What Doesn't Kill Us: The New Psychology of Posttraumatic Growth by Stephen Joseph

What Doesn't Kill Us: The New Psychology of Posttraumatic Growth by Stephen Joseph is a timely and accessible guide to the new field of posttraumatic growth. The field of psychology offers numerous tools to help us better understand our emotional and psychological states and foster growth. Dr. Stephen Joseph’s work has gone a step further, advocating for a type of posttraumatic growth, which he defines as “the positive transformation of oneself as a result of adversity”.

In What Doesn't Kill Us, Joseph uses his extensive experience in the field of psychology to provide readers with access to a comprehensive understanding of posttraumatic growth, walking through its history and modern applications. The book’s introduction essentiates posttraumatic growth from the more well-known concept of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), making a case for why readers should consider this newer field.

Joseph moves on to explore the common influences of posttraumatic growth, including positive personal attributes (e.g. resilience and strength), relevant life experiences, and social support. He is careful to mention how one’s individual characteristics can be used to either impede or enhance growth and encourages readers to strive for their own posttraumatic successes rather than comparing their growth to the successes of others.

The middle chapters are dedicated to the various components of posttraumatic growth. Joseph reviews resilience and its various elements, centering chapters on self-efficacy, emotional regulation, and communication. He applies the concept of posttraumatic growth to adversity, loss, illness, and aging, as well as trauma, making a case for how individuals can use their experiences to propel them towards growth.

The bulk of What Doesn't Kill Us features strategies and real-life examples through which readeers can work towards posttraumatic growth. Joseph’s strategies center on identifying goals, engaging in meaningful activities, and maintaining a capacity to tap into a sense of purpose. He encourages readers to analyze their own values and beliefs and to express gratitude, emphasizing that such processes are essential to the development of posttraumatic growth.

The book concludes with a focus on the future, exploring how posttraumatic growth research will continue to evolve in the coming years. Joseph reiterates his primary message — that successful posttraumatic growth can be found despite adversity —and encourages readers to look to those whose stories serve as an inspirational reminder.

What Doesn't Kill Us dives into the psychology of posttraumatic growth and offers an exploration of the many facets of growth. The book promotes positive mental health through its straightforward and timely content, and serves as an excellent resource for anyone interested in learning about posttraumatic growth and how to use it to promote success and healing.