Finding unexpected growth after life changing and traumatic events
Can something good really come from something so hard? The answer, backed by decades of research, is yes — though not in the way people expect. Posttraumatic growth isn't about feeling grateful for what happened. It's about the unexpected strength, meaning, and possibility that can emerge from the struggle. This article explains what the research shows — and what it might mean for you.
If you've been through a major upheaval, adversity, or trauma — particularly in midlife and beyond, when life transitions like divorce, family caregiving, job loss, chronic illness, or bereavement can bring major disruption — you're likely familiar with the after-effects. Traumatic responses might include shock, numbness, and denial, the intrusive re-experiencing of memories, and efforts to both avoid and bring meaning to those experiences (Janoff-Bulman, 1992; Figley et al., 1998; Walmsley & McCormack, 2021).
When faced with traumatic stress, our natural tendency is to avoid the pain. But this avoidance can lead to isolation and maintain the cycle of distress (Joseph & Linley, 2005). In midlife, avoidance can show up as over-functioning at work, staying busy for others, or shelving your own emotional needs, but healing requires space to pause and reflect (Lepore & Revenson, 2006; Murphy & joseph, 2013).
Despite the possibility of grief, anxiety, depression, and distress that can follow trauma, we now know that psychological growth can coexist with — and ultimately emerge from — adversity (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996; Linley & Joseph, 2004). Adversity and trauma can become a springboard for positive change: strengthening relationships, shifting perspectives, and revealing inner strengths. For people in midlife and beyond, this kind of growth often includes redefining purpose, adjusting long-held identity roles, and rediscovering personal strengths for what's ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is posttraumatic growth? Posttraumatic growth (PTG) refers to the positive psychological change that can emerge from the struggle with highly challenging life events (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996). It is not the absence of distress — it is growth that occurs alongside it. PTG was first formally described by Tedeschi and Calhoun (1996) and is now one of the most studied concepts in positive psychology. It can manifest as increased appreciation for life, deeper relationships, a greater sense of personal strength, changed priorities, and a richer sense of meaning and purpose (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996).
Can older adults experience posttraumatic growth? Yes; and research shows they can experience it at substantial levels. A systematic review of 15 studies found that older adults reported posttraumatic growth from both earlier and late-life traumas, with social support and social recognition as important predictor variables (Kadri, Gracey & Leddy, 2022). Growth is not the exclusive province of youth; in many ways, the reflective capacity and life experience of midlife and later life can deepen it (Carstensen, 2009).
Does therapy help with posttraumatic growth? Yes. Psychological therapy is effective for trauma outcomes broadly. A 2025 systematic review of 55 meta-analyses found consistent superiority of psychological interventions over control conditions, with trauma-focused (CBT) and EMDR showing the most robust long-term effects for PTSD (Turrini et al., 2025). Separately, psychosocial interventions have been shown to increase posttraumatic growth, in cancer survivors for example, with CBT and mindfulness-based approaches most effective (Yıldız Aytaç et al., 2025). Therapy doesn't manufacture growth, but it can create the conditions in which growth becomes possible (Murphy & Joseph, 2013).
Is posttraumatic growth the same as resilience? No; and the distinction matters. Resilience refers to bouncing back to where you were before. Posttraumatic growth goes further by describing positive change that goes beyond the pre-trauma baseline (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996; Lepore & Revenson, 2006). Some people experience both; others experience one but not the other. Neither is better or more valid than the other.
What Does Posttraumatic Growth Actually Look Like?
Posttraumatic growth doesn't mean feeling grateful for what happened, or pretending trauma was a gift. Therapists should be aware of the potential for positive change in their clients following adversity, but importantly, we need to be careful not to inadvertently imply that there is anything inherently positive in trauma (Joseph & Linley, 2005). Growth originates not from the traumatic event itself, but from within the person through their struggle with it (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996; Joseph, 2011).
Research identifies five main domains where posttraumatic growth tends to appear (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 1996):
1. Relating to others more deeply
Relationships often deepen after adversity: people report a greater appreciation for the people they love, more authentic connections, and a reduced tolerance for superficiality. In midlife and later life, this can involve rebuilding estranged relationships, finding community after loss, or developing a new openness to vulnerability.
2. New possibilities
Adversity can close some doors, but it can also open others. People who experience posttraumatic growth often report discovering new directions, interests, or callings they wouldn't have found otherwise. For people in midlife, this is particularly resonant; a major life disruption can become the unexpected catalyst for reinvention.
3. Personal strength
Surviving difficult experiences often reveals inner resources people didn't know they had. "I didn't know I could get through something like that" is one of the most common things clients say in the aftermath of trauma. This growing sense of strength doesn't erase distress, but it changes the person's relationship to it.
