When a valuable vase breaks, how do you deal with the shards? Do you throw them away, try to glue them back into their original form, or do you use them to create something entirely new? A traumatic event that shatters our existing life does not necessarily mean doom. If a person manages to find their strengths and the benefits of the entire event, gain support from their surroundings, and build a new life on the foundations of the old one, they can emerge from an adverse event strengthened and enriched, with new life values and goals. For this process, which is challenging and often painful but possible, the author uses the term post-traumatic growth. In the spirit of positive psychology, it offers a perspective in which trauma, as an integral part of life, can be seen as an opportunity for change and personal growth. The book is intended for therapists working with traumatized clients, as well as for anyone who has experienced an adverse event, is struggling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and is seeking a non-medical approach to coping. Stephen Joseph is a British psychologist from Northern Ireland, a psychotherapist specializing in trauma management and positive psychology, and a co-founder of the Center for Trauma, Resilience, and Growth in Nottingham.
