Hardship does not just impact individuals, but also families. Have you ever wondered what-makes-families-resilient? Family Resiliency is defined as the family’s ability to “withstand and rebound from disruptive life challenges, strengthened and more resourceful” (Walsh, 2011, p 149). Dr. Walsh is an expert of family resiliency. Dr. Walsh’s research in resilience-theory provides nine family resilience processes that interact, while strengthening the family unit and cultivating resources with the family system. This framework is applicable to a wide variety of family structures including created families and adoptive, foster, and kinship families. I am going to share an example of what resilience might look like in a family using the nine processes with an example of a high school senior who will be missing their graduation due to battling a medical condition during a significant milestone and life transition. Belief Systems (meaning making, positive outlook, transcendence/ spirituality) A resilient family seeks to support from each other and their social supports to help normalize their emotional distress and lean on each other during a challenging time. They utilize the help of their teen’s medical team, and religious or other community supports. They have hope that their child will have the best change for a full recovery Organizational Processes (flexibility, connectedness, social & community resources) A resilient family works together to reorganize roles that are disrupted by their child being in a long-term hospitalization. They seek to provide predictability for their teen and any other children/ family members to maintain consistency in their schedules, despite frequent travels to and from the hospital. Mutual support is provided, as each person is committed to the process and to each other. The greater community comes together to assist in providing supports, for example to help ease the burden of costly medical expenses. Communication Processes (clear information, emotional sharing, problem-solving/ prevention) Information is provided to each person in the family regarding what is happening in a consistent, yet age-appropriate messaging. Each person is encouraged to share their emotional experiences, and have these emotions be validated. Family members may be connected to an individual therapist, family therapist, and/ or group support. The family works together to solve problems collaboratively such as finding a way to honor their child’s important milestone of graduation even though it may look different than anticipated. The family emerges even stronger together as they work together during a time of crisis. Written By : Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC We’re Here to helpOur wellness experts will be happy to take care of you. You can CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment now or call (612)223-8898. Meet CliniciansWe’re united by our commitment to providing effective, relevant, and innovative mental health support at all stages of your journey. Click Here to find out more about who we are, where we come from, and how we live out CARE’s mission every day. The professionals at CARE are actively collecting and creating resources to help with what you need. We’re Here for You. from https://care-clinics.com/what-makes-families-resilient/ from https://careclinics.weebly.com/blog/what-makes-families-resilient
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Why is it so Hard to Trust Others?Why is it so Hard to Trust Others? “I-don’t-trust-people”. When I hear this statement in therapy, oftentimes there are ruptures in relationships. Maybe you have been let down multiple times, feeling emotional or physical abandonment. Maybe no one has been there to show up consistently to support you when you needed them most so now you depend on yourself (and trust no one). Maybe your relational history has been described as abusive, traumatic, or toxic. It can be hard to share with others and get your hopes up, only to experience disappointment. At this point, you may assume that others will let you down. Your guard may be up, along with the wall that creates distance from getting close to others. Fear often shows up in relationships. For example, fear-of-intimacy which can make it difficult to be in close relationship. While trust is built over time, here are ideas to help trust others: Heal Attachment Wounds Early childhood experiences and attachment injury, show up in relationships (especially couple’s therapy). Experiences that reinforce learning that your needs are not met, and that people cannot be trusted shape the way we engage with others into adulthood and impact intimate relationships. Working on attachment in individual or couple’s therapy is one way to begin healing attachment wounds. Start Small in Safe Spaces Identify others that you would like to form a closer relationship. Taking a small step such as asking for help is a great place to start. Acknowledging that you are struggling in a particular area and try asking for what you need. Identify individuals who can help with small steps towards building trust. Get Grounded Get grounded in routine to help regulate your emotions and be at your best physically and emotionally. Expand your daily routine at home to routine in the community. Try connecting with some of the same faces over time as a way to move towards how-trust-people-again. Consider setting down some roots. Set Boundaries It is important to consider the type of relationship that you are working on building trust within and setting appropriate boundaries. A person who has difficulties with trust often has rigid boundaries whereas someone described as overly trusting often has porous boundaries. Learning about the types of boundaries and situations in which these may be applied can help with setting healthy boundaries. Go From Negative to Neutral When the intentions of others may be questioned, one can assume the best, assume the worst, or start neutral. If it feels unrealistic or unsafe to assume the best, try going from negative to neutral. Consider Opposite Action If you have a history of mistrust or unhealthy relational dynamics, try identifying what you are feeling and focusing on the facts of the situation. When your emotions do not fit the facts or when acting on your emotions is not effective, one strategy to try is the emotional regulation skill, opposite-action. Recognize Your Worth You are worthy of having safe, trusting relationships to meet needs for love or connection. You have inherent value as a person. Written By : Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC We’re Here to helpOur wellness experts will be happy to take care of you. You can CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment now or call (612)223-8898. Meet CliniciansWe’re united by our commitment to providing effective, relevant, and innovative mental health support at all stages of your journey. Click Here to find out more about who we are, where we come from, and how we live out CARE’s mission every day. The professionals at CARE are actively collecting and creating resources to help with what you need. We’re Here for You. from https://care-clinics.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-trust-others/ from https://careclinics.weebly.com/blog/why-is-it-so-hard-to-trust-others Why is it so Hard to Trust Myself?Why is it so Hard to Trust Myself? There are many factors that can impact difficulty trusting-yourself. Being true to yourself in the choices that you make can be hard, especially when there is fear of judgement and the need for others’ approval. You may fear things like disappointing others, making the wrong choice, or regretting your decision later. You may also be lacking inner confidence in being decisive. From school or career choices, relationships, and everyday decisions who are you trusting to make the ultimate decision? If you struggle with trusting yourself, here are five tips: Get to Know Yourself Consider setting up a weekly therapy appointment, spending some quiet time to reflect, and getting to truly know yourself. Showing up and being regularly present for yourself are simple ways to get to know yourself better. Tune Into Your Thoughts & Feelings Begin to turn to yourself (and tune in) first before turning to others for advice. Explore your own thoughts and feelings, giving important to both emotion and logic. Your inner voice can be immensely powerful.
