How Recovery Mirrors the Stages of Grief

Most of us begin our trauma recovery process by emerging from denial. We then spend various amounts of time being angry about what happened to us, wishing it hadn't happened to us, and then languishing a while in depression--which may include a certain amount of grieving, interestingly.

Eventually, though, we reach a stage where we can process and accept what we experienced--it doesn't totally define us and we are able to put it in its proper place in the story of our lives.

Unfortunately, it doesn't stay there. Recovery is a layered process, where new stages unfold and present new challenges. It's not what we'd call "fun," but we've come to view these times as opportunities for deeper healing, so that we can connect more fully to who we really are, and move forward with greater compassion--for ourselves and others. (For more on this topic, see our March 15, 2025 podcast episode.)