Bouncing Back … and Then Some ….
"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." - Albert Camus, French Novelist and Nobel Prize Winner
We’ve all cared for them – patients who seemingly defy all odds to not only overcome their medical challenges but emerge “better” somehow amid them, or even because of them. This, as we know, is not the norm. Many others are left with physical and/or emotional wounds from which they never recover or at best find a “new normal” that is far less than before. Yet there is a growing number for whom such events seem to propel them forward to a life more deeply meaningful and generative than they could have previously imagined. This last group is experiencing what has come to be called post-traumatic growth (PTG).
How about we clinicians? Many of us experience traumatic clinical circumstances often, and personal ones as well. PTG holds that people who endure psychological struggle following adversity can often experience a greater appreciation for life, improved personal relationships, increased personal strength, recognition of new possibilities, and a deeper spiritual sense of meaning and purpose. How might we allow ourselves to process these events in a way that we could emerge from them not only healed, but perhaps under the right circumstances, even “better”?
I think often of one such transformational time for me when a woman I cared for during her pregnancy developed disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) during her delivery and died despite all we did to help her. Though I was emotionally devastated, I initially mistook my “cognitive resilience” (“We did all we could under the circumstances”) as emotional healing and dismissed any emotions that did not fit that narrative. It wasn’t until more than a year later that I finally conceded how poorly I was really doing emotionally and sought the help of a therapist. Growth came about for me by processing the many emotions, including these, that had been suppressed along my medical journey and developing new tools to understand and navigate the entirety of my emotional life. As I integrated these lessons, I emerged healthier and more whole.
While the concept of growing from adversity is inspiring and certainly appealing, it is essential to recognize the nuanced pathways and numerous challenges on the path of recovery and not be seduced into believing that all adversity can be magically converted into a positively transformed life. That’s what I initially tried to do after my patient’s death. In reality, my growth required overcoming much emotional scripting and professional programming, and ultimately only happened because of the many people who provided support, encouragement, and expertise to me.
Certainly, the possibility of post-traumatic growth is something that can be inspiring for us all, offering a hopeful perspective on recovery. As healthcare professionals, let's strive to foster environments that support both the acknowledgment of pain and the possibility of growth; with our patients, with each other, and with ourselves. In doing so, let’s approach post-traumatic growth as a “team sport” rather than an individual undertaking or accomplishment. While we can’t “rush” our healing, with the help of others we can recognize that within the depths of any trauma, there lies the potential for an "invincible summer." Remember, no one should try to heal alone, including you ….