Strengthening Family Resilience Facilitating Healing & Positive Growth

From Adversity

Centro di Psicologia e Analisi Transazionale

Milan, Italy ~ June 25, 2012

Froma Walsh, PhD

Co-Director, Chicago Center for Family Health Firestone Professor Emerita, The University of Chicago

fwalsh@uchicago.edu www.ccfhchicago.org

Myth: Healthy Families are Problem-Free

Chronic Stress -- The “New Normal”

Resilience

Strengths in the context of adversity

The ability to withstand and rebound from

stressful life challenges --- emerging

strengthened and more resourceful

Resilience How we Deal with Adversity

Coping + Adaptation + Positive Growth

More than Surviving: Ability to Thrive Transformation

Crisis = Challenge + Opportunity

!

Varied Images of Resilience ~ Popular view: “Just Bounce back!”

~ “A tree that bends in the storm

but does not break”

~ “Suffering that is deep but not without hope” ~ “Fall down 5 times; get up 6 times!”

Many Varied Pathways in Resilience: Positive Development ~ Future Life Vision

Myth:

The Rugged Individual Invulnerable

Self-Reliant

“We encourage people to rescue themselves”

Studies of Resilient Youth: Models and Mentors

Resilience is Nurtured in Relationships:

To thrive, Individuals need “Relational Lifelines”: Supportive Bonds, Models & Mentors who:

♦ Believe in their Worth and Potential ♦ Draw out, Affirm Strengths, Abilities ♦  Inspire Hopes and Dreams ♦ Encourage Best Efforts ♦ See Failures as Opportunities for Learning, Growth ♦ Celebrate Successes

Nourishing Bonds

Relational Resilience:

Mutual Support

Identify and Draw on Extended Family Resources

Guardian Angel

Multigenerational Family Tree

Family Photos, Stories of Resilience

Bonds with Companion Animals

Pet Role -- Child Resilience in Family Transition

Strengthen: Family Community Cultural & Spiritual Resources

Strengthening Resilience:

Relational Lifelines ~~~~~~~~~~

Facilitate coping and positive growth Through Vital Connections:

♦  Family network ♦ Social and community ♦ Cultural and Spiritual

Family Resilience Team Effort Collaboration Mutual Support Leadership

Walsh Family Resilience Framework

♦  Integrates 3 decades of research on resilience & effective family functioning to inform, guide clinical & community-based services, prevention programs

♦  Identify & strengthen key family processes & multi-systemic resources for coping, adaptation, and positive growth

♦ Use in Community-based settings; wide range of applications, formats: –  Family Consultation; Brief Counseling; Family Therapy –  Multi-family Groups; Workshops; Community Forums

Family Resilience

Strengths & Resources for Families to Thrive

in the face of Adversity

Rebound from Crises Navigate Disruptive Changes

Weather Multi-stress Conditions Overcome Obstacles to Success

Chicago Center for Family Health Resilience-Oriented Program Applications

– Recover from Crisis, Trauma, Loss •  Traumatic Loss; Community Disaster •  Refugees; War-related trauma; Military families

– Navigate Disruptive Life Changes •  Migration; Separation / Divorce; Foster Care

– Cope, manage Multi-Stress Conditions •  e.g. Chronic illness, Disabilities •  Financial strain, Unemployment •  Ongoing complex trauma; Neighborhood blight

– Overcome Barriers to Success •  At-risk youth: Family - School Partnership;

– L.A. Gang Prevention / Youth Development

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

Belief Systems The Heart and Soul of Resilience Rooted in Cultural & Spiritual Heritage Multigenerational Legacies Dominant Society Norms, Values, Biases Past Experience & Future Expectations

The Power of Beliefs

Seeing is believing

~ Western view We must believe in something

To be able to see it

~ Native American view We do not see things as they are --

We see them as we are.

~ The Talmud

1. Meaning -Making ♦ Encourage Relational View of Resilience

♦ Normalize, Contextualize Distress, –  De-pathologize –  ê Blame, Shame, Stigma, Guilt

♦ Gain Sense of Coherence –  View Crisis as Shared Challenges:

•  Meaningful, Comprehensible, Manageable

♦ Appraise Situation; Options: Facilitative vs. Constraining Beliefs:

–  Explain Events, causal: –  Future expectations / catastrophic fears:

What can we do? Active Agency

2. Positive Outlook ♦ Instill Hope;

– En-Courage; build Confidence

♦ Affirm Strengths, Abilities; – Build on Potential

♦ Active Initiative & Perseverance – Seize Opportunities

♦ Master the Possible Accept what can't be changed Tolerate uncertainty

Master the Art of the Possible: Do all you can

With what you have In the time you have In the place you are

3. Transcendence ~ Spirituality ♦ Larger Values, Purpose ♦ Spiritual Resources: Faith, Practices,

Community, Nature ♦  Inspiration: Envision New Possibilities

– Aspirations: Role Models, Life dreams –  Invention; Innovative Solutions – Creative Expression--writing, art, music

♦ Transformation: Learning, Change, & Growth – Redirect life priorities; deepen bonds – Compassion è Acts to Benefit Others

