Growing Tall Poppies

Episode 33:- Archetypes of Transformation© : Accelerating Post Traumatic Growth

• Dr Nat Green • Season 1 • Episode 33

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In this transformative episode of Growing Tall Poppies, Dr. Nat Green unveils her  7 Trauma Archetypes of Transformation©. a powerful framework designed to empower and guide listeners into and through post-traumatic growth. Drawing from her 30 years in the trauma field and personal experience, Dr. Nat explains how each archetype—from the resilient Phoenix Riser to the brave Authentic Warrior—can illuminate your path from pain to thriving.

Discover which archetype resonates with you: the Phoenix Riser, reborn from trauma’s ashes; the reflective Resilient Sage; the visionary Empowered Trailblazer; and others. Each one holds unique strengths, and challenges, offering a personalized approach to self-acceptance, confidence, and liberation from the past.

Learn how these evolving archetypes mirror the non-linear journey of healing and can change as you progress, guiding you to harness your strengths, overcome challenges, and build a stronger, more connected self. Tune in to learn practical insights for recognizing and embodying your archetype to accelerate your personal growth.

Key Takeaways: 

  • Understanding the 7 Trauma Archetypes – Discover how each archetype provides a roadmap for clarity and transformation.
  • Dynamic Growth – Embrace the evolving nature of your healing journey through the archetypes.
  • Applying Archetypes to Your Life – Gain insights to tap into personal strengths, overcome obstacles, and move toward post-traumatic growth.
  • The Power of Community – Share and support each other’s journeys in group settings where each archetype adds unique inspiration and strength.

 Resources Mentioned:

  • Take the Trauma Archetypes Quiz: Discover which archetype resonates with you at drnataliegreen.com.au/trauma-archetypes-quiz/
  • Join the Thrive After Trauma Community: Connect with others exploring the archetypes and supporting each other through the healing process in our free private Facebook group, Thrive After Trauma. click here

If you’re ready to connect deeply with your own strengths and move beyond mere survival, this episode is your first step toward reclaiming a life aligned with your truest self. Listen now to start transforming through these empowering archetypes! 

Exciting Announcements:

Dr. Nat is thrilled to announce a new series format! Over the coming weeks, she will dive deeper into each Trauma Archetype through focused mini-episodes, offering an in-depth exploration of their strengths, challenges, and growth strategies. Tune in twice a week to gain insights into each archetype and find the one that resonates most with your journey.

If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen

Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.

Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.

Speaker 1:

Welcome back to the Growing Tall Poppies podcast, where we explore the incredible stories of resilience, transformation and the paths we take from trauma through to post-traumatic growth. I'm your host, dr Nat Green, and I'm beyond excited and totally thrilled to be here with you today, because we're diving into a concept that I promised I would be introducing this week, and it's one that's deeply personal and incredibly transformative, a unique framework that I've developed after years of working with trauma survivors and those moving into post-traumatic growth. Working in the trauma area has been a huge part of my life for over 30 years. The trauma area has been a huge part of my life for over 30 years and, after also navigating my own significant traumas in combination with my passion for helping people move from trauma, I'm super excited to show you what I'm finally able to bring out in the world and reveal, and I firmly believe that this will change the trauma recovery landscape for people who've been through trauma and adversity and have come out the other side. I've actually been on a prolonged break from work or a sabbatical as I now like to term it as a result of my own burnout and the need to do my personal healing at my pace and walk my talk and all of this, this permission to give myself the space and grace that I knew I needed, but it had taken a long time for me to have that realization. All of this has culminated in the development of the trauma archetypes of transformation, so that's what we're going to talk about today. I'm super excited.

Speaker 1:

I've been developing them for quite some time after recognizing, through my own trauma journey and reflection on the many clients journeys that I've had the privilege of sharing over all these, and that, combined also with interviewing all our wonderful guests that we've had on the podcast, it was obvious that there have been many common patterns present. What I've found is that, while every healing journey is unique, there are definitely certain patterns, ways of thinking, feeling and acting that we can see in the way that people approach their trauma recovery. These patterns are what I've turned into the seven trauma archetypes of transformation, and today we're going to explore each one in a little bit more detail. This episode will give you insight into these archetypes and how they can guide you on the path to living with greater clarity, self-acceptance, less self-doubt and, ultimately, freedom from your past, and I'm pretty confident that's what we all want. That's what we're all working towards. So if you're someone who's gone through trauma and are feeling stuck on your journey and not quite sure how to move into that post-traumatic growth and continue to move forward and grow and become that tall poppy that you were always destined to be, or if you're just curious about how to tap into the strengths that lie beneath your pain, then this episode really is for you and I'm so excited to share it. So let's get started Now.

