You, Family, and Resilience

We face a lot of change and uncertainty. How we cope with these stressful challenges is, in part, up to us. By practicing to be resilient, we take greater control of our challenges and we can make our families more resilient, too. Resilience encourages using positive-coping skills to manage stress in an optimal way. These positive-coping skills are considered protective factors because our intent is to take a personal challenge and create a more positive and less stressful outcome. Protective factors include recommendations of the World Health Organization (Suicide, 2014) for suicide prevention. Our objectives, therefore, are to develop social support systems, positive-coping skills for resilience, self-esteem, self-efficacy (believing you are capable of reaching a goal), and problem solving skills. An entirely educational approach is used for learning resilience using the theme of the "Hero's Journey." Hero's Journey Logo

Common to many epic stories is the hero who, facing a challenge, goes on an adventure, is victorious, and returns as a transformed person. Some examples are Luke in Star Wars and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. The Hero's Journey encourages us to recognize the importance of teamwork through a social support system. Like many sports, as we learn the game, we are also learning how to work as a team.

The learning is organized as resilience exercises that develop problem solving abilities and bring awareness to the importance of social support by applying positive-coping skills to create less stressful outcomes to our real life challenges. The learning is very effective in groups and can be used with most audiences to include organizations, educational settings, and families. Because this instruction evolved from a university program, those of you with preteens will want to first explore the resilience skill exercises and then adapt them for your children. For example, exercises that have writing can be explored orally. Allow children time to describe their challenges and encourage them to work with you to apply positive coping skills. Like adults, children also need to recognize that their social support system can really help them with their challenges.

The following three methods for learning resilience are oriented to your time constraints and interests. Learning need not occur all at once. Rather, the learning can be broken into smaller segments, for example, working on just one skill. Should you prefer printable resources, the following learning is also provided in the Resilience Exercises. Each exercise is organized into two double-sided pages allowing for easy use in group settings. Resilience Exercises PDF »

Comprehensive--All Skills

1. Pretest

Optional general resilience test before you begin the learning and again sometime after you complete the learning to measure personal change. The Response to Stressful Experiences Scale is for adults and available through GSA. RSES PDF »

2. Background

Brief two minute overview, for adults, of why we need to be resilient and how we can become resilient.

Resilience: Why and How, Part 1 of 3. Video »

3. Learning

This Comprehensive option has you work with all five positive coping skills. Work with another person, using the videos and the first section of the workbook, on the skill exercises for each of the five skills (3 to 4 hours).

Resilience: Why and How, Part 2 of 3. Brief video on learning the Belief skill and developing a social support system. (4 minutes) Video »

Belief flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Persistence flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Strength flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience: Why and How, Part 3 of 3. Brief video on learning the Trust skill with mention of the Persistence, Strength, and Adaptability skills. (4 minutes) Video »

Trust flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Adaptability flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience Workbook. The first section of the workbook provides for a much more in depth look at all skills and exercises. Workbook PDF »

4. Posttest

The same general resilience test may be a used sometime after learning to measure personal change. What has the testing shown you about your resilience?

5. Supplements

You can add to your learning using the Resilience App and the STEM Approach to Resilience exercise.

Fast-track--Two Skills

1. Pretest

2. Background

Brief two minute overview, for adults, of why we need to be resilient and how we can become resilient.

Resilience: Why and How, Part 1 of 3. Video »

3. Learning

This Fast-track option will ask that you work with two skills, Belief and Trust, and then briefly examine the Strength skill. Work with another person, using the videos and first section of the workbook, on the Belief and Trust exercises. Watch each video for an overview, work the "flashcard," and, if desired, use the workbook for more depth of information. (1 to 2 hours)

Resilience: Why and How, Part 2 of 3. Brief video on learning the Belief skill and developing a social support system. (4 minutes) Video »

Belief flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience: Why and How, Part 3 of 3. Brief video on learning the Trust skill with mention of the Persistence, Strength, and Adaptability skills. (4 minutes) Video »

Trust flashcard. Skill exercises. More »

Resilience Workbook. The first section of the workbook provides for a much more in depth look at all skills and exercises. Workbook PDF »

4. Posttest

The same general resilience test may be a used sometime after learning to measure personal change. What has the testing shown you about your resilience?

5. Supplements

You can add to your learning using the Resilience App and the STEM Approach to Resilience exercise.

Fastest-track--Awareness

1. Background

Brief two minute overview, for adults, of why we need to be resilient and how we can become resilient.