4. Spiritual and existential change
Trauma often prompts deep questions about meaning, purpose, faith, and what matters most. For many in midlife and later life, this existential reckoning is one of the most significant dimensions of growth, and a chance to examine long-held beliefs and choose, perhaps for the first time, what to carry forward.
5. Appreciation for life
People who have been through serious adversity frequently report a heightened appreciation for everyday experiences, relationships, and the simple fact of being alive. This shift in perspective is often described as one of the most lasting changes.
The Shattered Vase: A Metaphor for Growth
At Upside Stories, we use the metaphor of the shattered vase from Stephen Joseph's work to illustrate this process. Joseph and Linley's organismic valuing process theory proposes that a traumatic event can shatter an individual's former worldview, causing traumatic distress; and that people are intrinsically motivated towards processing new trauma-related information in ways that maximise their psychological wellbeing (Joseph & Linley, 2005; Joseph, 2011).
Trauma can feel like knocking a family heirloom vase off a shelf, shattering it into pieces. Some people attempt to glue the pieces back together, trying to restore what once was, but the vase remains fragile. Others gather the fragments and create something entirely new; a mosaic that, while different, is just as beautiful and far stronger. Posttraumatic growth lies in coming to terms with the breakage and using it as an opportunity to build something new, strong, and full of unexpected potential (Joseph, 2011).
A 2025 paper in Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy reinforced the clinical relevance of Joseph's theory, arguing that trauma represents a state of systemic disorganisation containing implicit potential for the structural reconstruction of the psyche, and that person-centred approaches are particularly well-suited to facilitating this process (Barinova & Yermak, 2025).
When we face experiences that challenge our beliefs and assumptions about ourselves, others, or the world, we're faced with a choice: do we try to fit these challenges into our old way of understanding, or do we open ourselves to new perspectives? For many in midlife and older age, these challenges disrupt familiar narratives — about who we were supposed to be by now, or how life was meant to turn out. Growth comes when we lean into the discomfort of change and find meaning in our losses and adversities (Janoff-Bulman, 1992). For those in midlife or older age, therapy offers a rare opportunity to re-evaluate long-held beliefs, explore your voice and a new chapter for life ahead (Murphy & Joseph, 2013).
What helps posttraumatic growth occur?
Research consistently points to three factors as most important for PTG (Kadri et al., 2022; Stefanidou et al., 2025):
Social support — social support and social recognition emerged as key predictor variables for posttraumatic growth in older people across multiple studies. Connection matters — not just for wellbeing, but for growth itself (Kadri et al., 2022; Walmsley & McCormack, 2021). If you're supporting a family member with dementia, see our companion articles on traumatic loss and growth and holding on while letting go.
Cognitive processing — actively working through the meaning of what happened, rather than avoiding it, is central to PTG (Joseph & Linley, 2005). This is where therapy plays a particularly important role.
A facilitative environment — the organismic valuing process leads to the actualisation of positive changes in psychological wellbeing through positive accommodation of new trauma-related information, provided that the social environment is able to support this process (Joseph & Linley, 2005). The right therapeutic relationship creates exactly this kind of environment (Murphy & Joseph, 2013).
What about growth in LGBTQIA+ communities?
A March 2025 study published in The Gerontologist found that psychological and social resources foster both posttraumatic growth and generativity in sexual and gender minority older adults, with critical awareness, activism, and social connections appearing important for standing strong against oppression and extending generative support to younger generations (Jung et al., 2025). For many older people in the LGBTQIA+ community, a lifetime of navigating adversity has cultivated remarkably adaptive coping and growth.
Can therapy actively promote posttraumatic growth?
Yes — and the evidence is growing. A meta-analysis of psychosocial interventions for adults with cancer found that 75.7% of interventions were moderately to highly effective in increasing posttraumatic growth, with the most effective approaches using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based methods, and peer support combined with health coaching (Yıldız Aytaç et al., 2025).
For older people specifically, a review published in Clinical Gerontologist in 2025 found that multiple therapies — including narrative exposure therapy, prolonged exposure, and life review — were effective for treating trauma in older adults, although sample sizes remain small and more research is needed (Moye et al., 2025).
At Upside Stories, we draw on the approaches the evidence supports most — including trauma-informed cognitive behavior therapy CBT, narrative therapy, ACT, and life review — tailored to each person's needs and chapter. The therapeutic relationship remains at the centre of our work, and is foundational to the evidence-based therapies we offer (Murphy & Joseph, 2013).
