Unleashing the hidden potential of post-traumatic growth

Have you ever heard someone who has survived a traumatic life event say they wouldn’t change a thing about their journey? It might be hard to understand why they wouldn’t choose to go back in time and erase the stressful situation if they could, but the truth is that many people experience positive changes after trauma. This is known as post-traumatic growth (PTG) and 30 to 70 percent of trauma survivors experience it.

What are the signs of post-traumatic growth?

Everyone experiences post-traumatic growth differently and the signs or outcomes can vary from one person to the next. Someone experiencing PTG may notice positive changes in one or several of these areas:

• Personal strength: After overcoming a challenge they never imagined they could handle, some people notice an increase in their self-esteem and their belief in their capacity to conquer difficult situations.
• Improved relationships: A crisis can be a bonding experience that makes people more compassionate and grateful for the important people in their lives.
• A greater appreciation of life: After facing illness or loss, some people gain a new perspective on life and realise that every moment is precious.
• New possibilities: Overcoming trauma can motivate us to kick bad habits, change careers or take up new hobbies or interests.
• Spiritual growth: Some people may discover their spirituality or find that their faith is reinforced by trauma.

How can we work towards  post-traumatic growth?

Post-traumatic growth happens on its own for some people, while others experience it after making the conscious decision to address their trauma and learn from it.

There are a few ways in which PTG can be facilitated, including:

• Therapy: Working with a therapist can help us process trauma and grief. It can also equip us with tools and strategies to cope with or overcome anxiety, depression, PTSD and other mental health issues. This is a key step towards experiencing post-traumatic growth – whether we get there on our own or with the help of a professional.
• Education: Learning about what trauma is – a painful disruption of our core beliefs that forces us to reevaluate our worldview – may help us achieve PTG. Understanding how trauma can affect our minds, bodies and relationships can also be extremely helpful. Knowledge is power – and growth.
• Connection: Connecting with others and talking about our trauma and what we’ve learnt from it is a powerful way to work towards post-traumatic growth. Whether it’s with family and friends who have been through similar situations or other trauma survivors in online or in-person support groups, sharing our experiences can help us grow.
• Giving back: Volunteering for a charity that helps people who have been through similar situations can help us heal and harness our newfound strength for the greater good.

Assessing your post-traumatic growth

Complete the Psychological Well-Being Post-Traumatic Changes Questionnaire (PWB-PTCQ). It was developed to assess post-traumatic growth.

You will be asked to think about how you feel about yourself at the present time and rate each of the following statements:

1. I like myself
2. I have confidence in my opinions
3. I have a sense of purpose in life
4. I have strong and close relationships in my life
5. I feel I am in control of my life
6. I am open to new experiences that challenge me
7. I accept who I am, with both my strengths and limitations
8. I don’t worry what other people think of me
9. My life has meaning
10. I am a compassionate and giving person
11. I handle my responsibilities in life well
12. I am always seeking to learn about myself
13. I respect myself
14. I know what is important to me and will stand my ground, even if others disagree
15. I feel that my life is worthwhile and that I play a valuable role in things
16. I am grateful to have people in my life who care for me
17. I am able to cope with what life throws at me
18. I am hopeful about my future and look forward to new possibilities

Your score will be automatically tallied up. Scores over 54 indicate the presence of positive change. The higher your score, the more positive change you’ve experienced.

You may have changed more in some areas than others: self-acceptance (statements 1, 7 and 13), autonomy (statements 2, 8 and 14), purpose in life (statements 3, 9 and 15), relationships (statements 4, 10 and 16), sense of mastery (statements 5, 11 and 17) and personal growth (statements 6, 12 and 18).

While overcoming and healing our trauma can take time, there are countless positive changes that can arise from our most challenging life events. It’s important to give ourselves the time we need to process our grief, rebuild our lives and thrive.

If life feels hard right now, here’s where to get help.