Speaker 1:

Before we get into the archetypes themselves, let's talk about why this concept is so important. When we experience trauma, it leaves a deep imprint on our lives. We all know that trauma can be incredibly isolating and a very confusing experience. It leaves us feeling disconnected from ourselves, from our loved ones and from the world around us and, as a result of these experiences, trauma changes how we see ourselves, how we see the world and how we relate to other people. But trauma doesn't just stop there. It also affects how we grow and how we move forward.

Speaker 1:

And what's less commonly discussed, I believe, and what I am deeply passionate about, is the idea that trauma doesn't have to be a life sentence. It does not have to define you forever. In fact, there is something on the other side of trauma. That isn't just recovery, but growth, and that is what we call post-traumatic growth. In last week's episode, we talked about post-traumatic growth and what it actually is as a refresher, and we know that trauma doesn't have to be the end of the story. In fact, many people, myself included, believe that post-traumatic growth is not only possible, but incredibly powerful. Now let's get clear. Post-traumatic growth isn't about bouncing back to the person you were before. It's not about pretending that everything's okay or minimizing what you've been through. Instead, it's about transformation. It's about acknowledging the impact that trauma has had on your life, while also recognizing that it can catalyze a deeper understanding of yourself and of the world. It's about evolving into a new version of yourself that is stronger, more aligned and connected with your values and more in tune with your authentic self. Post-traumatic growth can be this amazing process where, after going through something painful or life-altering process, where, after going through something painful or life-altering, we emerge not just having survived but having grown in such profound ways.

Speaker 1:

And the trauma archetypes? They're essentially the lenses or the frameworks that we can use to understand how we're moving through that process of growth. So what exactly are these archetypes and how can they help you. So the concept of the trauma archetypes. There's seven of them, seven different identities or inner patterns of thought, behaviour and emotions and ways of approaching your journey through trauma and into post-traumatic growth. They don't define you. They're more like tools in your toolkit, and each archetype comes with its own strengths, challenges and opportunities for growth. And they help us to see ourselves more clearly and can help guide you as you navigate your way forward in the world. They offer a way to make sense of where we are on our healing path and how we can tap into our inner resources as we move forward. So I created these archetypes, not just as a way to categorise people, but as a tool for transformation. Each archetype offers insights into how we're currently dealing with our trauma and what steps we can take to continue our growth or ultimately expand our capacity for further growth.

Speaker 1:

These archetypes are dynamic. They can shift and change over time, and that's what I love about them. Most importantly, they remind us that we have everything we need to heal already inside of us. The beauty of these archetypes is that they meet you where you are. Whether you're someone who thrives on introspection and reflection or you're someone who charges ahead with action and bravery. There's an archetype that will resonate deeply with you. These archetypes, as I said, are dynamic. They aren't fixed. You may shift between them depending on where you are in your healing process.

Speaker 1:

The key is to learning to recognize which archetype is present in your life right now and understanding how to use that to your advantage. All right now that you have a sense of why these archetypes matter, let's dive into each one of the seven archetypes. As I go through them, I want you to think about which one resonates with you, or if you see a bit of yourself in more than one. Remember these archetypes are tools for self-awareness, not boxes to stick us in, to limit us. Let's start with our first archetype.

Speaker 1:

I want to introduce you to the Phoenix Riser. The Phoenix Riser is someone who has been through the fire of trauma and is coming out the other side rising from the ashes of their former life. This archetype represents transformation and renewal. If you resonate with the Phoenix riser, you've probably experienced significant change as a result of your trauma. You may feel that your old self has burned away and now you're in the process of trying to rebuild something new and something stronger. So, just like the mythical Phoenix rising from the ashes. This archetype represents your ability to rebuild yourself after trauma. You've been through hell, but you're emerging on the other side more powerful and more resilient than ever.

Speaker 1:

Phoenix Rises embrace the idea that, while trauma has changed them, it doesn't define them. It doesn't define them. Instead, they use it as fuel to rebuild a life that's even more aligned with who they want to become. The strength of the Phoenix riser lies in their ability to adapt, to see trauma actually as a catalyst for growth. They understand that the version of themselves that emerges from the trauma may be different, but it's not lesser. It's more authentic and more powerful. But here's the challenge. Phoenix risers sometimes struggle with letting go of their past selves. They can feel a deep sense of loss for the person they used to be and may fear that they'll never fully recover that version of themselves. For the Phoenix riser, the key to growth is acceptance, so understanding that transformation does not mean losing who you were, but evolving more so into who you're meant to be.

