Suffered Trauma? 7 Keys to Unlocking Post-traumatic Growth
Trauma can lead to growth, wisdom, and many other unexpected benefits.
Updated May 12, 2025 | Reviewed by Lybi Ma
"The would is where the light enters." -Rumi "What doesn't kill me makes me stronger" -Nietzche
Despite the many privileges I've been blessed with, I’ve had my share of difficult experiences. For example, I grew up with a pronounced speech impediment, an auditory-processing disability, and was bullied constantly in school as a child. I used to be afraid of answering the phone because I didn't know if I could say "hello" in time before the person calling would hang up from the silence on my end. In high school, I was also chronically teased because of acne, called pizza-face routinely in class and recess. I ate alone often at school. It wrecked my self-esteem , my sleep, appetite , well-being , and relationships .
Fortunately, channeling my own post- traumatic growth (PTG: experiencing positive shifts in outlook, purpose, strength, wisdom , relationship improvements, and meaning above one's previous baseline before the hardship occurred) and receiving EMDR trauma therapy transformed my life. Those past experiences don't bother me at all anymore; in fact, they've become conduits to my success. It turns out I'm not alone. Many people don't suffer from PTSD after facing significant hardship; as many as 70 percent of survivors of various forms of trauma report experiencing some positive change in at least one domain of life. Human nature is to be resilient . It turns out resilience (bouncing back from hardship and returning to baseline) and PTG can be summarized down to certain skills, practices , and traits that we can cultivate, develop, and strengthen with time, in and out of therapy . Here's how (with personal examples):
Yes, trauma is worse than hard, and parts of this post may not apply to you, like if you suffered complex trauma and/or trauma is actively still happening in your life. Also, I'm not asserting that hardship is good, but it can definitely have unintended positive consequences and a "silver lining." My own experiences, those of others, and the research (key sources among many cited below) suggest PTG is more commonplace and accessible than you may imagine. How has your pain, trauma, or hardship strengthened you?
This post is not meant to substitute for treatment with a qualified professional. If you’re looking for an EMDR therapist, I recommend checking the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) website to ensure the therapist is certified (ideally), or minimally, was trained by an approved EMDR training provider. Copyright Dr. Jason Linder.
Calhoun, L. G., Cann, A., & Tedeschi, R. G. (2010). The posttraumatic growth model: Sociocultural considerations.
Faller, G. R. (2016). Sacred Stress: A Radically Different Approach to Using Life's Challenges for Positive Change. SkyLight Paths Publishing.
Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. Journal of traumatic stress: official publication of the international society for traumatic stress studies, 17(1), 11-21.
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Jason N. Linder, Psy.D., LMFT , is a licensed bilingual (Spanish-speaking) therapist and AAMFT Approved Supervisor specializing in relationship, trauma, addiction-related, and mindfulness therapies .
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This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.