Recognize Your Input is Valuable You are the best expert on your own life. Friends, family, and even your therapist only know aspects of yourself that you share. You can seek input from others who are important to you but be sure to give your input the weight it also deserves! Allow Yourself to Sit with Uncertainty There is no guarantee that a decision will have the desired outcome. You may find yourself beginning to doubt, question, or seek reassurance. Some may avoid taking the risk to become vulnerable in relationship to prevent being hurt but in turn, may miss out in a deeper connection. It is OK to sit with some uncertainty, even though it is uncomfortable. Try regulating your body in the moment by breathing through heightened times of stress. Live Authentically Making decisions that are in alignment with your values will help you live a more authentic life. When making decisions to please others, you may end up trying to convince yourself that you value what others value. Identifying your core-values can help. Written By : Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC We’re Here to helpOur wellness experts will be happy to take care of you. You can CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment now or call (612)223-8898. Meet CliniciansWe’re united by our commitment to providing effective, relevant, and innovative mental health support at all stages of your journey. Click Here to find out more about who we are, where we come from, and how we live out CARE’s mission every day. The professionals at CARE are actively collecting and creating resources to help with what you need. We’re Here for You. from https://care-clinics.com/why-is-it-so-hard-to-trust-myself/ from https://careclinics.weebly.com/blog/why-is-it-so-hard-to-trust-myself 5 Ways to Practice Mental Health ResilienceAdversity is inevitable. The need to be loved is a part of the-human-condition, but there are also negative aspects of being human such pain and suffering. Seasons change, and so do people and their environments. Physical changes, developmental changes, transitions, and new phases of life. Our stories are all different, just as we are uniquely human. People experience life, acceptance & belonging, happiness, and joy. People also experience death, loss, loneliness, anxiety, and sadness. Some people have more adverse- experiences in childhood and traumatic-events through adulthood than others. Divorce or separation from a parent or guardian, economic hardship, racial trauma, abuse or neglect, and violence are some examples. Our stories are not all happy, nor do they all have happy endings. Yet, humans have an amazing capacity for resilience to be able to not only survive but thrive amidst hardship. Resilience is defined as “an ability to recover or adjust easily to misfortune or change”. Here are 5 Ways to Practice Mental Health Resilience
Social-support-for-psychological-health is an important foundation for resiliency. By developing and maintaining a strong social support system, you can lean on others to help support you during times of stress, in a mutually supportive way. Social supports can include family, friends, partners, co-workers, helping professionals, religious/ spiritual leaders, and others in your local (or online) community.
A popular cognitive strategy of therapists is cognitive-reframing-for-stress-management. Reframing is a powerful technique that can help look at the same situation, but from a different viewpoint. Reframing can help cope with difficult emotions and unhelpful language was adapt. Instead of labeling yourself as a “failure” perhaps, a more accurate reframe would be a person who lost their job. A positive reframe would be an opportunity to pursue something new as a way to-turn-adversity-into-opportunity.
It is difficult to let go, especially things that “could of or should have been”. Loss can change one’s sense of identity. A person who loses a limb in an accident, a widow who loses their spouse, an unsettling trauma that keeps one reliving…it takes a lot of courage to sit with and move through the emotions as part of closing one chapter in life to move on to the next. A narrative-therapy approach to making meaning can be incredibly helpful to healing. As much as one tries to avoid or control these experiences, acceptance-and-commitment-therapy can help one learn to mindfully accept the emotions. This does not mean that you agree with the event/ experience that triggers painful emotions but that you are able to observe emotions and events as you experience them and be able to live a meaningful life, in alignment with the values that are important.
During times of adversity, oftentimes people can be their worst critic—a harsh voice during a time when what is needed is self-compassion. Extra care is needed to be healthy– physically and mentally. Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, getting enough exercise, meditating, and taking time out for fun are all important.
Author, Brene Brown who is known for her work studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame lists some 10 different components that are part of living a wholehearted life and directly provide examples of ways to live a life that build mental health resiliency. Written By : Charlotte Johnson, MA, LPCC We’re Here to helpOur wellness experts will be happy to take care of you. You can CLICK HERE to schedule an appointment now or call (612)223-8898. Meet CliniciansWe’re united by our commitment to providing effective, relevant, and innovative mental health support at all stages of your journey. Click Here to find out more about who we are, where we come from, and how we live out CARE’s mission every day. The professionals at CARE are actively collecting and creating resources to help with what you need. We’re Here for You. from https://care-clinics.com/5-ways-to-practice-mental-health-resilience/ from https://careclinics.weebly.com/blog/5-ways-to-practice-mental-health-resilience |
AuthorHello its me Lisa Johnson i am 32 years old from Mission, TX. I am professional family therapist and i also deals in adult therapy and children’s therapy. Archives
April 2023
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