Speaker 1:

The second of the archetypes is the resilient sage, and this archetype is all about wisdom and inner strength. If you're a resilient sage, you've likely gained deep insights from your trauma and you carry those lessons within you. The resilient sage isn't someone who rushes through healing. They take their time, understanding that the process is slow and requires reflection. This archetype is the wise, calm and centred figure who brings a deep sense of understanding to their healing journey. The resilient sage has been through immense pain but carries their lessons with grace. They understand that wisdom and strength come from sitting with their emotions and learning from them. Sitting with their emotions and learning from them, the resilient sage is all about patience, reflection and integrating the lessons that trauma has had to offer. The strength of the resilient sage is in their patience and their ability to find meaning in their pain. They understand that healing doesn't happen overnight and are comfortable sitting with their emotions, letting the lessons from their trauma unfold. Naturally, this archetype really values depth and tends to think deeply about their experiences. But the challenge for the resilient sage is that they can sometimes become too introspective, almost getting stuck in analysis paralysis. They may feel overwhelmed by the weight of their own thoughts or feel isolated because they spend so much time processing them. For the resilient sage, growth comes from balancing reflection with action, taking what they've learned and applying it to their lives.

Speaker 1:

Thirdly comes the empowered trailblazer. The empowered trailblazer is the visionary. This archetype is all about forward, momentum and action. If you identify as an empowered trailblazer, you're the person who is determined to create something new out of your trauma. You're someone who doesn't want to just survive. You want to thrive and you're willing to take bold steps to make that happen. This archetype is the one who sees beyond their trauma and is determined to carve a new path for themselves. Empowered trailblazers are action-oriented. They're not content to sit in the pain. They are focused on growth, on creating something new from their experiences. They are bold, courageous and willing to take risks to build the life they envision for themselves. Empowered trailblazers have a unique ability to see beyond their pain and envision a future that's full of possibility. They're not afraid of hard work and they're often willing to step into leadership roles, generally carving out new paths not only for themselves, but for others as well. The challenge here for them is that sometimes empowered trailblazers can become so focused on action and achievement that they skip over the important parts of their healing. They might try to outrun their trauma by constantly moving forward. However, we know that healing requires that we slow down and we process. For the trailblazer, growth comes from finding a balance between their action and introspection.

Speaker 1:

Fourthly, next up, we have the authentic warrior. This archetype embodies courage, vulnerability and determination. The authentic warrior faces their trauma head-on, without turning away from the pain, and they do so with an open heart. They know that true strength comes from embracing their vulnerability, from being open about their struggles and from showing up as their true, authentic selves, no matter how hard it might be, and from allowing themselves to be seen in their full humanity. Authentic warriors aren't afraid to ask for help and they understand that healing is a collaborative process. They're willing to fight for their healing, but they do so with a deep sense of compassion for themselves and for others. The authentic warrior is willing to fight for their healing. The authentic warrior understands that asking for help is a sign of strength, not one of weakness, and they are deeply connected to their own humanity. But with all this bravery comes a challenge. Sometimes authentic warriors can become so focused on being strong that they forget to take care of themselves in the process. They may push themselves too hard, forgetting that part of healing is allowing themselves to rest and recover. For the authentic warrior, growth comes from knowing when to step back, take a breath and allow themselves the grace they so freely give others.

Speaker 1:

And next we have the reflective orchestrator. They are the strategist, the planner and the thinker. This archetype is all about structure and reflection. If you resonate with the reflective orchestrator, you're someone who takes a methodical approach to your healing, you like to have a plan and you find comfort in organizing your thoughts and your actions. Reflective orchestrators are incredibly insightful and often have a clear understanding of what they need to do to move forward. Their strength is in their ability to create order out of chaos, making sense of their trauma through careful reflection and deliberate action. Reflective orchestrators thrive on structure and understanding the bigger picture. They don't rush into healing. They take the time to plan their journey, assess their progress and adjust their course as needed. They are patient and deliberate, always seeking to create order and coherence out of chaos. However, the challenge for the reflective orchestrator is that they can become too focused on control. They may try to plan their healing to the nth degree, to the point where they become rigid, struggling to adapt when things don't go according to their plan. For this archetype, growth comes from learning how to let go of control and to embrace the uncertainty of the healing process.

Speaker 1:

The sixth archetype is the radiant alchemist. As a radiant alchemist, you are the healer, the creative. This archetype is deeply attuned and connected to their inner world and the energies around them. Radiant alchemists see trauma as an opportunity for transformation on a spiritual level. And they see their trauma as an opportunity for transformation on a spiritual level. And they see their trauma as an opportunity for profound growth and often channel their healing energy into creative or spiritual practices.

