Questions We Can Help You To Answer

Paper instructions:

Question: Personality and Posttraumatic Growth

Use the model of posttraumatic growth (PTG) found in Weiss and Berger's article. This model of demonstrates the dynamic process of growth that can occur post-trauma. As you can see, the process may seem to be top down but we need to consider how challenges in present-day experiences might force us to backtrack to review the stumbling blocks and the growth perspectives that we have. 

    Does PTG remove loss and sorrow?
    Does it impact personality change?
    How does the development of posttraumatic growth support the individual or caregiver concept of development of positive responses and life-enhancing changes that can be integrated within a more holistic concept of personal responses to loss?

Using the resource above, create a response that demonstrates your understanding of the flow of activity and the dynamism present in this model as well as the inherent obstacles that may appear through the process. No additional resources are necessary.  

( you must use at least 2 references from the readings to support your answer)
please let me know if you need any additional information to complete this assignment



unit reading: Resilience and Coping
Introduction
As we are learning in this course, everyone approaches coping with loss from a cultural perspective that anticipates and delivers expected mourning practices and behaviors in the death of an individual. It is essential that service providers for any biopsychosocial need understand the views of clients and the need to support their efforts. Life transitions help us to move from one place to another, but the process can be frightening as we straddle change. The life story is changing and individuals have to create meaning out of the passage.

Individuals, families, and communities have a variety of support to offer the bereaved. Their presence, in unique ways, provides resources that will support the dying as well as those impacted by a death, hopefully avoiding complicated grief. Complicated grief is especially noted in individuals who have had challenges with attachment earlier in life. If individuals could not grieve or if there was traumatic grief, the chance of complications arises (Mallon, 2008, p. 65). Some of the features of this grief, according to Mallon, include inability to converse about the death or the person who died, strong recurrences of emotions, anger at the death, and an "inability to regain former competence, e.g. at work or in studies;" (p. 65). Thus, with the opportunity for grieving to be shortened, ignored, and extended, the focus on individual, family, and community support grows stronger.

Posttraumatic growth, identifies the power of traumatic instances to transform an individual and the person's personality as well (Jayawickreme & Blackie, 2014). Tedeschi and Calhoun (2004) define this growth as a "positive psychological change experienced as a result of the struggle with highlight challenging life circumstances," (p.1). Combined with our knowledge of culture and the expectation that such an encounter leads one to a stronger life satisfaction overall, we can see that the knowledge of professional and personal support systems can enhance this growth for the benefit of the client as well as for personal development.


Loss and grieving provide an opportunity to see this growth in action, especially considering unavailable or unrequested mental health support, educational or geographic limitations, and the communication challenges immigrants and those who are much older may possess. Loss and the possibility of growth from it can be found in various supporters, including clergy who have had a long-term relationship with individuals and families. Understanding how to avail oneself of such opportunities for support is essential. This is where socioeconomic limitations may prohibit engaging in services that may even be geographically distant from the individual. 

Hospice, bereavement groups, compassionate friends, and other local organizations will be able to provide a part of the support needed. In this unit's readings, you will be able to see how services can be delivered from mental health providers in conjunction with family and individual support as well as the role of posttraumatic growth in the processes. We will keep in mind that the services offered are just that—services. The need to fully comprehend the bereaved's needs typically begins with the family and should impact all those who provide assistance in this time of need.