Resilence: Thriving in the Face of Change, Challenge and Stress

Resilience is the ability to bounce back – and move forward – from periods of change and adversity, stress and trauma, loss, disappointment, and perhaps most importantly, the strain and intensity of just doing the “day-to-day” in today’s world. We know that those most at risk – many of today’s youth – need resilience more than anything. Skills for greater resilience are achievable for those who are vulnerable – they can be learned and developed – like any other skill. Resilience Training makes the challenges we face “smaller” – simply by making us “bigger” and more capable. This training includes: 1. Make Me Resilient: Participants learn to apply cognitive concepts and skills from sport, health, and performance psychology – to everyday life. They also learn to face challenges from a positive perspective.Anticipated learning outcomes: Students will learn to apply three specific “Think the Way Resilient People Think” strategies for when they find themselves in difficult or challenging situations. 2. Real Stress Management Skills: A training to specifically address the types of stressors we most commonly face. We will help participants understand how stress works, and how it affects our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours (including self-destructive and addictive behaviours). Most importantly, this session focuses on providing participants actual, practical, personal and inter-personal stress management techniques and skills that they will be able to use immediately.Anticipated learning outcomes: Students will learn 2-3 specific useful stress management techniques for the times they can’t change their situation. 3. Making Difficult Conversations Easier: We often avoid difficult conversations – which just makes things worse. We discuss some good ways to figure out what you need to say, to who, and how to say it.Anticipated learning outcomes: Students will learn 2-3 specific face-to-face communication techniques and strategies that will help them communicate more effectively with peers, parents, family, teachers, and strangers – specifically when they need to – but don’t know how.