By Richard Tedeschi, PhD
In this closing plenary from Creating Healthy Work Environments 2021, Dr. Tedeschi discusses the theoretical model of posttraumatic growth, some of the research that supports it, and how to apply this concept to clinical work. This approach to practice incorporates a broad view of what constitutes trauma, including many experiences that are traumatic to people because they challenge core beliefs about oneself, other people, the future, and the kind of world in which we live. The possibilities for transformation of individuals and their relationships does not preclude working on typical symptoms of trauma, but recognizes that symptoms are better understood, tolerated, and reduced when traumatic suffering can have meaning and purpose.