by Carmen Hamady, Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist
The Alchemy of Pain: Transforming Trauma into Power
Trauma has a way of stealing voices, but for many women, it also ignites a fire. Across the Arab world, some of the most influential activists, healers, and changemakers have risen—not despite their pain, but because of it. From Nadia Murad, a Yazidi survivor who became a Nobel laureate, to Razan Zaitouneh, a Syrian human rights lawyer who risked everything to document war crimes, history is filled with women who have transformed suffering into advocacy.
Lebanon, a country shaped by war, political instability, and economic crises, has also given rise to resilient women who turn their suffering into movements for justice. One such woman is Dr. Sana Hamzeh, a Lebanese activist honored with the 2019 Barbara Chester Award for her decades-long work supporting over 30,000 survivors of torture and sexual violence through holistic rehabilitation.
But how does this transformation happen? What allows some trauma survivors not only to heal but to thrive? Psychology offers an answer: post-traumatic growth (PTG)—the ability to emerge from adversity with newfound strength, purpose, and resilience.
From Surviving to Thriving: The Science of Post-Traumatic Growth
Many assume that trauma irreversibly breaks a person. While it can leave deep wounds, research suggests it can also lead to profound personal growth (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004; Joseph, 2019).
Women who have endured gender-based violence, war, displacement, and systemic oppression often report:
- A deeper sense of purpose
- Increased empathy and activism
- Greater resilience and emotional strength
A recent meta-analysis found that up to 70% of trauma survivors experience some form of post-traumatic growth, with women more likely than men to report emotional and spiritual transformation (Shakespeare-Finch & Lurie-Beck, 2014). But growth does not happen in isolation—community support, meaning-making, and advocacy play essential roles in the healing process.
Breaking the Silence
Psychologically, trauma can leave survivors feeling powerless, unheard, and trapped in cycles of fear or self-doubt. Women, in particular, face unique barriers when coping with trauma, as gender-based violence, societal stigma, and cultural expectations often make it harder to speak out. However, research on post-traumatic growth (Tedeschi et al., 2018) reveals that many women not only heal but emerge stronger, more resilient, and determined to create change.
One of the most powerful ways women reclaim control is by rewriting their narrative—shifting from victim to advocate. Speaking out is often a psychological turning point, allowing women to process their trauma, regain agency, and challenge the systems that perpetuate suffering.
Take Wadad Halawani, who transformed the pain of her husband’s enforced disappearance into a decades-long fight for truth and justice, giving a voice to thousands of Lebanese families. Or Zeina Daccache, who introduced drama therapy in prisons, empowering incarcerated women and men to confront their past and advocate for their rights.
Psychologists recognize that helping others can be a powerful tool for healing. Studies show that activism and advocacy can reduce PTSD symptoms, restore a sense of purpose, and create lasting social change (López et al., 2021). Women who turn their trauma into action are not just healing themselves—they are breaking cycles of violence, transforming societal norms, and ensuring that future generations do not suffer in silence.
The Psychological Tools That Help Women Transform Trauma
Not all trauma leads to growth, and healing takes time. However, certain psychological approaches can help survivors harness their pain for good:
- Therapeutic Storytelling or Trauma Narration: Helps survivors organize their experiences into coherent, empowering narratives.
- Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT): Reduces self-blame and fosters self-kindness, which are key for women struggling with trauma-related shame (Gilbert, 2020).
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps reframe negative beliefs about the self, often ingrained by trauma or abuse.
- Advocacy and Meaning-Making: Studies show that survivors engaged in activism and purpose-driven work experience lower PTSD symptoms (Zoellner & Maercker, 2019).
Rewriting the Narrative
Pain is real. But so is resilience. Women across the Arab world are proving that trauma does not have to be the final chapter—it can be the start of a revolution. Your pain is not the end of your story, and it might just be the beginning of someone else’s healing.
References
Gilbert, P. (2020). Compassion: Concepts, Research and Applications. Routledge.
Joseph, S. (2019). Posttraumatic Growth: Theory, Research, and Applications. Wiley.
López, V., Romero, C., & Gómez-Benito, J. (2021). Trauma, Activism, and Psychological Well-being. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 22(3), 257-274.
Shakespeare-Finch, J., & Lurie-Beck, J. (2014). A meta-analytic clarification of the relationship between posttraumatic growth and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28(2), 223-229.
Tedeschi, R. G., Calhoun, L. G., & Cann, A. (2018). Evaluating posttraumatic growth: A lifespan perspective. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 14(1), 373-399.
Zoellner, T., & Maercker, A. (2019). Posttraumatic growth in clinical psychology—A critical review and introduction of a two-component model. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(5), 626-653.