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PTG Results by Mind Map: PTG Results

1. PTG challenges the narrative that colonial trauma is solely destructive, highlighting how communities transform suffering into resilience and renewal.

1.1. ulitizing a strength-based approach

1.2. Pride fuels PTG by encouraging individuals and communities to reclaim what was taken—whether it’s land, language, or cultural practices. This reclamation process transforms trauma into a source of empowerment.

1.3. By framing PTG as a strength rather than a response to victimhood, communities can break cycles of colonial harm, demonstrating that trauma does not define them but instead highlights their capacity for growth

2. Different trajectories of PTG with each participant

2.1. Some found PTG on a more individual level, others found it in connection with community and culture

2.2. P1 - PTG experiences in a more personal sense, with her choices and autonomy, with her children, etc.

2.3. P2 - PTG in healing from her past experiences, and achieving higher education which allowed her to get a job helping other people like her

2.4. P3 - PTG growth from understanding and working through his past

3. Demonstrates the participants’ reflections on personal development after trauma.

3.1. Understanding the cyclical patterns of colonial harm is a precursor to PTG. Communities reflect on intergenerational trauma not as a source of shame but as a testament to survival and strength.

3.2. themes like Racism/Colonialism and Incarceration intersect with Resilience and PTG to highlight systemic influences on growth.

4. The experience of a participant without cultural connection underscores the diversity of post-traumatic growth pathways. It suggests that while culture can be a powerful resource for healing, individuals may still navigate PTG, healing, and hope in meaningful ways through alternative avenues. However, it also points to the importance of addressing systemic barriers and creating opportunities for cultural reconnection, as this can be a critical element for many Indigenous peoples in achieving holistic healing.

5. Co-occurrences

5.1. Nurturing the soulflame

5.1.1. taking care of oneself, healing and connecting with community lead to PTG, highlighting the importance of community wellbeing and individual growth

5.1.2. The soulflame can symbolize the inner light or spirit of an individual. Nurturing it implies the process of healing, self-care, and spiritual growth (which is an important facet of PTG). This may involve reconnecting with traditional practices, ceremonies, or beliefs that reignite a sense of purpose and identity. It emphasizes that healing is not only physical or psychological but also deeply spiritual, involving the restoration of the soul's vitality.

5.1.2.1. in P1 who had difficulty engaging with community, and who was actively told not to practice ceremony, she still displayed some PTG. This suggests there are other important individual factors that go into PTG in an indigenous person outside of culture and spirituailty.

5.1.2.1.1. PTG might emerge in different ways, relying more on personal coping mechanisms or external supports, such as relationships, therapy, or community programs, rather than cultural teachings or practices.

5.1.2.1.2. This could highlight a gap or yearning for cultural connection, which might be seen as an important part of their healing journey. The absence of culture could be both a challenge and an opportunity for growth if they choose to explore and reclaim cultural knowledge later.

5.1.2.2. Colonial Displacement: The lack of access to culture might be a direct consequence of colonial systems (e.g., residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, forced assimilation), which have disrupted cultural transmission. This disconnection could represent a form of trauma itself.

5.1.3. Reigniting the soulflame through reconnection with cultural knowledge can be a profound act of PTG, where individuals transform their trauma into growth by reclaiming what was lost and finding strength in their cultural identity.

5.2. Resilience

5.2.1. resilience is not just about individual strength but also about the capacity to draw upon cultural, communal, and spiritual resources. It could highlight how trauma survivors, particularly in Indigenous communities, demonstrate remarkable strength through their connection to cultural identity, traditions, and teachings.

5.2.1.1. P2: "And I look to the community, too. Like I think I get a lot of my… my faith, and my hope, from the community, and using the same word that you were mentioning, about resiliency… the resiliency from the community. When I see people making these strides and accomplishments"

5.2.1.2. Barriers to Healing: The absence of cultural connection might make it harder for the participant to access some pathways to post-traumatic growth, such as the resilience found in cultural identity or the wisdom of traditional practices.

5.2.2. provides tools for navigating adversity. It can foster resilience by grounding individuals in their identity and offering a sense of continuity and belonging.

