Learning Resilience
Learning Resilience:
What Can We Do to Help Ourselves, our Loved Ones, and our Neighbors Bounce Back from Unfortunate Events?
Have you ever wondered why some people bounce back from unfortunate events and others don't? The work in post-Katrina New Orleans and elsewhere around the world has encouraged psychologists to study why some people are more resilient than others. The research across cultures indicates that the more people develop their strengths and resources -- "I Have, I Am, I Can" -- the better they are able to cope when unfortunate events occur.
"I Have" refers to the external supports that people have, such as someone who really cares about them in families, friendships, and communities. "I Am" is about person's inner strengths and attitudes. "I Can" is about choices -- making positive choices to work with one's own emotions, reactions, and social relationships. No one has all of the assets and resources to come back every time, but we can learn to grow and develop our “comeback kid” muscles.
Thanks to funding from the Barnes Grant program of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ, First Church in Marlborough and City Mission Society in Boston now have training kits that are designed to help people develop resilience. A flyer for the program is attached. For more information on current ways to use the kits, please contact City Mission Society, Boston at information@cmsboston.org or 617-742-6830.
