got resilience

Incorporating Positivity into Your Perspective

Steven Spidell, DMin, BCCChaplain

Houston Methodist St. John Hospital

Western Cultural Perspective:Pathology based

• Problem focused: Concern for Healing• Mind (psychology), body (medicine), and spirit

(religion)• Bent toward negative• Our western spiritual, medical, psychological, and

social science culture has been tuned in to disease (brokenness), pathology (alienation), symptoms (sin), and treatment (salvation).

Recovery Model

Negative emotions drive reactionDefensive reactions Withdrawal into self for safetySlow recovery of personal stabilityAdjustment to (acceptance of)

changed situation

Recovery Model

Pathological

“Psychology after World War II became a science largely devoted to healing. It concentrated on repairing damage using a disease model of human functioning. This almost exclusive attention to pathology neglected the idea of a fulfilled individual and a thriving community, and it neglected the possibility that building strength is the most potent weapon in the arsenal of therapy.” Martin E.P. Seligman

The Goal is the Solution

• We analyze the issue to find the answers• We focus on the problem to get the solution• We learn about illness to find the cure

Yet, we can begin to feel as if problemsand questions are what life is all about.

Then we lean almost unintentionally toward the negative.

A Wisdom TaleOn night a man saw his neighbor on all fours obviously looking for something by his front door. He asked what was going on. The neighbor said he had lost his keys.“You dropped them on the porch?”“No, somewhere out in the lawn.”“Then why are you looking there on the porch?”“The light is a lot better here.”

Positive Psychology

Goal: To create a field focused onhuman well-being and the conditions,

strengths and virtues that allow peopleto thrive.

Positive psychology advances, with growing painsApplications of positive psychology are moving ahead fast and furiously, but some question whether the interventions are outpacing the science. By Beth Azar, April 2011, Vol 42, No. 4, Print version: page 32

Resilience: Internal Capacity for Adaptation

Various resilience factors come together within a particular individual who is

facing a potentially traumatic event, to enable the individual to meet challenges and

persevere through hardship without losing his/her basic self-orientation.

“…the study says!”

Research into reactions to grief, loss,and potential traumatic events

show a much different response thanthose traditionally expected.

Disruptions in Normal Functioning (Bonanno, 2001)

Bonanno YouTube Presentation on Resilience

What is your perspective?

“Helping, fixing, and serving arethree different ways of seeing life.

When you help, you see life as weak. When you fix, you see life as broken. When you serve, you see life as

whole. Fixing and helping maybe the work of the ego, and servicethe work of the soul.”

Rachel Remen

What we overlook whenwe focus only on the negative

• Power of the spirit to effect change• Effect of outside materials and situations to work

within and on the system• Body’s ability to heal itself• Effects of the transfer of energy• Creation of new pathways in the brain• The environment’s correcting power• Inner capabilities and resources to respond to the

situation

Outcomes of Positivity

Celebrate the Strength of the Human Spirit

Coming through hard timesResilience brings faster recovery from grief*

George B. Bonnano (2001).

Pathology Vs. Positive Outlooks

Our cultural orientation seems grounded in the negative pole so much that we seldom become grounded in the

positive.

Pathological Outlook Positive Outlook

Problem Solution

Despair Hope

Suffering Recovery

Doubt Faith

Mistrust Trust

Apathy Love

Assumptive Worldviews

Pathology Wellness• Broken• Sinful• Disease• Symptoms• Treatment (External)• Healed…but something else

will occur to restart the never-ending cycle

• Whole• Saintly• Health• Indications of recovery• Utilizing resources (internal)• Well

Recovery ModelNegative emotions drive reactionDefensive reactions Withdrawal into self for safetySlow recovery of personal stabilityAdjustment tochanged situation

Resilience ModelPositive and Negative Emotions under controlResilience FactorsEngagement with the traumatic situationLittle loss of personal stabilityAdaptation to the changed situation

Healing Pathways following Traumatic Event

The Positivity Scale

ResilienceSelf-Assessment

Tool

Bringing Balance to Care

StressChallengesDeficitsComplexes

ResourcesExperienceStrengthsResilience

Resilience FactorsOptimismSelf-confidenceEnjoy making plans

and carrying them outAbility to control one’s

emotionsHave a purpose in lifeGratefulKnow one makes a

differenceHigh self-esteemLife has meaning

Sense of humorFlexibleAble to think through

possibilitiesSpiritual and/or

ReligiousGenerousStrong role modelsWilling to changeSelf-directedEnjoys learningAdaptable

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Expect good outcomes.

Optimism

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Know you can make it through anything.

Self-Confidence

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Accepts new situations aspossibilities

Adaptability

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Makes own decisions

Self-directed

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Always willing to learn more.

Enjoys Learning.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Participates in planning ahead.

Enjoys making plans and carrying them out.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Are able to express positive and negative emotions

maturely.

Ability to control emotions.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Strong support system

Healthy involvement with family and friends. Active in a religious or community organization.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Believe your life has purpose.

Meaningful life.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Gratitude

Says “thank you” and expresses appreciation.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Accomplishment

Share what you are proud about in your life.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Humor

Can laugh at yourselfor a situation.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Flexibility

Don’t have to have everything your way right away.

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

When faced with the unexpected, can work with new options.

Able to think through possibilities

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Faith

Experience “the something more” to life than meets the eye

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Generous

Are kind and caring about others

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Believes their life hassignificance

Makes a difference

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Describes persons in their lives whom they greatly admire

Strong role models

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Incorporate your experiences into your life story.

Willing to change

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RECOGNIZING RESILIENCE

Spiritual perspective

Spirituality

Resilience Self-Assessment

A Template for ChartingPatient

Resilience

Sharing ourTimes of Resilience

Small Group Conversations