Episode 34: The Phoenix Riser Archetype - Rising From Trauma and Transforming Your Life

Welcome back to Growing Tall Poppies! In this series of mini-episodes on her trauma archetypes, Dr. Nat Green takes a deep dive into each of the seven archetypes of post-traumatic transformation. Today, we're exploring the incredible power and strength of the Phoenix Riser.

If you haven’t yet listened to Episode 33, where all seven trauma archetypes were introduced, be sure to check it out first for an overview. Then, join us here as we journey into the world of the Phoenix Riser and discover how to harness its energy to propel your healing and growth.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• What It Means to Be a Phoenix Riser: Learn how this archetype represents rebirth, resilience, and the ability to rise from the ashes of trauma.
• Core Strengths of the Phoenix Riser: Uncover the power of unwavering courage, adaptability, and the storytelling potential that can inspire others.
• Practical Tips to Access Your Strengths: Dr. Nat shares journaling exercises, resilience-building practices, and techniques to leverage your adaptability.
• Challenges You May Face: Understand common struggles, like burnout, survivor’s guilt, and the difficulty of asking for help.
• How to Overcome These Obstacles: Get actionable advice on pacing your healing, releasing perfectionism, and building meaningful connections.
• A Transformative Story of a Phoenix Riser: Hear the inspiring story of Mia**, a true Phoenix Riser who turned her pain into power.

This episode is packed with insights and actionable steps for those who identify with the Phoenix Riser Archetype. Whether you’re on your healing journey or supporting someone through theirs, you’ll walk away with a greater understanding of how to nurture your strengths while being gentle with yourself.

Resources & Community:

• Take the Trauma Archetypes Quiz to discover your archetype.
• Join our Thrive After Trauma community (here) on Facebook for support and connection .
• Follow Dr. Nat on social media to share your reflections and experiences with the Phoenix Riser archetype.

Don’t miss this week’s second episode, where we’ll explore the Resilient Sage and dive into how wisdom and inner strength can guide you through your healing journey. Until then, remember: wherever you are on your path, you are exactly where you need to be.

Subscribe, rate, and share this episode with anyone who could benefit from understanding the journey from trauma to post-traumatic growth. Your story is powerful and has the potential to uplift and inspire others.

Stay resilient, take care, and see you next time!

** name changed to protect identity.

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.

Transcript

Dr Nat Green: 0:01

Welcome to the Growing Tall Poppies podcast. I'm your host, Dr. Nat Green, and I'm so excited to have you join me as we discuss what it means to navigate your way through post traumatic growth and not just survive, thrive after trauma. Through our podcast, we will explore ways for you to create a life filled with greater purpose, self awareness, and a deep inner peace. Through integrating the many years of knowledge and professional experience, as well as the wisdom of those who have experienced trauma firsthand, we will combine psychology, accelerated approaches, coaching, and personal experience to assist you to learn, to grow, and to thrive. I hope to empower you to create deeper awareness and understanding and stronger connections with yourself and with others, whilst also paving the way for those who have experienced trauma and adversity to reduce their suffering and become the very best versions of themselves in order to thrive. Thank you so much for joining me on today's episode.

