Posttraumatic Growth

Several years ago I was at a meeting where a gentleman stood to introduce himself. It went something like this, “Hi. My name is Bill, and I’m a Vietnam Veteran with 100% service connection for PTSD.” Then he sat down. I was thinking to myself how this person is much, much more than a diagnosis. He has so much more to offer the world than a label. What about his many strengths, skills and talents? I thought to myself, what if he had made the same introduction but described himself as being on a journey of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG). What would using such a term mean for him and his life? What would it mean for others?

We can all agree that Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a diagnostic label used by clinicians to make sense of what one is experiencing and to give direction on treatment goals.
Unfortunately, our society and media have stigmatized the term along with stereotypes and misunderstanding of its true nature. When one hears the term PTSD it can cast all sorts of beliefs and perceptions. No one ever asked for a trauma to happen to a person! Compound a traumatic experience with stigma and there can be a tremendous detrimental impact.

The notion of posttraumatic growth has been with human beings for many millennia. Traumatic events of varying kind, will unfortunately always occur. And because of various biological, psychological, and social factors, for some trauma survivors will develop PTSD. Whether one carries this diagnosis or not the difference is how one works through and faces these challenges, which is what is different from one person to the next. The term Posttraumatic Growth expands the notion of a diagnostic label, communicating that recovery is a journey rather than simply being stuck with the label of a diagnosis. Its meaning conveys that there is hope and opportunity for positive change and growth.

What is posttraumatic growth? It is the ability to take a negative experience and see that it can spur positive change. It is a choice in how one views trauma, and how letting go of the past can open and welcome the future. It is where trauma is the change agent and the space where change can occur, with a lot of time, energy and struggle.

I once heard, “One need not be broken by trauma, but one must be open to ‘being broken open’” to it.

Tedeschi and Calhoun are psychologists and have researched PTG over the past 25 years or so. Tedeschi shared the positive impact of PTG in one article, “People develop new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life.”

Through their research Tedeschi and Calhoun were able to identify five areas of growth achieved after trauma, I’ll provide some examples below. Individuals can use these to reflect upon their own journey of traumatic growth and we can all recognize that it doesn’t happen overnight and not without challenge and effort.

Have new opportunities emerged as a result of the struggle? Have new possibilities opened up that were not present prior to the trauma(s)? What would it mean if one could see opportunity from the challenge?

We’ve heard of an amputee who went on to challenge oneself and won a marathon and had never dreamed being able to do so.

What new relationships developed as a result of the trauma? Have closer relationships developed with specific people that you already knew or with new relationships? What about the experience of empathy and/or closer connection to those who suffer?

We’ve heard stories of enemies of war who years later were able to meet and share their experiences. Support group members will share painful experiences where deep connections are made to another.

Has one gained an increased sense of one’s own personal strength? How would one describe it?
We’ve all heard the sayings, “No pain, no gain” or “That which does not kill me makes me stronger.” There are stories of one being assaulted and being able to find personal strength to face the perpetrator.

Has there been a greater appreciation for life in general that didn’t exist before? What new sense of gratitude now exists?

I’ve worked with veterans who have experienced challenging life experiences as a result of combat and carrying the burden of death, killing and destruction. Over time as they have worked through their guilt, injury and anger they found a positive change in family relationships. They came to appreciate life around them, their family members, friends, and others.

Was there a deepening of one’s spiritual life? In what way? If not spiritually, was there a significant change in one’s belief system?

After going through a traumatic and transformative life experience people will experience a change in their belief system, or begin to reframe their understanding of a higher power.
One final question for consideration, in facing a new challenge/trauma/difficult situation, would one prefer to be the person one was before the event or the person after? How do you think those on a journey of PTG respond?

There are many paths one can take on their journey of posttraumatic growth: professional counseling, peer to peer support, alternative therapies, vision quest activity, alternative therapies, journaling, and doing for others. You’ve heard the saying, “All roads, lead to Rome”? One must decide to take a road, to begin the journey and to find an avenue of healing that works for them. When you are ready, the teacher will appear. C.S. Lewis shared, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny.” There are many extraordinary Service Members, Veterans and Families, who have chosen the path of posttraumatic growth. No one ever need be alone on the journey. It is okay to trust the experience and others, because doing so will move one along the path.