TRAUMA, RECOVERY, AND POST-TRAUMATIC GROWTH

Abstract

Trauma disrupts psychological, physiological, and social functioning, traditionally linked with adverse outcomes such as PTSD, dissociation, and chronic emotional disturbances. Recent perspectives, however, emphasize varied responses, including resilience, recovery, and post-traumatic growth (PTG). This chapter adopts an integrative approach, drawing on theories such as shattered assumptions, cognitive and dual-representation models, and neurobiological insights. Synthesizing decades of research, it highlights diverse post-trauma trajectories, from ongoing psychopathology to adaptive transformation. Central mechanisms of PTG—deliberate rumination, meaning-making, and social support—are critically examined alongside methodological challenges in measurement. Clinical vignettes and treatment protocols illustrate how trauma-focused therapies, somatic techniques, and community-based interventions promote healing and growth. Socio-cultural and systemic influences are also explored, underscoring the role of context in shaping recovery. The chapter concludes with a comprehensive model of trauma adaptation, framing PTG not as the absence of distress but as the potential for transformative change through struggle.