Fostering Resilience in Clients with Trauma Histories

1. Fostering Resilience in Clients with Trauma Histories Monica Hinton PhD Cand., RSW phoenixcounsellingservices@gmail.com Grounding Trauma Conference 2014

2. Outline • Introduction • Your needs • Resiliency defined • Research • Resiliency tools • Conclusion

3. What do you hope to get out of this workshop?

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. Grounded Theory:Strategies for Addressing the Phenomenon

11. Pictorial Representation of First PhD Interview Memo

12. PhD: Creating Distance Category

13. “Protective factors" consist of three broad categories: • 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)

14. 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

15. 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.

16. How many do you have: 1.Caring & Support • Several people in my life give me unconditional love, listen nonjudgmentally, & who are "there for me" • I am involved in school/work/ faith/other group where I feel cared for & valued • I treat myself with kindness & compassion, & take time to nurture myself (including eating well & getting enough sleep & exercise) 2.High Expectations for Success • Several people in my life let me know they believe in my ability • I get the message "You can do it," at work/school • I believe in myself, & give myself positive messages about my ability—even when I encounter difficulties 3.Opportunities for Meaningful Participation • My voice (opinion) & choice (what I want) is heard & valued in my close personal relationships • My opinions & ideas are listened to & respected at work/school • I volunteer to help others or help a cause in my community/faith organization/school

17. How many do you have: 4.Positive Bonds • I am involved in 1 or more positive after-work/after-school hobbies or activities • I participate in 1 or more groups (i.e. a club, faith community, or sports team) outside of work/school • I feel "close to" most people at my work/school 5.Clear & Consistent Boundaries • Most of my relationships have clear, healthy boundaries • I experience clear, consistent expectations & rules at my work/in my school • 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 Skills • I have (& use) good listening, honest communication, & healthy conflict resolution skills • I have the training & skills I need to do my job well/do well in school • I know how to set a goal & take the steps to achieve it

18. 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: • üWhat did you do? • üWhat beliefs about yourself/others guided you? • üWho helped you; how did they help? • üWhat else helped you? • 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? • 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

19. PERSONAL RESILIENCY BUILDERSIndividual Qualities that Facilitate Resiliency Relationships: 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 greater Perseverance:Keeps on despite difficulty; does not give up Creativity:Expresses self through artistic endeavour Positive View of Personal Future: Optimism, expects a positive future

20. 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.“ • 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.

21. 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

22. 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

23. Questions? Thank you for your participation today. www.phoenixcounsellingservices.org

24. Experiential Learning • Activities