We've all heard of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but have you heard of post-traumatic growth? Post-traumatic growth is all about the positive transformations people can undergo after experiencing trauma. During this episode of Girls with Grafts, we hear from Christopher Gage, a burn survivor, and his caregiver and wife, Holly, on how post-traumatic growth impacted their healing journeys. 

You'll also get a behind-the-scenes look at Chris and Holly's Healing Phoenix Arts Program, designed to provide a post-traumatic growth experience by introducing a new perspective on healing from a traumatic event. Through the dynamic and engaging program, Chris and Holly help survivors recognize the progress they have made towards their future and healing.

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Meet Our Guests 

Holly Gage is the creator and instructor of the Warrior Scar Jewelry workshops and co-founder of the Healing Phoenix Arts Program. Holly is a world-renowned jewelry artist and has instructed students of all ages and abilities with a soulful brend of creating during in-person workshops, interactive online classes, and retreats worldwide for almost 25 years. After her husband and son were involved in an explosion and fire in 2018, she became trained to support burn survivors and their families through the Phoenix SOAR program and certified in the Post Traumatic Growth program from the Boulder Crest Foundation. Together with her husband, Christopher Gage, they combine art with discussion as a healing modality for a Post Traumatic Growth experience.

Christopher Gage is the Group Discussion Facilitator of the Warrior Scar Jewelry Workshop and Co-Founder of the Healing Phoenix Arts Program. Christopher is a burn survivor whose recovery experience from his accident in 2018 is the number one event that has driven him to his current line of work. The explosion, fire, and destruction of his mobile restaurant has completely reshaped Christopher’s life for the better, in a positive way, resulting from working through the Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) process. Christopher learned there is a teaching component to PTG, and he has a need to give hope to those who have suffered trauma. Christopher is peer support trained and certified in Burn Survivor and PTG. Christopher speaks about PTG and is the author of a book detailing his journey to come later this year.

Links 

• Learn more about the Healing Phoenix Arts Program
• Learn more about the Warrior Scar Workshop
• Read Holly’s testimonial of Phoenix World Burn Congress 2023
• Learn more about Phoenix SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery)

Podcast Sponsor 

Today’s podcast is powered by the Pritzker Hageman Law Firm! The Pritzker Hageman burn injury legal team helps burn survivors and their loved ones pursue compensation and justice throughout the United States. Learn more more at: LegalJourney.guide 

Sponsor Girls with Grafts  

Interested in becoming a sponsor of the show? Email us at info@phoenix-society.org.