1:24

Welcome back to Growing Tall Poppies. I'm your host, Dr. Nat Green. And as promised in last week's episode, episode 33, where I introduced all seven of the trauma archetypes of transformation, we're going to spend the next seven episodes delving into each of the archetypes at a much deeper level. Today, we're diving into the first of our seven archetypes, the Phoenix Riser. So if you haven't yet tuned into the last episode, then I suggest you listen to it first. And then come back and listen to this one. And if you have tuned in and you've already heard an overview of how these archetypes can help you understand your journey as you move from trauma and into post traumatic growth, and ultimately getting you to a place of thriving. Today, we'll explore exactly what it means to embody the Phoenix Riser, how this archetype manifests in your life. and how you can harness its power for your healing and transformation. So as you know, the Phoenix Riser is a symbol of rebirth and of resilience, a powerful representation of rising from the ashes of trauma, stronger, wiser and more vibrant than ever before. If you resonate with this archetype, you've likely experienced deep pain or loss. But rather than being defeated by it, you've undoubtedly found a way to rise, rebuild and create something meaningful out of your adversity. You no doubt have the innate capacity to rebuild and transform your life. The Phoenix Riser holds immense strength, yet also faces unique challenges as they continue on their path of healing. So let's start. with exploring what makes the Phoenix Riser so extraordinary. If you identify with this archetype, you likely possess a deep well of courage and an unshakable belief that healing and growth are possible. You're resourceful and tenacious, able to adapt and rebuild even when life has brought you to your knees. You may have a powerful story of overcoming adversity and have often inspired others through your resilience. So I'd really like you to think about the moments in your life when you've risen from the ashes. What strength did you tap into? And how did you actually surprise yourself with your ability to rebuild? Remember, these are your superpowers. And they've brought you this far, and I have absolutely no doubt whatsoever that they're going to continue to help you move even further forward on your journey into post traumatic growth. You undoubtedly possess the following core strengths. Firstly, unwavering courage and resilience. The Phoenix Riser has the inner strength to keep going, even when things seem insurmountable. This bravery is not just about facing the world. But about choosing to heal and to grow, even when it's difficult. Your resilience can inspire others who witness your journey. So I'll give you a tip to help you to access this strength. Let's start with reminding yourself of the moments in your past when you've faced adversity and overcome it. Journaling about these experiences can help you to recognize your courageous spirit, So keep a resilience diary where you document every victory, no matter how small, in order to remind yourself of your ability to rise. Secondly, you have the strength of adaptability and resourcefulness. Rising from the ashes requires the ability to pivot. to adapt and use whatever resources you have to rebuild. The Phoenix Riser is incredibly innovative in creating new opportunities from what once seemed like devastation. And a tip to access this strength is to make a list of all the resources and skills that you have developed during tough times, and look at how you can leverage these now for personal growth or to help others. And sometimes reframing our past experience as resource building can shift our perspective from one of loss through to one of growth. And thirdly, a core strength of inspiring presence and storytelling power. The story of the Phoenix Riser often touches and inspires those around them. And your ability to share your journey of overcoming and of thriving, just like the guests that I've had on this series of Growing Tall Poppies, this ability to share your journey of overcoming and thriving can be a beacon of hope. for others navigating their healing paths. And a tip for you to access this strength is don't ever underestimate the power of your story. If you're ready, consider sharing your experience with someone that you know who needs some encouragement or even journaling it for sharing in the future if you're not quite ready yet. Storytelling can be really therapeutic both for the listener. And for you as a teller of the story. So remember, your story really does have value. And when I introduced the archetypes, I was very clear that while there are strengths in each archetype, there are also challenges. So while the Phoenix Riser is strong and embodies remarkable strength, it doesn't come without its trials. And this strength can come at a cost. One of the most common struggles for this archetype is the tendency to feel exhaustion and burnout. As you no doubt know, the very act of constantly rising and reinventing yourself after trauma can leave you feeling depleted and physically and emotionally drained. You may be used to pushing forward and find it difficult to rest as a result of this, or to allow yourself to just be. And you may also carry a sense of survivor's guilt, feeling perhaps unworthy of the growth and the good things that have come from your pain. And this sense of guilt or unworthiness for having overcome your struggles, while others may still be in pain, can weigh even more heavily. Additionally, Phoenix Risers can sometimes be hesitant too, and have a real reluctance To seek help, relying solely on their own strength, even when support from others could really be healing. Your fierce independence can make it hard to ask for or to accept support, even when you really need it. If this sounds familiar, consider whether you give yourself enough time to rest and to recover. Rising from the ashes is remarkable, but even the phoenix needs moments of stillness. In fact, to truly thrive, the Phoenix Riser must learn to embrace a few key principles. Firstly, pace yourself. Healing is not a race. Take time to rest and recharge without feeling guilty. Remember, resilience isn't just about getting up, it's also about sustaining your energy for the journey ahead. Prioritise your rest and your recovery. True strength includes knowing when to rest. Create a phoenix ritual, perhaps, that