•  Service, activism, social justice

Spirituality: a Dimension of Human Experience We are Bio-psycho-social-spiritual Beings

~~~~~~~~~~ u  Streams of influence flowing through all aspects of life

o Family & Cultural Heritage o Transcendent Beliefs, Spiritual Practices, Community

u  Within or outside religion: we can express: o humanistic values, nature, the arts, social action

u  Fosters Meaning, Wholeness, Harmony u  Deep Connection within Self & With all Others u  Influences Suffering; Promotes Healing & Resilience

Family Organization Relational Shock Absorbers 4. Flexibility -- to change, Adapt Provide Stability --Structure, Reliability

Leadership - Nurture, Protect, Guide

5. Connectedness -- Mutual Support Commitment, collaboration, caregiving

6.  Social, Community, Larger Systems

Workplace, Healthcare, Child / Elder care Overcome odds / Change odds to thrive

Communication Processes 7. Clear, consistent messages

-- Information: Truth seeking / speaking 8. Share Feelings; Respect Differences

-- Suffering, Struggle, Fear, Regrets -- Pride, Appreciation, Joy, Humor, Fun

-- Respite: Refuel Energies & Spirit 9. Collaborative Problem-Solving

-- Build Resourcefulness -- Celebrate successes; learn from mistakes

-- Be Proactive: Planning, Preparedness

Families are Sanctuaries!!

of Life and Love

Family Resilience Practice Framework Shift Focus from family Deficits, Limitations to Strengths, Potential, Hopes & Dreams

Developmental, Systemic Perspective • Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual Influences • Family Challenged by Adversity –timeline: stress events • Family Response: Facilitates Adaptation

of all Members, Relationships, Family Unit

Relational View of Human Resilience u Resilience-focused genogram: identify kin, social,

community, spiritual resources • Recruit models, mentors • Build relational life-lines, teams, networks

•  Varied Challenges and Pathways in Resilience:

•  No single model fits all families, their values, situations, & challenges

Prevention: •  By strengthening resilience, families and their members become more resourceful to meet future challenges.

Facilitating Family Resilience : Practice Guidelines •  Core Conviction in Strengths, Potential of all Families,

alongside Vulnerabilities, Limitations

•  Language, Framing to Depathologize, Humanize

•  Contextualize Distress; Decrease Shame, Blame

•  Compassion for Suffering, Struggle, Losses

•  View Crisis as Opportunity: Learning, Healing, & Positive Growth

•  Shift Focus from Problems to Possibilities for Mastery, Thriving, Relational Repair Steps toward Future Vision: Hopes and Dreams

•  Integrate Challenges and Resilience into the Fabric of Personal & Relational Lives.

Guidelines to Facilitate Healing, Resilience from 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 resources ♦  Re-member persons & relationships lost;

•  Continuing Bonds: Spiritual connection, Stories, Deeds ♦  Future orientation: renew / revise hopes, dreams

Resilience of the Human Spirit Let nothing dim the light that shines from within ~ Maya Angelou

The Power Of Connection

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

“A hero is one who does the best of things in the worst of times Seizing every opportunity.”

--Joseph Campbell

References

Walsh, F. (2006 / 2011). Strengthening Family Resilience. (2nd ed.) Guilford. Walsh, F. (Ed.). (2009). Spiritual Resources in Family Therapy. (2nd ed.) Walsh, F. (2012). Normal Family Processes: Growing Diversity & Complexity.

4th ed. Guilford. Walsh, F. (2007). Traumatic loss and major disaster: Strengthening family

and community resilience. Family Process, 46, 207-227. Walsh, F. (2003). Family resilience: A framework for clinical practice. Family

Process, 42 (1),1-18 Walsh, F. (2009). Human-animal bonds: I. The relational significance of

companion animals. Special section, Family Process, 48(4) 462-480. Walsh, F. (2009). Human-Animal bonds: II. The role of pets in family systems

and family therapy. Special section, Family Process 48(4), 481-499. Walsh, F. (2010). Spiritual diversity: Multifaith perspectives in family therapy.

Family Process, 49 330-348. Walsh, F. & McGoldrick, M. (Eds.).(2004). Living Beyond Loss (2e.) Norton.

Walsh, F. (2011). Family resilience: A collaborative approach in response to stressful life challenges. In S. Southwick, D. Charney, B. Litz, & M. Freedman, (Eds.) Resilience and mental health: Challenges across the life span. (pp. 149-161). New York: Cambridge University Press.

Walsh, F. (2011). Resilience in families with health challenges. In M. Kraft-Rosenberg, & S.-R. Pehler, (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Family Health, (895-899).Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Walsh, F. (2011). Facilitating Family Resilience: Relational resources for positive youth development in conditions of adversity. In M. Ungar (Ed.) The social ecology of resilience. Springer.

Walsh, F. (2012). Successful aging and family resilience. In B. Haslip & G. Smith (Eds.) Emerging Perspectives on Resilience in Adulthood and Later Life. New York: Springer.

Walsh, F. (In press). Community-based practice applications of a family resilience framework. In D. Becvar (Ed.), Handbook of family resilience. New York: Springer.

References (Cont’d)