Spiritual Resources in Families and Family Therapy

1. Spiritual Resources in Familiesand Family Therapy Samaritan Institute Annual Conference August 6, 2011 Part 2 Froma Walsh, PhD Mose & Sylvia Firestone Professor Emerita, School of Social Service Administration, The University of Chicago fwalsh@uchicago.edu www.ccfhchicago.org

2. Spiritual Resources In Suffering, Healing, and Resilience

3. Resilience:Overcoming AdversityAbility to rebound from life crises and disruptive life challenges,strengthened and more resourceful

8. Rugged Individual Invulnerable Self-Reliant

10. Relational Resilience Lifelines of Connection

14. Huma n – An i ma l Bo n d s

15. Guardian Angel

16. Perhaps they are not stars in the skyBut rather openings Where our loved ones shine downTo let us know they are happy And to light our way…..Native American

18. Strengthening Family Resilience:Relational Lifelines~~~~~~~ Facilitate coping, adaptation, healing, and positive growth Through family, community, cultural, and spiritual connections

19. Facilitating Resilience Identify, build resources that help clients to: • Recover from Crisis, Trauma, Loss • Cope with Multiple, Persistent Stresses • e.g. chronic illness, poverty conditions • Navigate Disruptive Life Transitions • e.g. job loss, separation, divorce, migration • Overcome Barriers to Thrive • e.g. At-risk, vulnerable youth

20. KEYS TO FAMILY RESILIENCE Belief Systems 1. Making Meaning of Crisis & Challenge 2. Positive Outlook: Hope 3. Transcendence & Spirituality Organizational Resources 4. Flexibility / Stability 5. Connectedness; Leadership 6. Kin, Social, & Economic Resources Communication Processes 7. Clear, consistent messages 8. Emotional Sharing; Humor / respite 9. Collaborative Problem-solving / Proaction

21. Belief Systems The Heart and Soul of Resilience Rooted in family history, culture, religion Influence our world view, response to adversity 1. Meaning Making 2. Positive Outlook: Hope; Mastery 3. Transcendence -- Transformation

22. Seeing is believing Western Scientific perspective We must believe in something To be able to see it Native American perspective We do not see things as they are -- We see them as we are. The Talmud

23. 1. Meaning Making • Relational View of Resilience • Connection, "Lifelines" vs. “rugged individual” • Contextualize, Humanize, Depathologize Distress • Gain Sense of Coherence: • View challenges as: • Meaningful, Comprehensible, Manageable • Facilitative Appraisal ofSituation; Options • Explanatory, causal; Why me / Us? • Future expectations / catastrophic fears/ Agency

24. 2. Positive Outlook • Instill Hope – “Oxygen for the Spirit” • Encouragement; Build Confidence: "Can Do" Spirit • Focus on Strengths, Abilities; Potential • Active Initiative & Perseverance • Master the Art of the Possible -- Accept what can't be changed Tolerate uncertainty

25. Master the Art of the Possible:Do all you can With what you have In the time you have In the place you are

26. Serenity Prayerin Addictions Recovery God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot changeThe courage to change what I can And the wisdom to know the differenceReinhold Niebuhr

27. 3. Transcendence • Larger Values, Purpose • Spirituality: Faith, Practices, Rituals, Community • Inspiration / aspirations: • Envision new possibilities; Life dreams • Creative expression • Transformation:Learning, Change, & Growth • Appreciate life, loved ones; deepen / repair bonds • Reassess, redirect life priorities • Service, Social activism to benefit others / all

28. One by one, day by day, Move on from setbacks; Refuse to give up; Go confidently towards your dreams. Buddhist saying

29. Let Nothing Dim the Light that Shines from Within --Maya Angelou

31. Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers 'Grow, grow' -- The Talmud

32. Do all the good you canBy all the means you canIn all ways you canIn all places you canTo all the people you canAs long as ever you can.-- John Wesley, founder of Methodists

33. Our country demonstrated that there are ways other than violence to deal with difference and conflict: the way of forgiveness, the way of reconciliation.Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize Winner

34. Resilience of the human spirit:The capacity to bring out the bestIn the worst of times

35. In strengthening resilience, We strive to integrate the experience of crisis and adversity -- and our resilient response – Into the fabric of our individual and collective identity, Influencing how we go on to live our lives.

36. Part 3. Traumatic Loss, Recovery, & Resilience www.wttw.com/shop/justice Jay Shefsky Producer

37. Family Resilience Meta-Framework for Practice • Shift Focus from Family Deficits, Limitations • to Strengths, Resources, Potential • Developmental, Systemic Perspective • Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Influences • Family Challenged by Adversity -- timeline: events • Family Response: Facilitates Adaptation • of all Members, Relationships • Relational View of Human Resilience • Use genogram: identify kin, social, community, & • spiritual resources • Recruit models, mentors for at-risk youth • Build life-lines, teams, networks

38. Family Resilience Meta-Framework for Practice (2) • Stresses impact family; Family coping influences adaptation of all members, relationships, and family unit • Contextual View of Distress, Wellbeing, & Adaptation: • Larger systems: workplace, healthcare, schools; social structures, access to resources all important • Varied Challenges and Pathways in Resilience: • No single model fits all families, resources & challenges • Prevention: By strengthening resilience, families and children become more resourceful to meet future challenges.

39. Facilitating Family Resilience: Practice Guidelines • Core Conviction in Strengths, Potential of all Youth & Families, alongside Vulnerabilities, Limitations • Language, Framing to Depathologize, Humanize • Contextualize Distress; Decrease Shame, Blame • Compassion for Suffering, Struggle, Disappointments, Losses • Focus on Strengths, Interests, Abilities, Gifts • View Crisis as Opportunity for Learning & Positive Change • Shift Focus from Problems to Possibilities for • Mastery, Healing, & Growth • Steps toward Future Hopes and Dreams • Integrate Challenges and Resilience into the Fabric of Personal & Relational Lives.

40. Guidelines to Facilitate Healing, Resiliencefrom Complicated or Traumatic Loss Start by grounding in their family, community, cultural, & spiritual connections. Invite them to share their loss experience. Offer compassionate witnessing of recent (& ongoing) losses, hardships, or injustices suffered. Draw out, affirm strengths in coping efforts; Link with kin, community, spiritual resources Re-member persons & relationships lost; Continuing Bonds: Spiritual connection, Stories, Deeds Future orientation: renew / revise hopes, dreams

41. . References Walsh, F. (2006). Strengthening Family Resilience. 2nd ed. Guilford Press. Walsh, F. (2007). Traumatic loss and major disaster: Strengthening family and community resilience. Family Process, 406, 207-227. Walsh, F. (Ed.). (2009) Spiritual Resources in Family Therapy. 2nd ed. Guilford. Walsh, F. (2009). Human-animal bonds: I & II. Family Process, 48(4) 462-99 Walsh, F. (2010) Spiritual diversity: Multifaith perspectives in family therapy. Family Process, 49, 330-348. Walsh, F. (Fall 2011). The spiritual dimension of family life. In F. Walsh (Ed. ) Normal family processes: Growing diversity & complexity. 4th ed. Guilford. Walsh, F. (In press). Religion and spirituality: A family systems perspective. In K. Pargament, A. Mahoney, & E. Shafranske, (Eds.). APA Handbook of Psychology, Religion, and Spirituality, Vol. II. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Walsh, F. & McGoldrick, M. (Eds.) (2004). Livingbeyond loss: Death in the family. 2nd ed. Norton.