Questionnaire Results
Great job on completing the PTG questionnaire! Below is a preview of all the questions you answered, use them as a guide as you read through the stages and see where you land. Remember, it is possible to be in multiple stages at once!
Question #1
I acknowledge that I'm struggling and realize I don't have the emotional resources to cope with it by myself.
Question #5
My relationships have become more meaningful.
Question #2
I'm reaching out for safety, protection, and support from someone I trust, family, or a community
Question #6
I have become more spiritual.
Question #3
I'm exploring new opportunities in my life and am open to new ways of thinking and being. I am rewriting my story.
Question #7
I have a better sense of my life's purpose and mission.
Question #4
I am integrating my old self with my new narratives and enjoying a renewed sense of identity.
Question #8
I engage in acts of service within my community.
Questionnaire Results
Great job on completing the PTG questionnaire! Below is a preview of all the questions you answered, use them as a guide as you read through the stages and see where you land. Remember, it is possible to be in multiple stages at once!
The 5 Stages of Post-Traumatic Growth PTG
Stage 1. Radical Acceptance
This stage is about fully recognizing and coming to terms with your trauma. Rather than resisting or denying what has happened, you pause to acknowledge the pain and allow yourself to sit with it.
Q1
Q2
Pause, recognize, and accept trauma: Consciously acknowledge that
the traumatic event happened and its impact on you.
​Awareness and acknowledgment: You start to identify how the trauma
affects your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
​Identify and name emotions: Label your emotions clearly—grief, anger, fear,
or sadness—to better understand them.
Radical honesty: Embrace the truth of your experience without judgment,
even if it’s painful or difficult to admit.
Invisible wounds: Recognize that trauma often leaves wounds that are
not always visible but are deeply felt.
This stage helps you face the trauma head-on, laying he groundwork for future healing.
Stage 2. Safety and Protection
After radical acceptance, it is vital to create an environment of safety—both emotionally and physically—to continue healing.
Q3
Q4
Find a safe space: Surround yourself with people and places where you
feel secure and understood.
​
Take risks in trusting others: Begin opening up to trustworthy individuals,
even though it might feel vulnerable.
​
Permission to be vulnerable: Allow yourself to feel vulnerable in safe spaces without shame or fear.
VAR - Validate, Acknowledge, Recognize: Validation from others—whether through friends, family, or professionals—can help you process emotions and experiences.
Allow for difficult conversations: You become more willing to engage
in hard conversations about your trauma and its effects.
​
Make meaning of the traumatic experience: Finding purpose or insight from
what happened can start to form here, even if it feels unclear at first.
This stage is about establishing a safe foundation where you can explore your trauma without feeling constantly triggered or unsafe.
Stage 3. A News Narrative
In this stage, you begin to see the potential for a new story—a new version of yourself—emerging from the trauma.
Q3
Q5
Q6
Redefine priorities: Your values may shift, and you might start focusing
on things that feel more meaningful to you.
​
Reinvent and regenerate: You explore the possibility of becoming a different version of yourself, one who has grown from adversity.
​
Create new stories and beliefs: This is when you can start shaping a new
narrative about yourself and your life that is not solely defined by trauma.
Try more than one identity: You might experiment with different roles or ways of being as part of your healing.
​
Explore new horizons: Engage in new activities, hobbies, or practices, such
as movement, art, dance, music, or poetry, to express and discover parts of
yourself that may have been dormant.
This stage is about renewal and regeneration, with a focus on writing a new story for yourself.
Stage 4. Integration
Here, the work involves integrating your past trauma with your present and future, creating a cohesive sense of self.
Q7
Q8
Integrate the old with the new: Your old self and your new self are no longer at odds; they coexist and inform each other.
​
No longer triggered by memories: You experience fewer emotional reactions to memories of the trauma.
​
Break the cycle by being a transitional character: You actively choose to
change patterns or cycles of behavior, especially those that might have been destructive. This is when you can start shaping a new narrative about yourself and your life that is not solely defined by trauma.
From fragmentation to belonging: You no longer feel shattered by the trauma, but rather more whole, with a sense of belonging in the world.
​
Renewed hope: You begin to have hope for the future and feel empowered to live a fulfilling life
Integration is the stage where your past trauma becomes part of your story, but it no longer defines you or limits your growth.
Stage 5. Wisdom and Growth
The final stage represents a profound transformation, where the trauma becomes a catalyst for new strength, insight, and purpose.
Q7
Q8
New appreciation of life: You develop a deeper gratitude for life and the
simple moments.
​
Meaningful relationships: You cultivate stronger, more fulfilling connections
with others, often based on mutual vulnerability and understanding.
​
Stronger self - Resilience: You emerge more resilient, with a sense of inner
strength that can withstand future challenges.
Higher spirituality: Your connection to spirituality or a greater sense of purpose may deepen as you seek meaning in your experience.
​
Purpose and meaning: You are able to derive purpose from your trauma,
using it as a tool for growth and transformation.
​
New possibilities: You see life differently now, with more opportunities and
possibilities than before.
​
Acts of service - Give back to the community: Many people in this stage feel the urge to give back, whether through volunteer work, mentorship, or sharing their story to help others.
Wisdom and growth signify the transformation of trauma into a source of strength, resilience, and deeper connections.