Women’s Journeys to Posttraumatic Growth

Mary Ellen Doherty is professor of nursing at Western Connecticut State University, USA. Most of her career has been spent in clinical practice as a certified nurse midwife; she has delivered over 2,000 babies in her midwifery career. She was founder and president of Concord Midwifery Associates with delivery privileges at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts. She is an active researcher on women’s health topics and midwifery care. Dr. Doherty was the 2012 recipient of the Norton Mezvinsky Award for Excellence in Research. She is a fellow of the American College of Nurse-Midwives. Elizabeth Scannell-Desch is retired associate dean at Rutgers University, School of Nursing, Camden, USA. She holds the tenured rank of professor. Elizabeth retired from the U.S. Air Force (Nurse Corps) in 1997, after serving on active duty for 25 years. Dr. Scannell-Desch attained the rank of colonel, and her last assignment was at the Pentagon. Elizabeth was a visiting professor at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoka, Romania. Her program of research has focused on women’s health issues and military nursing. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Nursing.

1. Before Posttraumatic Growth Came Posttraumatic Stress, 2. A Conceptual Framework and Model for Posttraumatic Growth, 3. Posttraumatic Growth and the Loss of a Husband or Longtime Partner, 4. Posttraumatic Growth in Women Who Have Experienced the Loss of a Child, 5. Women’s Experiences of a Close Brush with Death and Posttraumatic Growth, 6. Posttraumatic Growth in Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Abuse, 7. Therapeutic Modalities, Self-Help Resources, and Implications for Clinical Practice, Education, and Research, 8. Authors’ Concluding Thoughts