5.2.3. The Foundation of PTG and Intergenerational Knowledge

5.3. Oskâpêwiwak (helpers)

5.3.1. The inclusion of Oskâpêwiwak, or helpers, points to the communal aspect of post-traumatic growth. Helpers can be mentors, elders, knowledge-keepers, community members, or spiritual guides who provide support, wisdom, and care. This reflects the importance of relational accountability and interdependence in healing processes, particularly in Indigenous frameworks that prioritize community over individualism.

5.3.1.1. However, for P1, This could indicate that healing isn't bound to culture alone but is adaptable. However, the lack of cultural connection might leave a sense of fragmentation or incompleteness in their spiritual or emotional journey.

5.3.1.2. This might suggest a need to expand the concept of "helpers" to include diverse forms of guidance and support. It could also highlight systemic issues that limit access to culturally informed helpers or the participant's lack of exposure to those resources.

5.3.2. P3: I really leaned on that [practicing culture, traditional ceremonies, and meeting with Elders] in jail... I had a lot of respect for the Elder and for the other men participating in there. it's like... it's like natural, people respect and just value each other when they're in ceremony.

5.3.3. Helpers are often instrumental in catalyzing PTG, providing the wisdom and relational support needed for individuals to move from surviving to thriving.

5.3.4. Guiding the Process of Growth

5.4. Hope

5.4.1. Hope serves as a driving force for transformation, representing a vision for a better future and the possibility of meaning and fulfillment after trauma. It aligns with the idea that even in the face of profound suffering, individuals can envision and strive for renewal, connection, and reconciliation

5.4.1.1. P2 discusses the role of Indigenous youth in this process and the incredible work they are doing

5.4.1.1.1. I can't, you know, stop talking about the youth! And the things that the Indigenous youth are doing, like within the arts and the music, you know? We have our 1st person in Parliament, Wab Kinew. That's a big, that's a big deal right? And there'll be more… We're being acknowledged. And I just think it's things are gonna get better.

5.4.1.2. Hope might still play a pivotal role, even in the absence of cultural connection. It could be rooted in personal aspirations, relationships, or a desire for change. However, the absence of culture might limit the scope of hope tied to intergenerational healing or collective identity, which are often significant components of post-traumatic growth for Indigenous individuals.

5.4.2. Intergenerational knowledge offers hope by connecting individuals to a legacy of survival, resistance, and resilience. It reminds them that they are part of a larger community and history, which can inspire healing and growth.

5.4.3. Hope is a critical component of PTG, enabling individuals to see a future beyond their trauma

5.5. Suggesting:

5.5.1. - Cultural Resilience: Strength rooted in cultural knowledge and practices. - Spiritual Healing: The revitalization of the inner self through nurturing the soulflame and spiritual traditions. - Relational and Community Support: The critical role of helpers and collective healing processes. - Forward-looking Perspective: Hope as a guiding principle for envisioning a future beyond trauma.

6. How does this relate to research question?

6.1. In participants who have access to cultural practices and teachings, intergenerational knowledge often serves as a source of PTG. It can nurture the soulflame, foster hope, and provide guidance through the wisdom of Elders, stories, ceremonies, and traditions

6.2. For all participants who who lacked access, the absence as a result of dispossession of intergenerational knowledge disrupts these pathways. Without cultural grounding, they may feel disconnected from their heritage, identity, and the collective resilience that such knowledge offers. This could leave them reliant on individual coping mechanisms or external, non-cultural supports, which might not fully address their holistic needs.

6.2.1. These systems have fractured the transmission of knowledge between generations, creating a gap in cultural teachings that would otherwise foster Indigenous-specific PTG.

6.2.1.1. P1: They're trying to get rid of us in another way…. These cops killing Natives, that that's another way…. And these cops, leaving Natives out in the highway in the cold to freeze. I feel like the Government is finding other ways to get rid of “the Indians"

6.3. The absence of cultural connection might create a sense of identity loss or spiritual fragmentation, making it harder to nurture the soulflame. This could manifest in feelings of isolation, disorientation, or diminished self-worth, in which all participants expressed after their experiences being imprisoned.

6.3.1. Incarceration itself often exacerbates the disruption of intergenerational knowledge. The physical and emotional separation from family and community, combined with the systemic erasure of culture in prisons, further interrupts cultural transmission.

6.4. For individuals disconnected from their culture, the process of reclaiming intergenerational knowledge can become an act of resistance, healing, and PTG. Reconnection to culture through ceremony, language, or community can reignite the soulflame, provide hope, and rebuild disrupted relationships.