What is the role of therapy in facilitating growth?
At Upside Stories, we draw on Joseph's posttraumatic growth theory, the idea that people are hard wired towards growth (Joseph, 2011); and we work alongside clients to explore what that might mean for them. Through a strong therapeutic relationship and insightful questions, we aim to create the conditions for meaning-making and psychological growth (Murphy & Joseph, 2013).
This matters particularly in midlife and later life. Research suggests that growing awareness of our own mortality can motivate deeper meaning-making and psychological growth (Carstensen, 2009). While posttraumatic growth is not a universal experience, midlife and later life can offer a deepening capacity for reflection, perspective, and renewal; and the strength of the therapeutic relationship can help create the conditions for that process (Murphy & Joseph, 2013).
Ready to explore?
If you’ve experienced trauma or major life upheaval, your story may feel fractured, but this chapter can be explored for meaning, purpose, and direction in life.
That’s why at Upside Stories, we offer online therapy and tailored 10-week foundational programs, such as Rewrite Your Story exploring trauma, adversity, and growth.
To explore your therapy needs further, start with a free 20-minute consultation to see if Upside Stories is the right fit for you.
References & reading
Barinova, N., & Yermak, I. (2025). Psychological determinants and intrapsychic mechanisms of post-traumatic growth: A person-centered dimension. Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy, 24, 42–47. https://doi.org/10.26565/2410-1249-2025-24-06
Carstensen, L. L. (2009). A long bright future: Happiness, health, and financial security in an age of increased longevity. Broadway Books.
Chen, M., & Che, C. (2024). Perceived social support, self-management, perceived stress, and post-traumatic growth in older patients following stroke: Chain mediation analysis. Medicine (Baltimore), 103(29), e38836. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000038836
Figley, C. R., Bride, B. E., & Mazza, N. (1998). The traumatology of grieving. Brunner/Mazel.
Janoff-Bulman, R. (1992). Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma. Free Press.
Joseph, S. (2011). What doesn't kill us: The new psychology of posttraumatic growth. Basic Books.
Joseph, S., & Linley, P. A. (2005). Positive adjustment to threatening events: An organismic valuing theory of growth through adversity. Review of General Psychology, 9, 262–280. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.9.3.262
Jung, H. H., Emlet, C. A., Kim, H. J., & Fredriksen-Goldsen, K. (2025). Predictors of generativity among sexual and gender minority midlife and older adults. The Gerontologist, 65(4), gnaf023. https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaf023
Kadri, A., Gracey, F., & Leddy, A. (2022). What factors are associated with posttraumatic growth in older adults? A systematic review. Clinical Gerontologist, 48(1), 4–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2022.2034200
Lepore, S., & Revenson, T. A. (2006). Resilience and posttraumatic growth: Recovery, resistance, and reconfiguration. In L. G. Calhoun & R. G. Tedeschi (Eds.), Handbook of posttraumatic growth: Research and practice (pp. 24–46). Lawrence Erlbaum.
Linley, P. A., & Joseph, S. (2004). Positive change following trauma and adversity: A review. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 17(1), 11–21. https://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOTS.0000014671.27856.7
Linley, P. A., Joseph, S., & Goodfellow, B. (2008). Positive changes in outlook following trauma and their relationship to subsequent posttraumatic stress, depression, and anxiety. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 27, 877–891. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2008.27.8.877
Moye, J., Wylie, S., Constance, M., Kaiser, A., & McGovern, R. (2025). Trauma and resilience in older adults [Editorial]. Clinical Gerontologist, 48(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/07317115.2024.236996
Murphy, D., & Joseph, S. (Eds.). (2013). Trauma and the therapeutic relationship: Approaches to process and practice. Palgrave Macmillan.
Stefanidou, T., et al. (2025). Posttraumatic growth after stroke: A systematic review and meta-regression. Disability and Rehabilitation. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2025.2540070
Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (1996). The posttraumatic growth inventory: Measuring the positive legacy of trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 9(3), 455–471. https://doi.org/10.1002/jts.2490090305
Turrini, G., et al. (2025). Psychological interventions for adult posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review of published meta-analyses. Journal of Anxiety Disorders.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.102960
Walmsley, B., & McCormack, L. (2021). Dementia families: Relinquishing home care to aged care services: Guilt, traumatic loss and growth. Dementia, 20(5), 1814–1831. https://doi.org/10.1177/147130122097078
Yıldız Aytaç, G., Hiçdurmaz, D., & Karahan, S. (2025). Effectiveness of psychosocial interventions on resilience, posttraumatic growth, and meaning in cancer survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. European Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2025.747
