Dr. Richard Tedeschi: The Question That Changed EverythingDr. Richard Tedeschi: The Question That Changed Everything
Struggle Well Podcast
Psychologist Dr. Rich Tedeschi shares how his family history, early losses, mentors and clinical work contributed to the development of Posttraumatic Growth. Through stories of bereavement, military trauma and personal reflection, the conversation suggests that even deep struggle can shape wisdom, purpose and gratitude.
28:01•3 Jun 2026
From Struggle to Strength: Dr. Rich Tedeschi on the Story Behind Posttraumatic Growth
Episode Overview
- Life stories are like puzzles; reflecting on the “pieces” of family, loss, chance encounters and mentors can help make sense of who you are today.
- Posttraumatic Growth grew out of a simple question about how crisis and human potential might coexist, rather than focusing only on damage.
- Personal bereavement and family trauma gave Rich a deeper understanding of grief and informed his work with bereaved parents and families.
- Trusting relationships, whether with mentors or therapists, can open doors to growth by allowing people to share things they have “never told anyone before”.
- Even painful experiences may later be seen with gratitude, as they shape character, wisdom and the path towards a more meaningful life.
“I don’t know how many times in my career I’ve heard people say, ‘I’ve never told anyone this before.’ It’s like, what an honour to be in a position where someone trusts you with that.”
How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety and healing from trauma? This conversation with psychologist and researcher Dr. Rich Tedeschi pulls back the curtain on the human story behind Posttraumatic Growth, and it’s a lot more personal than a stack of journal articles. Hosted by Britt Myers, the episode tracks Rich’s path from a close-knit Italian family in Connecticut to becoming one of the leading voices on how people can grow after trauma.
He talks about thinking he’d be an engineer, only to realise in high school that people naturally opened up to him. That knack for being “a good guy to talk to” quietly nudged him towards psychology. Rich shares how early mentors at Syracuse University spotted his interest and pushed him into graduate-level psychology courses as an undergraduate. From there, his career wove through research on trust and pro-environmental behaviour before a key shift: teaming up with Dr.
Lawrence Calhoun to ask a simple but game-changing question about crisis and growth. That question laid the groundwork for what later became known as Posttraumatic Growth. The episode doesn’t shy away from pain. Rich speaks about losing his father and his first love in his final year of high school, and how working with bereaved parents and families gave him a deeper appreciation of “the depth of human experience”.
One line sums up the heart of his work: “I don’t know how many times in my career I’ve heard people say, ‘I’ve never told anyone this before.’ It’s like, what an honour to be in a position where someone trusts you with that.” Anyone dealing with addiction, grief, PTSD or major life upheaval will hear a gentle nudge to piece together their own life story and maybe even feel a bit more grateful for the hard chapters too.
So what puzzle pieces in your story might be pointing you towards growth you haven’t noticed yet?
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