth. And I do not pray for these alone, but also for those believing in Me through their word, so that they all might be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, so that they too might be one in Us, so that the world might believe that You have sent Me.” (The Scriptures, 2018). He prayed for all of us who would believe in Him through the word of the disciples, not that we would be taken out of the world, but that we would stay on the righteous path and would not be turned from it regardless of the situations that may happen in this world.
Professional Implications
In accordance with the previous discussion on the importance of a safe adult to help children process trauma, one professional implication addressed in Steele and Malchiodi (2012) is how to present ourselves as safe therapists. In order to present myself safe, I will allow the child or adolescent to experience the ability to choose what interventions they want to participate in and to have some level of control in the therapeutic relationship (Steele & Machioldi, 2012). Additionally, attention needs to be paid to the way in which interventions are presented and applied, being sure to address the needs of each individual child (Steele & Machioldi, 2012).
Something that I would have appreciated seeing in the movie is some form of family therapy. Steele and Machioldi (2012) state that strengthening and empowering the family unit can lead to the best practice in helping a traumatized child. After seeing the inability to cope of Joy’s father, it becomes evident he also needed help in processing the situation, especially with regards to accepting Jack. Another moment in the movie I did not completely agree with was when the doctor went to speak to them in the hospital after they have been rescued and stated that the best thing Joy did was get Jack out while he was still plastic in front of Jack. Jack reacts by saying he is real, and not plastic. This moment made me realize the importance of watching the way we speak and not using psychological lingo around vulnerable individuals.
The scene where the cops find Jack and begin questioning him in order to know where he came from and what other information they need to know is interestingly developed with two kinds of police officers. One police officer seems to be trauma informed while the other does not. Jack and Joy were fortunate to have had one police officer who gently pursued answers with Jack, encouraged him, and offered a safe adult presence. However, this makes me wonder of the availability of crisis counselors in situations like these.
Since I am not practicing in counseling right now, traumatic situations that I allow myself to fully analyze give me an opportunity to control my empathy dial (Steele & Machioldi, 2012). Completing this assignment caused me to turn the dial up in an effort to try to understand the world Jack and Joy were living in. Even in assessing the personal and professional implications the movie has had on me, the dial still needs to be turned up a little higher. However, in order to go through the rest of my day without ruminating on the difficulties they faced, I have been practicing turning the dial down so that I can be fully present with my own family. Although I know that in practice this would be more difficult to do, the concept of an empathy dial has come into my awareness more clearly than before.
To help me become a more competent therapist, this movie highlighted the possibility of posttraumatic growth (PTG) after chronic trauma. Steele & Machioldi (2012) state that many individuals who have survived chronic trauma need support to achieve some level of PTG, but that resilient individuals may already have the tools they need to sustain their resiliency over time. Initially, I understood that resiliency could be fostered as a buffer for future trauma, but the movie made it clear that for chronic trauma, resilient characteristics being taught by one caring adult had the ability to help the child endure well in an impossible situation. I now have a better understanding of looking at both strengths and weaknesses to promote a trauma-informed approach (Steele & Machioldi, 2012).
Steele, W. & Malchiodi, C.A. (2012). Trauma-informed practices with children and adolescents. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group.
The Scriptures. (2018). Institute for Scripture Research.
Discerning Trauma 