Post-Traumatic Growth: When Suffering Births Positive Transformation
$45.00
It is important to recognize the pain that accompanies trauma. At the same time, we are learning that positive psychological changes are possible for survivors, who can emerge from their nightmares with a newfound sense of strength, courage, and resilience. In this training, we will discuss the nature of post-traumatic growth and how we, as clinicians, can work with clients to foster its development.
We will explore the range of positive outcomes that can occur for a person following a trauma, which includes a new appreciation of life, the desire to help others, a deeper sense of spirituality, and a more profound connection to one’s inner wisdom. You will become familiar with the theory of “post-traumatic growth” which seeks to explain how and why this type of transformation might occur after a trauma. You will also learn what you can do to pave the way for clients to experience post-traumatic growth on their journey toward healing.
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Define the theory of “post-traumatic growth”
- Describe how post-traumatic growth occurs
- Determine how to foster post-traumatic growth in clients
- Explain the different types of post-traumatic growth
Social workers completing this course receive 3 Clinical asynchronous continuing education credits.
For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 3 hours of Clinical continuing education training.
Course Instructor: Dreya Blume, MSW, LCSW
Recording Date: 11/16/2024
Recorded Live Webinar with downloadable presentation slides and/or handouts, evaluation, and a required quiz. The learner is required to pass with a 70% or higher to achieve the CE certificate of completion. The learner is able to reset the test until a satisfactory score is achieved. CE Training Workshops, LLC, provider #1770, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/2/2022 – 8/2/2025. CE Training Workshops, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7091. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CE Training Workshops, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. System Requirements: Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Safari, Edge on any modern operating system (Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, iOS). A desktop browser is recommended. We do not provide support resources for issues encountered using a mobile device. For more information about our policies and board approval statements, please visit our FAQS page.
Dreya Blume, MA, LCSW is a licensed clinical social worker, with her MSW from Radford University and an MA in anthropology from the University of Hawaii. Dreya has twenty years of experience working in mental health, from case management to intensive in-home services to leading groups for addicts in recovery.
Posttraumatic Growth: When Suffering Births Positive Transformation (3 HR) Syllabus
I. Understanding Posttraumatic Growth (PTG)
- PTG is the positive psychological transformation following trauma
- Focuses on meaning-making, rebuilding identity, and deepening self-awareness
- Different from resilience, which emphasizes returning to baseline
- PTG involves a shift in perception, priorities, and relationships
II. PTG vs. Resilience
- Resilience: capacity to recover, maintain stability under stress
- PTG: outcome of grappling with trauma and experiencing profound growth
- PTG reflects identity transformation, not just coping skills
- Both can coexist, but they serve different psychological functions
III. Five Domains of PTG
- Enhanced Personal Strength: discovering inner resilience through adversity
- Improved Relationships: greater empathy, gratitude, and connection
- Greater Appreciation for Life: renewed presence and prioritization
- New Possibilities: unexpected goals, interests, or career paths
- Spiritual Change: evolving beliefs, deeper sense of meaning
IV. Influences on Posttraumatic Growth
- Social support: family, peers, professionals encouraging healing
- Personality traits: openness, optimism, and psychological flexibility
- Cultural and spiritual beliefs providing frameworks for meaning
- Coping strategies and prior experiences shaping recovery patterns
V. Therapeutic Applications of PTG
- Encourage meaning-making and emotional expression
- Narrative therapy: externalize the trauma and re-author life stories
- Facilitate reflection through guided journaling and letter-writing
- Help clients identify strengths, values, and internal resources
VI. Tools and Interventions for PTG
- Life Chapters Exercise: redefining self across time and events
- Empowerment through storytelling and re-framing narratives
- Documenting evidence of strength through letters to self
- Exploring identity through metaphors (e.g., naming the trauma)
VII. Misconceptions and Cautions
- PTG is not about denying or minimizing pain
- Growth and grief can coexist—progress is non-linear
- Not all clients will experience PTG, and that’s valid
- Clinicians should avoid pressuring clients toward “silver linings”
VIII. Case Examples and Reflections
- Frida Kahlo and other public figures as models of PTG
- Self-reflective questions to explore strength, purpose, and change
- Real-life and clinical examples of trauma-driven transformation
- Encouraging clients to define growth in their own terms
IX. Fostering Growth Through Narrative Therapy
- Externalizing the trauma to reduce guilt and fusion with identity
- Re-authoring conversations to highlight resilience and agency
- Letter to the trauma exercise to reclaim power and purpose
- Journaling prompts to shift perspective and reinforce healing
X. Sustaining Growth and Continued Support
- Emphasize self-care, spiritual connection, and ongoing reflection
- Identify continuing goals and adaptive coping strategies
- Provide referrals, community resources, and supportive literature
- Cultivate hope, agency, and self-compassion through the therapeutic alliance