6.4.1. P2: "These are my people, and it was not something that I had ever experienced, because nobody told me nothing. I know nothing... I was able to experience connection again... I was able to go back, I took a trip out there. And so there were some stories, and there were connections that made me feel almost full"

7. Future research: Exploring how these "non-traditional" forms of knowledge and support contribute to resilience could reveal valuable insights into the adaptability and agency of individuals who lack cultural connection.

8. resilience could represent both the outcome of intact intergenerational knowledge and the process of reclaiming cultural practices and teachings after incarceration, even when they were previously disrupted.

8.1. For some, incarceration becomes a turning point, where they seek out cultural reconnection as part of their healing journey. Programs that integrate cultural knowledge, such as access to Elders or Indigenous healing practices, can facilitate both resilience and PTG.

8.1.1. P2: "I decided the last time when I was at the women's prison... I decided that I wasn't coming back"

8.1.2. P2: I don't think I ever really did give up, even in the days of you know the addiction where that basically is a surrender to… your drug of choice, which is exactly what it is. But, although it was a surrender to my drug of choice, it wasn't something that I was happy with. I knew deep down inside that I wanted more…

8.1.3. P3: was able to distinguish between a Gladue component and a full Gladue report. So when I had a hearing while I was in jail, I requested a full Gladue report. And I just started researching. Luckily I qualified for legal aid, I got a lawyer… Got released out on bail to a recovery house that accepted men, and I began my journey of sobriety and recovery right then and there

9. Participant 1

9.1. "My kids just see me happy now, and they're actually accepting the fact that I don't have to be with their dad no more."

9.2. I'm slowly finding myself now. And I feel I'm not just happier. Oh, just doing things on my own, especially like having time for myself, too. Self-care…”

9.3. P1 demonstrated PTG through increased personal strength, improved relationships, and a newfound appreciation for life. She expressed hope for the future and a sense of independence. Where P1's PTG trajectory is more personal, P2's PTG journey included herself, but also extended to a desire to help others in her community and through her work

9.4. P1’s narrative highlights the resilience and growth she has achieved in the face of adversity, while underscoring the need for systemic change to address colonial legacies and support cultural reconnection. Her story illustrates the complex interplay between motherhood, identity, cultural knowledge, and systemic barriers in fostering healing and post-traumatic growth.

9.5. Motherhood stood out as a pivotal source of growth and resilience for P1. She found strength in her role as a mother and actively worked to break cycles of abuse, incarceration, and substance use for her children. She emphasized passing on positive behaviours and learning from her past mistakes. Her efforts reflect a commitment to reshaping her children’s futures while fostering her own personal growth

10. Participant 2

10.1. To continue to do the things that I'm doing to help the community, to better myself, to have a purpose, and mostly to feel that I'm worthy, and that I am somebody that is deserving of everything that I work for. That no matter how many things that I was told that I was nothing, or I'll never be anything, that that there's something inside me, and I do believe it's the ancestors that are just always here with me. That are pushing me forward to just continue, despite the problems.

10.2. Displayed the most PTG

10.2.1. High frequency in Racism/Colonialism (25 mentions) and Incarceration (24 mentions) might indicate a focus on systemic oppression and its impacts.

10.3. Motherhood anchors her growth, illustrating how she transforms her circumstances into opportunities for creating meaningful connections and legacy. Resilience catalyzes PTG, as P2 reframes her hardships to foster growth, finding meaning in their experiences. Her children represent both a turning point and a source of profound healing, allowing her to redefine her identity and purpose:

10.3.1. "When I had children, I was creating some type of my own community, my own clan, my own tribe... it was very healing… I often wonder what would have happened if I didn't get pregnant. And I was thinking about not having that child. But that child changed my life."

11. Participant 3

11.1. "It was very empowering to not feel ashamed anymore. So… sharing my story and my experiences actually helped me to help others which help my self-esteem raise, and gave me a sense of purpose… Even though it was one of those experiences, those traumatic experiences, were hard at the time, I wouldn't change things because they helped me become who I am today and gave me the appreciation… it gives me insight into other people."

11.2. Displayed the least amount of PTG, but we focused more on his past than how he's grown since