focuses on deep relaxation and self care. This could be a weekly practice, like having a nice bath, a guided meditation. Or even a simple walk in nature, simply to recharge your spirit. A practical exercise might be to schedule non negotiable rest days. Treat them as essential to your well being, just as for any work meeting or commitment. Rest is a form of resilience. not a weakness. Number two, let's release perfectionism. Many phoenix risers feel the pressure to constantly be strong or to have it all together. So give yourself permission to be vulnerable and embrace the messy non linear aspects of healing. Embrace your vulnerability and letting go of the need to always be strong can be incredibly freeing. Practice telling yourself that it's okay to be vulnerable and to lean on others. This can start with small steps, like opening up to a trusted friend about how you're truly feeling. And a practical tip for this, you can practice asking for help in small ways, such as asking someone to listen to you without trying to fix things, or to assist perhaps with a simple task. And this in itself can start rewiring the belief that you have to do everything on your own. And thirdly, let's lean into connection. While you may be used to going it alone, finding a supportive community can truly accelerate your growth, share your story and allow others to lift you up when you need it. So engage in that meaningful connection by surrounding yourself with people who honour your journey and can offer support and understanding. Connection is healing and it also serves to remind you that you're not alone. So a practical exercise for you might be to join a trauma support group or community where people can share experiences and their insights. If you're not sure where to find one, then I'd love for you to head on over to our free private Thrive After Trauma community group on Facebook and ask to join. We'd love to welcome you there. So you truly can take action. Today, I invite you to think about one small way that you can prioritize your rest and renewal. Maybe it's taking a quiet walk, practicing deep breathing, or scheduling a day just for self care. To really give yourself that gift. So write this down and make it a commitment to yourself. And in order to bring this archetype to life, let me share a story from my experience of working with a true Phoenix Riser. Let me tell you about Mia. Mia came to me after years of battling a traumatic past that included a painful childhood and a series of abusive relationships. When I met her, she was deep in the ashes, feeling lost, overwhelmed, and totally unsure of how to move forward. Even in the midst of Mia's pain, I could see the fire inside of her. She wasn't prepared to stay down. She had been knocked down so many times, yet she wasn't ready to give up. She had the heart of a true Phoenix Riser. So over the course of our work together, Mia began to rise. She tapped into her resilience, her inner fortitude, and found new ways to adapt to her circumstances, and slowly but surely began to rebuild her life. And what really accelerated her growth was the moment she allowed herself to be vulnerable. For so many years, she had kept everything hidden from the world. As she didn't want people to see her as weak, and she relied on her own strengths to carry her through. It wasn't until Mia allowed herself to feel the depth of her pain that she truly began to heal. Then she discovered how to process her hurt, move through the emotions, and let go of her pain. And let me assure you that Mia's rise was not linear. It was a process. There were moments when she had to step back and to rest. Moments when she felt like she was sinking back into the ashes, each time, after giving herself permission to rest, and to regulate her nervous system. That really was key. She rose again, stronger, and more empowered than before. Today, Mia is thriving, she's using her story to inspire others, and she's a living example of the power of the Phoenix Riser archetype. This story illustrates that even the most resilient among us can benefit from softening, from seeking connection and finding a sustainable pace for healing. So does the Phoenix Riser resonate with your experience? If so, I'd absolutely love to hear your thoughts and your reflections. Reach out on social media or join our Thrive After Trauma community where you can connect with others who are also exploring their archetypes. And please don't forget to take the trauma archetypes quiz. I'll put the link in the comments so you can find out which archetype you most identify with. And I'd love for you to share it with anyone that you think would be interested to find out about their trauma archetype of transformation. And I'd love for you to share. As much as you possibly can. Thank you again for joining me today as we explored the Phoenix Riser and in our next mini episode, we'll dive into the Resilient Sage, an archetype that thrives on wisdom and deep inner strength. Until then, remember that healing is a journey and wherever you are, you are exactly where you need to be and there are ways to accelerate your healing. and move you into post traumatic growth. Take care, be gentle with yourself and see you in the next episode. Bye for now.

Dr Nat Green: 17:57

Thank you for joining me in this episode of Growing Tall Poppies. It is my deepest hope that today's episode may have inspired and empowered you to step fully into your post traumatic growth so that you can have absolute clarity around who you are, what matters the most to you, and to assist you to release your negative emotions and regulate your nervous system. So you can fully thrive. New episodes are published every Tuesday And I hope you'll continue to join us as we explore both the strategies and the personal qualities required to fully live a life of post traumatic growth and to thrive. So if it feels aligned to you and really resonates, then I invite you to hit subscribe and it would mean the world to us if you could share this episode with others who you feel may benefit, too. You may also find me on Instagram at growing tall poppies and Facebook, Dr. Natalie Green. Remember, every moment is an opportunity to look for the lessons and to learn and increase your ability to live the life you desire and deserve. So for now, stay connected, stay inspired, stand tall like the tall poppy you are. and keep shining your light brightly in the world. Bye for now.