Recovering From Traumatic Experiences
Acceptance of Trauma and Post-Traumatic Growth
A study of Quan et al. (2022) on factors promoting recovery and healing from childhood trauma shows that acceptance is a strategy that plays a critical mediating role between trauma and post-traumatic growth. Post-traumatic growth is a positive psychological change that may result from post-traumatic suffering and struggles. It manifests as a better appreciation of life and a better realisation of own strengths. Moreover, it promotes spiritual growth, altered priorities, enhanced relationships with others and recognition of new potentials.
Healing Through Positive Reappraisal and Making Sense of Trauma
Furthermore, positive reappraisal of trauma facilitates that acceptance potentially leading to post-traumatic growth. The positive correlation between positive reappraisal and acceptance shows that with the increased levels of positive reappraisal, acceptance of childhood traumatic experiences also increases. What is positive reappraisal? It is an adaptive strategy that enables trauma survivors to find the meaning behind traumatic events, reappraise that event and make sense of it. Reappraisal is a powerful tool that boosts trauma healing by helping people come to terms with trauma. For instance, the research participants pointed out that their traumatic experiences could help them become stronger in addition to the pain and loss. This making sense of a traumatic experience facilitates acceptance and integration of trauma into life and promotes post-traumatic growth.
Accepting the Unexplainable
However, it is worth noting that the study does not specify the types of trauma. Indeed, adult survivors of certain types of interpersonal childhood trauma might not be able to positively reappraise it. Or find meaning and make sense of it. Silver, Boon and Stones (1983) in their seminal work suggest that in these cases, the survivor needs to accept that their experience is unexplainable. As, for example, in the case of tornadoes, which occur, cause devastation and eventually dissipate, without serving any discernible purpose.
I can’t make sense of it – but I can’t make sense of a tornado either. They occur, they are devastating, they go away. Do they serve a useful purpose? No.
Silver et al. (1983)
Healing from Trauma: De-Learning Maladaptive Strategies
Nevertheless, in many cases, trauma therapy, can facilitate trauma reappraisal and markedly alleviate negative feelings and emotions. Trauma therapy, such as EMDR or CBT, helps trauma survivors adaptively integrate traumatic memories into a memory network. Additionally, it helps them de-learn maladaptive pain-avoidance strategies related to traumatic memories. Furthermore, reappraising trauma aids people in remodelling their quality of life by reconsidering and enhancing the meaning of life post-trauma.
Adaptive cognitive strategies, such as reappraisal, help trauma survivors integrate trauma as opposed to maladaptive denying, avoiding or suppressing traumatic memories.
To book an online trauma counselling session, reach out to Diana Tutschek (Licensed Psychologist and Counsellor) at diana@betterlifepsychologist.com or use this contact form.