Speaker 1:

Radiant alchemists are those who tap into their inner strength and creativity as part of their healing process. They see their trauma as an opportunity for profound growth and often channel that healing energy into creative practices. They often look to alternative forms of healing, whether it's through art, music, spirituality or connecting with nature. They understand that trauma isn't just something that happens in the mind or the body, but that it can transform us on a soul level. Their strength lies in their ability to find meaning and beauty in the darkest moments. They are the ones who believe that through the process of healing, we can transmute our pain into something powerful, something radiant. So, whether it's creating something new from their experiences or helping others heal, radiant alchemists bring a sense of hope and of possibility to their journey. Radiant alchemists turn pain into purpose and use their experiences to help others heal as well.

Speaker 1:

The challenge for the radiant alchemist is that sometimes they can lose themselves in their spiritual or creative practices, avoiding those raw emotions of trauma. They might turn to healing practice as a way to escape rather than engage with the deep, sometimes painful work of processing their emotions. Rather than engage with the deep, sometimes painful work of processing their emotions. For the radiant alchemist, growth happens when they integrate their creativity and spirituality with grounded, practical steps towards healing. They need to balance the spiritual with the emotional and physical aspects of their recovery. And lastly, and certainly not leastly, we have the liberated voyager.

Speaker 1:

This seventh archetype is all about freedom and exploration. This archetype is the explorer, the one who sees healing as a journey of discovery. If you identify with this archetype, you're someone who seeks to break free from the constraints of your trauma. You're ready to explore new ways of being, to let go of old identities and step into the unknown with curiosity and with openness. The liberated voyager isn't afraid to take risks in their healing journey. They're often drawn to new experiences and new ideas, eager to find out what life holds beyond their trauma. They value independence and personal growth and they see life as an ongoing adventure, even after hardship. This archetype is the explorer, the one who sees healing as a journey of discovery. Liberated voyagers embrace the unknown and are constantly seeking to expand their understanding of themselves and the world at large. For the liberated voyager, post-traumatic growth is an adventure, one that leads to freedom, self-acceptance and a greater connection with life.

Speaker 1:

The strength of the liberated Voyager is their sense of possibility. They're the ones who dream big, who refuse to be defined by their past and who are willing to reinvent themselves as many times as necessary to find peace and fulfilment. They thrive in the space of discovery. But the challenge for the liberated voyager is that sometimes, in their quest for freedom, they can become disconnected from others or even from themselves. They might avoid sitting with their pain by constantly seeking new experiences, which can prevent them from fully processing their trauma. For this archetype, growth comes from finding balance between freedom and connection, between exploring new paths and staying grounded in the present moment.

Speaker 1:

So those are the seven trauma archetypes the Phoenix Riser, the Resilient Sage, the Empowered Trailblazer, the Authentic Warrior, the Reflective Orchestrator, the Radiant Alchemist and the Liberated Voyager. And as you listen to these descriptions, maybe you found one that spoke to you right away, that you connected to at a deep level immediately, or maybe a few of them felt like they fit different aspects of your healing journey. So here's the thing it's important to remember that these archetypes aren't fixed, as I I've already said. They're dynamic. You might move through different archetypes at different stages of your healing. For example, you might start out as a reflective orchestrator, carefully planning your steps to healing, but as you gain more confidence and more insight, you might evolve into an empowered trailblazer, taking bold action to transform your life every step of the way. Or you might identify with the resilient sage, but find yourself tapping into the creativity of the radiant alchemist as you seek new ways to process your trauma.

Speaker 1:

The point is that these archetypes are dynamic and they offer us a roadmap for understanding the different phases of healing. By recognising where we are in the journey, we can tap into the strengths of our archetypes and be mindful of the challenges that come within it. Now you might be wondering, mindful of the challenges that come within it. Now you might be wondering how do I apply these archetypes to my own life? How can I use them to move forward in my healing? Well, the first step is self-awareness. Take a moment to reflect on your own experiences. What archetype do you feel you're embodying right now? Are you in a phoenix riser phase, where you're rebuilding your life from the ashes? Or maybe you're a reflective orchestrator, carefully planning out your next steps? Wherever you are? Honour that. It's a crucial part of your healing journey.

Speaker 1:

Next, I want you to think about the strengths of your archetype. What resources do you already have within you that can help you continue to grow? If you're a resilient sage, you have the gift of patience and deep insight. If you're an empowered trailblazer, you have the drive to take action and to create change. By focusing on your strengths, you can build momentum and keep moving forward, even when things feel challenging.

