Fostering Resilience in Clients with Trauma

Histories

Monica Hinton PhD Cand., RSWphoenixcounsellingservices@gmail.com

Grounding Trauma Conference 2014

Outline• Introduction• Your needs• Resiliency

defined• Research• Resiliency tools• Conclusion

What do you hope to get out of this

workshop?

What to expect from me…

Hope to accomplish the following:

• To define resiliency• To look at the

research• To give concrete

ways of fostering resiliency in clients

Vision…“If we think we are fragile &

broken, we will live a fragile, broken life.

If we believe we are strong & wise, we will live with enthusiasm & courage.

The way we name ourselves colours the

way we live.”

Wayne Muller

What is resiliency?• Resiliency is not something

fixed, concrete

• The very definition (engineering): bouncing back

• If rigid, a bridge would collapse in an earthquake

• It’s the going back & forth from vulnerability to resiliency; that’s essence of the phenomenon

• Bamboo—balance b/w flexibility & rigidity

Emmy Werner & Ruth Smith Research

• Followed 700 children born into high-risk conditions: mentally ill, alcoholic, abusive, or criminal parents, or in poverty-stricken communities

• Longitudinal findings: at least 50%, closer to 70%, of youth growing up in these high-risk conditions: developed social competence despite exposure & led successful lives

My MSW/PhD Research Research questions:

1. What fosters resiliency? 2. What is the process of

resilience?• Qualitative, Grounded

Theory • In-depth interviews with

self-defined resilient individuals over 30

• Childhood trauma of sexual abuse before age 12

• Limitations (geography, time, # of participants, etc)

• Applicability (reinforced past research findings)

Grounded Theory:Strategies for Addressing the

Phenomenon

sportpush self to the limitavoid (dissociate, ignore)travel, moverelationship: to self/others

self harm

Pictorial Representation of First PhD Interview Memo

PhD: Creating Distance Category

Creating Distance

From memories

From self

From others

From location

1.Caring relationships:

convey compassion, understanding, respect, & interest, are grounded in listening, & establish safety & basic trust

2. High expectation: look for strengths & assets as opposed to problems & deficits

3. Opportunities for meaningful participation & contribution: opportunities for valued responsibilities, for making decisions,& contributing one's talents to the community

(Benard, 1991)

“Protective factors" consist of three broad categories:

The major implication for practice:

• If we hope to nurture socially competent people who have a sense of their own identity, who are able to make decisions, set goals, & believe in their future…

PRIMARY FOCUS must be on: basic human needs for respect, caring, connectedness, challenge, & meaning

Do you have in your life what research shows help people be resilient?

People bounce back from tragedy, trauma, stress

by having the following conditions in their lives.

How many do you have:1. Caring & Supporto Several people in my life give me unconditional love, listen nonjudgmentally, &

who are "there for me"o I am involved in school/work/ faith/other group where I feel cared for & valuedo I treat myself with kindness & compassion, & take time to nurture myself

(including eating well & getting enough sleep & exercise)

2. High Expectations for Successo Several people in my life let me know they believe in my abilityo I get the message "You can do it," at work/schoolo I believe in myself, & give myself positive messages about my ability—even when

I encounter difficulties

3. Opportunities for Meaningful Participationo My voice (opinion) & choice (what I want) is heard & valued in my close personal

relationshipso My opinions & ideas are listened to & respected at work/schoolo I volunteer to help others or help a cause in my community/faith

organization/school

How many do you have:4. Positive Bondso I am involved in 1 or more positive after-work/after-school hobbies or

activitieso I participate in 1 or more groups (i.e. a club, faith community, or sports team)

outside of work/schoolo I feel "close to" most people at my work/school

5. Clear & Consistent Boundarieso Most of my relationships have clear, healthy boundaries o I experience clear, consistent expectations & rules at my work/in my schoolo I set & maintain healthy boundaries for myself by standing up for myself, not

letting others take advantage of me, & saying "no" when needed

6. Life Skillso I have (& use) good listening, honest communication, & healthy conflict

resolution skillso I have the training & skills I need to do my job well/do well in schoolo I know how to set a goal & take the steps to achieve it

YOUR OWN RESILIENCY 1. Think about the reasons that you are a resilient person.

2. What are the struggles & challenges you have faced in the past/currently face?How did you overcame these difficulties:

• ü      What did you do?• ü      What beliefs about yourself/others guided you?• ü      Who helped you; how did they help?• ü      What else helped you?

3. How can you use these same things in the future when you are dealing with issues? What can you do that has worked in the past?

4. What barriers do you think stand in the way of our clients being resilient? What ideas do you have about how we can change these barriers?

Resiliency In Action; Nan Henderson, MSW; www.resiliency.com

PERSONAL RESILIENCY BUILDERSIndividual Qualities that Facilitate

ResiliencyRelationships: Sociability/ability to be a friend/ability to form positive

relationships

Humour: Has a good sense of humour

Inner Direction: Bases choices/decisions on internal locus of control

Perceptiveness: Insightful understanding of people & situations

Independence: "Adaptive" distancing from unhealthy people & situations/autonomy

Flexibility: Can bend to positively cope with situations

Love of Learning: Capacity for & connection to learning

Self-motivation: Internal initiative & positive motivation from within

Competence: Is "good at something"/personal competence

Self-Worth: Feelings of self-worth & self-confidence

Spirituality: Personal faith in something greaterPerseverance: Keeps on despite difficulty; does not give upCreativity: Expresses self through artistic endeavourPositive View of Personal Future: Optimism, expects a positive future

You Can Best Help Yourself or Someone Else Be More Resilient by...

1. Communicating the Resiliency Attitude: "What is right with you is more powerful than anything that is wrong with you.“

2. Focusing on the person's strengths more than issues/ weaknesses.

Ask, "How can these strengths be used to overcome problems?"

3. Providing for yourself or another the conditions listed in The Resiliency Quiz.

4. Having patience... successfully bouncing back from a significant trauma or crisis takes time.

Message Through Metaphor:There was a king who owned a large, beautiful, pure diamond. One

day, this diamond accidentally sustained a deep scratch. The king called in the most expert diamond cutters & offered them a great reward if they could remove the imperfection from his jewel. Not

one could remove the blemish.

The king was distressed. After some time, a gifted craftsman came to the king & promised to make the rare diamond even more beautiful

than it had been. The king was impressed by his confidence & entrusted the precious stone to his care.

The man kept his word…he engraved a lovely rosebud around the imperfection, using the scratch to make the stem.

When life bruises & wounds us, we can use the scratches to etch a portrait of beauty & charm.

Jacob Kranz

List of Resources/Good web

sites• www.resiliency.com• www.resiliencybuilder.com • www.mindtools.com• www.life-happens.ca• www.mheccu.ubc.ca• www.resiliencycenter.com• www.aidsalliance.org/sw2389.asp• www.projectresilience.com

Questions?

Thank you for your participation today.www.phoenixcounsellingservices.org

Experiential Learning

• Activities