Metahabilitation: A clinical pathway to posttraumatic growth

---

Joyce Mikal-Flynn

California State University, USA

: J Nurs Patient Care

Abstract

---

Individuals experience trauma and crisis potentially causing significant problems acutely and throughout their recovery process. Problems are compounded if the individual is unaware of personal resources needed to cope with such events which include family support, positive outlook, resiliency and spirituality. When people can draw on these resources, life challenges provide opportunities for them to develop new thoughts, ideas and behaviors that result in posttraumatic growth (PTG). The current biomedical model of rehabilitation is insufficient. It ignores incorporating survivor’s prior experience of trauma as they rediscover and recognize their strengths in planning for recovery. Metahabilitation©, recognizes one’s resilience and capacity for overcoming adversity associated with crisis and trauma. This concept and clinical pathway promotes each person’s biological, psychological and spiritual ability to survive but more importantly, to be transformed, to grow after traumatic events. These experiences become opportunities to creatively restructure one-self, find meaning in life, reduce suffering and transform personal tragedy into triumph. When the focus is on PTG, recovery becomes less pessimistic and more about hope, meaning and purpose in life. Research revealed insights into this concept. Limitations of current rehabilitative models, which provided rationale and motivation for new system, Metahabilitiation, which promotes PTG, will be examined and discussed. Utilization of the system, including stages, characteristics and facilitating conditions of metahabilitated survivors will be the focus of the session.

Biography

---