Speaker 1:

The key thing to remember is that there is no right or wrong archetype. Each one has its strengths and challenges and, depending on where you are in your process, you might find yourself resonating with different archetypes at different times. The key is to recognise which archetype is present for you right now and to embrace it fully. Each archetype brings a unique set of strengths that you can tap into to guide your healing, but also be mindful of the challenges of your archetype. Are you an authentic warrior who's pushing too hard and forgetting to rest? Are you a phoenix riser who's struggling to let go of the past? Acknowledging these challenges doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. It just means that you're human. By being aware of the potential pitfalls, you can create strategies to overcome them and continue on your path to healing. And we all know that healing isn't linear. You might shift between archetypes depending on what's going on in your life, and that's okay.

Speaker 1:

The point of the archetypes of transformation isn't to box you in or to label you. It's to give you a framework for understanding your strengths, your challenges and the opportunities for growth that are available to you. These archetypes are here to navigate your healing with more clarity, compassion and purpose and to accelerate your moving into post-traumatic growth. I also want to mention how powerful these archetypes can be in a group healing setting. One of the reasons I'm so passionate about teaching these archetypes is that they give us a shared language for talking about trauma and healing. When we recognize our own archetypes and share them with others, it creates a sense of connection and of community. You'll realise that you're not alone in your experiences. Others have been through similar things and they're working through their own healing in ways that resonate with your journey as well. In my work, I've seen how bringing people together who resonate with different archetypes creates an incredible environment for growth. The phoenix riser might inspire the reflective orchestrator to take more bold action, while the resilient sage can remind the empowered trailblazer to slow down and to reflect. By sharing our archetypal journeys with others, we can learn from each other and find new ways to move forward in our healing.

Speaker 1:

So if you're ready to dive deeper into the trauma archetypes, I have a few resources that can help you get started. I've developed a quiz that you can take to find out which archetype you're embodying right now, that you can take to find out which archetype you're embodying right now, and I also have daily tips and strategies specific to each of the archetypes to help you grow and evolve on your healing journey. These tools are designed to help you tap into your strengths, overcome your challenges and step fully into your post-traumatic growth. I'll post the link in the show notes for you to go and check out the quiz. I'm so excited that this has finally come to life after all this time of dreaming that it may be a possibility at some point. It's now available at drnataliegreencomau slash trauma hyphen archetypes hyphen quiz slash. So, as I said, the link will be in the show notes and I would love you to go over, check out the quiz and reveal which archetype you are right now. I also encourage you to join our free private Facebook community, the Thrive After Trauma community, where we explore these archetypes in more depth and support each other through the healing process. So, whether you're just beginning your journey or have been walking this path for a while, there's always something new to learn and new ways to grow, and I'm so excited that you've come on this journey with me.

Speaker 1:

One of the most important things I want to emphasize is the need for self-compassion on this journey. One of the most important things I want to emphasize is the need for self-compassion on this journey. Whether you see yourself as a phoenix riser, a radiant alchemist or an empowered trailblazer, it's crucial that you give yourself grace. Healing from trauma is hard work. It takes time, patience and an enormous amount of emotional energy, and it's okay to have setbacks, to feel stuck or to struggle along the way. But it's my hope that these trauma archetypes can make us easier to connect to and to accelerate our growth from trauma through to post-traumatic growth. Thank you so much for joining me today on this deep dive into the trauma archetypes. My hope is that this concept gives you a new way to think about your healing journey and that it empowers you to move forward with clarity, strength and compassion for yourself. Remember, no matter where you are on the path, you have everything you need to grow, to heal and to thrive.

Speaker 1:

If you found this episode helpful, I'd love to hear from you, leave a review, send me a message or share this episode with someone you feel might benefit from it. Especially now that this quiz is out in the world, I want you to share the crap out of it. Share it among everyone you know. Let's get the trauma archetypes of transformation out in the world, because I really firmly believe that we are going to make huge inroads into changing and improving the trauma landscape. As always, if you're ready to take the next step on your healing journey, I'm here to support you every step of the way.

Speaker 1:

Over the next few weeks, we're going to be changing up the episodes and how they operate. So over the next few weeks, we're going to be changing things up a bit over here on Growing Tall Poppies. We're going to be doing a deeper dive into each of the archetypes. We'll be releasing two episodes a week. They're going to be mini episodes. Two episodes a week. They're going to be mini episodes, one episode per archetype, so that you can get to know them even more and see which one of them you connect with and resonate with the most. I'll be taking a deep dive into their strengths, their challenges and the opportunities for growth, and some tips around how you can move yourself through life when you really deeply connect to which archetype you are. So until next time, keep growing tall, keep shining brightly and keep believing in your power to transform and to change your world. That's it from me. Bye for now.

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Dr Natalie Green

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