Michael Ungar, Ph.D. Killam Professor,

School of Social Work, Dalhousie University

@MichaelUngarPhDwww.michaelungar.com www.cyccnetwork.org

www.resilienceresearch.org

Counselling Children and Families with Complex Needs: Building Resilience

Across Cultures and Contexts

CCPA, Halifax, 2013

High Well-being

Low “Disorder” High “Disorder”

Low Well-being

Lev

el o

f F

unct

ioni

ng

Time

Chronic Stressors

Expected

Acute Stressor/trauma

Actual

‘Hidden Resilience’

Hidden Resilience

Strengths are population-wide internal and external assets

Associated with prosocial behaviour and outcomesA ‘thin description’ of success: lacks context

Resilience is positive outcomes/strengths shown under adversity

Context sensitive

Hidden resilience is socially marginalized adaptation in stressful environments where resources are few or solutions devalued

Three Definitions

Five things we know about Resilience:#1-For the most disadvantaged children, facilitative environments (like good schools and safe streets) can be more influential to the processes associated with resilience than individual factors (like personality or self-esteem)

“Nurture trumps nature”The challenge is to know which protective factor is best suited to which type of problem for which person in which context

2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey

Five things we know about Resilience:

#2-The environments that are most facilitative of resilience are those that help individuals, families, and communities to navigate to the resources that are the most meaningful to them

Five things we know about Resilience:

#3-The greater a child’s exposure to adversity, the more likely the child is to benefit from protective factors (like a mentor or extra-curricular activities)

Differential impactExamples: Conduct disorder, obesity, demobilizing gang members

Five things we know about Resilience:

#4-An adaptive coping strategy that works well at one point in time may have long-term negative consequences.

Five things we know about Resilience:

#5-Culture and context matter.

cultural adherence

relationships

identity

power & control

social justice

access to material resources

cohesion

Seven Resilience Resources

In the context of exposure to significant adversity, resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural, and physical resources that sustain their well being, and their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided and experienced in culturally meaningful ways.

Resilience is…

A Social Ecological Approach (S.E.A.) to Counseling

S.E.A. is a model of clinical intervention that integrates case management and advocacy into direct practice with individuals and familiesS.E.A. nurtures people’s abilities to navigate towards, and negotiate for, the health promoting resources that are meaningful to them

Broadens the scope of clinical practice for counselors working from other approaches (CBT; Solution-focused Therapy; EFT; FFT; Narrative Therapy, etc.)Focuses on individual, relational and social determinants of health (mental and physical)

S.E.A.:

Case Illustration: Brian

Individuals, Families and Communities

Navigation and Negotiation

© Michael Ungar, Ph.D.

Seven Resources

Resources

Meaning

Cu

ltu

re

Co

nte

xt

Individuals, Families and Communities

© Michael Ungar, Ph.D.

Seven Resources

Resources

Meaning

Cu

ltu

re

Co

nte

xt

Navigation

Negotiation

A Social Ecological Approach (S.E.A.) to Counseling

People living in challenging contexts change when their natural supports, programs and interventions, and social policies help them:

Navigate effectivelyNegotiate effectivelyFind resources that are culturally and contextually meaningful

Theory of Change

Contextual Risk Individual RiskService Use Experience

Resilience

Functional Outcomes

.37*

-.30*

-.17* -.38* .33*.07

-.03

-.21* .53*

.18* -.14 .13

Life timeService Use

Accumulation

Service Use Experience

Resilience

Functional Outcomes

.37*

.33*

Help People Navigate

cultural adherence

relationships

identity

power & control

social justice

access to material resources

External Resources

cohesion

Experiences at School, Religious Institutions, etc.

Employment, housing,

clothes, etc.

Laws, anti-discrimination efforts, etc.

Opportunities to participate, make a contribution, etc.

Opportunities to use talents, experience respect, etc.

Mentors, teachers, extended family, etc.

Cultural spaces, diverse curriculum, etc.

cultural adherence

relationships

identity

power &control

social justice

access to material resources

Internal Resources

cohesion

Sense of engagement with others, attitudes towards belonging, spirituality

Awareness of resources such as educational opportunities

and health care

Knowledge and experience of one’s rights

Attribution style (internality/externality), efficacy

Self-worth, self-esteem, assessment of strengths

Quality of attachment to peers and caregivers

Cultural identification, cultural practices

Help People Negotiate

Michael Ungar, Ph.D. Killam Professor,

School of Social Work, Dalhousie University

@MichaelUngarPhDwww.michaelungar.com www.cyccnetwork.org

www.resilienceresearch.org

Thank you!