Can We Grow Out of Trauma and Grief?

There have been many tragedies in our world this year. Some have been very personal. Many of us have lost loved ones or had other things happened that have forever changed our lives. Some of the tragedies have been very public. We’ve lost public figures we admire like Muhammad Ali, David Bowie, Prince, Elie Wiesel, and Alan Rickman.  We have witnessed hate, terrorist attacks, and many other terrible things. 

These things often bring us to our knees when they happen. They bring tears, questions about life, and grief. Grief and sadness are normal parts of experiencing tragedy. Some will even experience depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms after a tragedy or traumatic event.

News stories often cover what happens right after a tragedy occurs, but what happens after that? What happens after the cameras go home and we move on with our lives? Are there ever happy endings? The answer is, yes. There is something called Post Traumatic Growth that can even lead to positive growth and change after a tragedy or loss. Richard Tedeschi, Ph.D., and Lawrence Calhoun, Ph.D., psychologists at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte coined the term in 1995 but people have been making come backs from difficult times since the beginning of time. People often learn important lessons in difficult situations and develop a deeper sense of compassion.

Some ways that people may experience growth after a tragedy:

• Awareness of possibilities for the future
• A deeper understanding and value for relationships with others
• Compassion and empathy for others
• A desire to make positive changes in your world
• A greater understanding of your strengths
• A greater value of life itself
• Changed priorities
• Awareness of values
• Increased understanding of the meaning of life
• Awareness of the fragility of life

In Viktor Frankl’s epic work “Man’s Search for Meaning” he outlined the three ways in which people find the meaning of their life; love, work, and suffering. While we would never want to intentionally experience suffering, it is often a part of our lives. It can be a very difficult thing to go through but also an opportunity for growth and renewal.  If you or someone you know is struggling with a difficult time a psychologist can help you to work though some of those issues.

PSYowa would like to dedicate this post to Dr. Greg Febbraro. Dr. Febbraro, an Iowa Psychologist passed away in May of 2016. Dr. Febbraro was a loss to those who knew him, to the psychological community, and to the wider world. He had a very gentle spirit and served the community with a commitment to improving mental health care for everyone. Hopefully those whose lives that he touched experience their own positive growth and continue in his memory to make the world a better place.

References: 

Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (1995). Trauma & transformation: Growing in the aftermath of suffering. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Frankl, V. E. (1984). Man's search for meaning: An introduction to logotherapy. New York: Simon & Schuster.

The Real Deal with Pursuing Psychology

Here is another blog post from our student contributor Samantha Ege. Stay tuned to the Psyowa blog for more great posts from her, our regular editor, and other guests!

There are misconceptions about pursuing a career in Psychology that many people believe.. For instance, when I talk to people about my career aspirations, very rarely do I hear encouragement; I hear more about how Psychology is a “soft science”, even though Psychologists do empirical research of their own, empirical research on phenomena that sometimes cannot be directly observed. I have heard, “Psychology is too much schooling and crippling debt for a small pay-off” in almost every situation regarding my explanation on why I want to pursue psychology. If you are pursuing a path in Psychology you will hear that Psychology students can’t land jobs after graduation, will be victim to debt, and will be surrounded by “crazy people” for the rest of their life. However, these are severe misconceptions of Psychology that are not particularly true.

Although it is true that most careers in Psychology require higher-level education, particularly graduate school, and money to pay for it, the main reason why these misconceptions are so popular are the result of ignorance about what Psychology really is. Psychology, by definition, is the study of mental processes and human behavior; this means that Psychology emphasizes how people think and behave. Furthermore, Psychology is one of those career paths that are often attributed to one specific career, usually counseling. Many people hear incorrect information about how many paths there are in Psychology and conclude that there aren’t a lot of jobs because there aren’t a variety of instances that come to mind.

In reality, there are 56 divisions of Psychology, according to the American Psychological Association, but there are only a few better-known areas that many people think of when they hear “Psychology”. For example, Counseling Psychology and Psychiatry are what most individuals think of for future careers; these fields help others cope with daily hassles and major traumatic experiences. Other more common careers paths in Psychology include Academia, or teaching Psychological theories in high school or higher-level education, and Research, which is the investigation of the world around us
through empirical analysis. Psychology also branches out into the workplace through Industrial-Organizational Psychology, in the schools through School Psychology, and the criminal justice system through Forensic Psychology.

As you can see, Psychology is much more than people make it out to be. What I have seen and experienced regarding Psychology is that it is a field of vast opportunities; there is something for everyone; no matter what your interest, Psychology can be useful. Psychology helps people relate to each other, to understand situations and how to cope with stressful situations, which every human being is vulnerable to. Psychology can help people better understand their world and help understand different opinions, beliefs, thought processes, feelings, and point of views. It helps people expand their horizons and expand their own self-image. Psychology is something that has no restrictions. Don’t let misconceptions allow you miss out on a great opportunity.

If you are someone that is considering pursuing a career in Psychology, you can visit the American Psychological Association website, specifically this link., to explore the 56 divisions of Psychology, or if you want a closer look into future careers in Psychology, you can visit  http://www.apa.org/careers/resources/guides/careers.pdf. Psychology has something for everyone; it just depends on what your interests are.