Unit 8 Flashcards
Victor Frankl on Trauma & meaning
“man is not destroyed by suffering, he is destroyed by suffering without meaning”
Herman on Trauma & meaning
- whatever the event, trauma can be explained as a disruption in and disconnection from core beliefs about life and the self
how does trauma affect spirituality
- disruption of core beliefs about the world, ones purpose & meaning as well as religious beliefs can be influenced by trauma
- spiritual beliefs play an important role in how humans make sense of life events & cope with challenging situations
Park on Trauma & meaning
- trauma has sometimes been conceptualized as a fundamentally spiritual experience because it forces confrontations with deeply held values and worldviews
- following trauma, survivors must reconsider their beliefs and core sense of self & reality
positive religious/spiritual coping methods
according to harper & pargament
- finding meaning
- gaining mastery & control
- increasing comfort & closeness to god
- enhancing intimacy with others & closeness to god
- achieving life transformation
why are positive religious/spiritual coping methods important
- reflect a secure connection with the divine, oneself & others
- associated with post traumatic growth
negative religious/spiritual coping methods
according to harper & pargament
difficulty in:
- finding meaning
- gaining mastery & control
- increasing comfort & closeness to god
- enhancing intimacy with others & closeness to god
- achieving life transformation
shown to lead to intensified problems & greater negative post traumatic outcomes
negative religious/spiritual coping methods associated with
conflicts with the divine, oneself and others about sacred matters
- also referred to as religious/spiritual struggles
Harper & Pargament on both positive&negative religious/spiritual coping methods
- they are not mutually exclusive; they can occur simultaneously and in varying degrees over the course of the trauma recovery process
- the pathway of healing is unique to each person and is influenced by a variety of personal and situational factors
implications of spirituality for RPN practice
- attaching positive meaning to suffering helps survivors navigate recurring stressors & can influence post-traumatic growth
- consider hopelessness, loss of purpose/meaning in the context of assessment for suicide
- consider how spirituality may be an “untapped tool” for the traumatized individual
- BUT remain sensitive of the need to allow time for this meaning making to place
what is resilience? according to APA
the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress. it means “bouncing back” from difficult experiences
what is resilience? according to Austin et al
refers to human capacity to adapt and even thrive in the face of adversity and trauma
what is resilience? according to Dr. Unger
in the context of exposure to significant adversity, resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural, and physical resources that sustain their wellbeing and their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways
what ISNT resilience
- it is not a trait ppl either have or don’t have
- it exists on a continuum and it involves behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone
- it does not mean that a person doesn’t experience difficulty or distress. the road to resilience is likely to involve considerable distress
- universal - an approach to building resilience that works for one person might too work for another
factors associated with resilience to trauma
- availability of social support
- economic resources
- level of education
- older age
- male gender
BUT studies are often limited by lack of consistency in terms of measurement of stressors and “resilient responses”
OVERSTREET et al
