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Adrienne D. Witol, Psy.D., R.Psych Stollery Children's Hospital,
Alberta, Canada
Developing Resilience Groups;
Practical Tools to Bounce Back & Thrive
Pediatric cancer changes how we understand and deal with the world.
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Compassion
…means
.
…Worrying Together…
….Most children cope well
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“The expectation that we can be immersed in suffering…and not be touched by it is as unrealistic as expecting to be able to walk through water without getting wet.”
Dr. Naomi Remen's Kitchen Table Wisdom
Support or Resilience Groups?
Support Groups • Emphasize the
sharing of thoughts and feelings
• Skills building
Resilience Groups • Emphasize skills
building • Sharing thoughts and
feelings
Both help by providing social support, reducing stress and decreasing isolation
Witol, A 2012
ü Protects one from stress, ü Helps one cope with feelings
Being flexible ü Growing in ways that makes
future difficulties more bearable.
LIVING life…. Problems and all
Resilience
“Research has shown that resilience is not an extraordinary thing but is rather ordinary and can be learned by most anyone" (2002). Dr. Russ Newman,
Resilience ….. Where can I find some?
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Edmonton Resilience Group
Monthly Meetings • Awareness and Understanding • Problem Solving • Self Care All Groups include time for practice , expressing important thoughts and feelings and conclude with a shared meal.
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The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes. Marcel Proust
Awareness Common characteristics of resilient people
Many ways to cope!
• Information Seekers
• Information Avoiders
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Self Care of the Body – Mind – Spirit
• Massage
• Yoga • Baths
• Exercise
• Progressive Relaxation
• Sleep • Nutrition
• Rest
• Hobbies
• Socializing
• Nature
• “Listening meditations”
• Music • Searching for “why”
• Prayer
• Breathing • Gratitude
• Be present in your life
• Express feelings • Laughter
• Tears
• Self-talk & expectations
• Art • Imagery
• Reading
• Affirmations • Movies
• Creativity Witol, A 2012
Strong Problem-Solving Skills & the Ability to Ask for Help
ü Ask lots of questions, ü Want to know how things work ü AND imagine being able to do this
Common characteristics of resilient people
ü What if I did this?
ü What is different now?
ü Who can answer my question ?
ü What can I learn from this?"
….The next time that happens I will...“ Witol, A 2012
The ability to look back on tough times and see how you survived, rather than focusing on how you suffered, is crucial.
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I-CARE
ü Identify the problem ü Consult and Call for help ü develop an Action plan ü identify Roadblocks ü Evaluate the results
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Strong Social Connections The power of having a team
– Helps one to put thing in perspective – Look for new solutions or simply express
feelings of frustration.
Common characteristics of resilient people.
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Develop a Strong Social Support Network How to use social support • Seeking solutions rather than complaining. • Ask for positive ideas even if you are
tempted to give up. – Don’t let a unsympathetic reply crush you,
keep on trying while listening to your own judgment.
• Express feelings without blaming.
Building Resilience at work.
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Persistence & Practice
“I have not failed. Ive just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. ” Thomas Edison
Resilience is like athletic skills - they only develop with practice.
Common characteristics of resilient people
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10 Ways to Build Resilience (1) maintain good relationships with family, friends and others; (2) avoid seeing crises or stressful events as unbearable problems; (3) accept circumstances that cannot be changed; (4) develop realistic goals and move towards them; (5) take decisive actions in adverse situations; (6) look for opportunities of self-discovery after a struggle with loss; (7) developing self-confidence; (8) keep a long-term perspective; consider stressor in a broader
context; (9) keep a hopeful outlook, expect and visualize what is wished ; (10) take care of one's mind and body, exercising regularly, paying
attention to one's own needs and feelings and engaging in relaxing activities that one enjoys
American Psychological Association
Believe in Yourself
Self-esteem helps you cope with stress AND recover. It also affects how much you learn after something goes wrong.
– How do you talk about yourself and your abilities.
– Remind yourself of your strengths and accomplishments. Positive thoughts really do change your feelings.
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