Resilience: Why and How, Part 1 of 3. Video »

2. Learning

This Fastest-track option will ask that you to first work with the Belief skill and, if time permits, the Trust skill. Watch the video to get an idea of why and how the resilience learning works and then use the resilience app to explore the skills and create your own Hero's Journey (1 hour). If you, instead, wish to use a non-technology approach, section 3 of the workbook mirrors the Hero’s Journey App but in a printable learning format.

Resilience: Why and How, Part 2 of 3. Brief video on learning the Belief skill and developing a social support system. (4 minutes) Video »

3. Resilience 'App'

A simple web-based application that parallels the content of the five skills resilience workbook, and further allows you to create your own resilience skills. The simple app permits exploration of personal challenges using any of the skills. All data are stored locally on your computer or device.

Run it! Use the Resilience App on this server. More »

Download Resilience Application. Alternatively, you can download, unzip, start your browser and Open the index.html to run this Resilience App from your own device. Resilience App zip »

Resilience Supplements

Resilience 'App'

Hero's Journey Logo A simple web-based application that parallels the five skills, and further allows you to create your own resilience skills. The simple app permits exploration of a personal challenge using any of the skills. All data are stored locally on your computer or device. Should you want a printable version, the app has been translated to hardcopy in the workbook. More »

Download Resilience Application. Download the entire app and run it on your own device. Download, unzip, start your browser and Open the index.html to run this on your browser. The app has been constructed as basic HTML and Javascript pages to permit easy editing and modification. Resilience App zip »

A STEM Approach to Resilience

The preceding Learning to be Resilient should be explored before this STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) exercise examining the Internet of Things (IoT). Technology has quickly and dramatically changed the way we work, socialize, and communicate. Discover how technology gives us insight on developing a social support system to deal with our challenges while learning about the Internet of Things (IoT) using visual programming (Node-RED). Because of its educational focus, these exercises use the low-cost Raspberry Pi computer. If you do not have a Raspberry Pi computer available, you can still complete all of the exercises using either a Macintosh or Windows computer -- see how to install Node-RED below. These exercises have been tested down to middle school levels.

Raspberry Pi OS

1. Resilience Prep

Complete a Resilience Learning module, such as the Fast-track--Two Skills.

2. STEM Learning

STEM, Resilience, and Raspberry Pi Setup, Part 1 of 3. Discover the positive coping resilience skills we use while doing a Raspberry Pi setup. And, discover how a technology system gives us insight on how to develop a social support system to deal with our challenges. Video »

STEM, Resilience, MQTT, and Node-RED, Part 2 of 3. Video »

STEM, Resilience, Node-RED, and Internet of Things, Part 3 of 3. Video »

Resilience Workbook. The second section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at these STEM exercises. Workbook PDF »

Mac OS

1. Resilience Prep

Complete a Resilience Learning module, such as the Fast-track--Two Skills.

2. Install Node-RED on Mac OS

Brief, simple Node-RED install for Mac OS for those not using a Raspberry Pi. Video »

3. STEM Learning

STEM, Resilience, and Raspberry Pi Setup, Part 1 of 3. Though you are not using a Raspberry Pi, view this video to discover the positive coping resilience skills we use while setting up a computer. And, discover how a technology system gives us insight on how to develop a social support system to deal with our challenges. Video »

STEM, Resilience, MQTT, and Node-RED, Part 2 of 3. Video »

STEM, Resilience, Node-RED, and Internet of Things, Part 3 of 3. Video »

Resilience Workbook. The second section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at these STEM exercises. Workbook PDF »

Windows OS

1. Resilience Prep

Complete a Resilience Learning module, such as the Fast-track--Two Skills.

2. Install Node-RED on Windows OS

Brief, simple Node-RED install for Windows 10 for those not using a Raspberry Pi. Video »

3. STEM Learning

STEM, Resilience, MQTT, and Node-RED, Part 2 of 3. Video »

STEM, Resilience, Node-RED, and Internet of Things, Part 3 of 3. Video »

Resilience Workbook. The second section of the workbook provides for a more in depth look at these STEM exercises. Workbook PDF »

More on Persistence

A look at goal setting as a method for persisting with a challenge. Includes a brief literature review completed in the spring of 2016 that discusses history and process. More »

More on Strength

Health-related physical activity shows more desirable health outcomes across a variety of physical conditions. In general, exercise and physical activity are associated with better quality of life and health outcomes. A look at evidence-based diet and exercise plans in a literature review from spring, 2016. More »

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

NCTSN.org is a resource for the public, professionals, and others who care about children and are concerned about child traumatic stress. Link »

American Psychological Association (APA)

Brief resilience guide, for parents and teachers, with focus on children. Link »