Also encouraging is that researchers (link is external) and therapists are coming to understand that there is a small silver lining to negative experiences: They can sometimes boost resilience. Carrying an ugly burden from the past can weigh a person down, but it can also make them stronger.
David Sack, M.D., is board certified in addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry, and writes a blog about addiction (link is external). As CEO of Elements Behavioral Health, he oversees a number of programs that specialize in treating emotional trauma (link is external) including The Ranch in Tennessee and Malibu Vista women’s mental health center (link is external) in Malibu, Calif.