Trauma to Transcendence: Using Life’s Wounds to Grow

Dr. Keith WittDefenses, Free, Psychology, The Daily Evolver, Video 1 Comment

In this episode of the Shrink and the Pundit, Dr. Keith Witt and Jeff discuss a powerful realization emerging at the leading edge of culture regarding the role of trauma in our lives. Dr. Keith is writing a book on the subject and has mined various psychotherapeutic modalities to create an integral approach to using trauma as a portal to health and higher consciousness.

In this wide-ranging conversation we address:

  • Trauma and resilience as forms of memory
  • The differences – and similarities – between ongoing trauma and “major event” traumas such as accidents, violence and illness
  • Trauma through human history
  • Sensitive vs sensitized: the healthy and unhealthy poles of postmodern consciousness
  • What child-centered parenting misses
  • The biological drive to have a spiritually-awakened brain
  • Updating your autobiographical narratives
  • Trauma and the self-transforming mind.

More Perspectives

PRACTICE: From Trauma to Transcendence

Dr. Keith Witt

This practice will help you cultivate the courage to face your trauma, discover an unbreakable source of resilience and empathy within yourself, and find deeper meaning in your suffering — so that you yourself can become a source of strength and healing for the rest of the world.


Transforming Trauma Into Resilience

Dr. Keith Witt and Corey deVos

Watch as we take a look at several different kinds of trauma — micro-traumas, big traumas, “pre-verbal” traumas, generational traumas, etc. — and explore how we can shift into a “post-traumatic growth” mindset which, like the kintsugi vase in the image above, allows us to remake ourself into a more resilient, unique, and elegant vessel.


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Dr. Keith Witt

About Keith Witt

Dr. Keith Witt is a Licensed Psychologist, teacher, and author who has lived and worked in Santa Barbara, CA. for over forty years. Dr. Witt is also the founder of The School of Love.

Jeff Salzman

About Jeff Salzman

Jeff Salzman worked with Ken Wilber for several years in building the Integral Institute. He is a co-founder of Boulder Integral, the first bricks-and-mortar venue dedicated to the development of integral consciousness. These days Jeff provides integrally-inspired commentary on politics and culture on Integral Life and The Daily Evolver.