Resiliency:
Strength Under Stress
UW-Extension Family
Living
Families in Stress and Transition State
Team
Participants will:
Define the concept of resiliency
List traits of resilient families
Identify strengths in a family they know
Identify strategies to build resiliency in
themselves and others
We all have difficult times
Families experience stress
What are some typical, predictable
sources of stress in family life across the
age span?
What might be an unexpected crisis?
Stress comes from many
sources
Normal changes in our lives
• e.g., leaving home; birth of a child; getting older
Unexpected events
• e.g., death of a loved one, job loss, severe illness,
winning the lottery.
Developments in the world around us
• e.g., poverty, crime, school violence, social and
political trends
Resiliency is the ability to
Not only survive, but thrive!
In order to remain strong, we must
stretch ourselves and spring forward!
Definitions of resiliency
“The path a family follows as it adapts and prospers
in the face of stress.” (Hawley and DeHaan, 2003)
“Capacity to cultivate strengths to positively meet the
challenges of life.” (Silliman, 1994)
“Ability to bounce back from adversity” (Stuart, 2004)
“Capacity to rebound from adversity strengthened
and more resourceful” (Walsh,1998)
What helps you be strong under
stress?
Think back to a rough time in your own
life. What did you do that helped? (For
example, talked to friends,)
Now think about that rough time and
identify what qualities were helpful in
keeping you resilient. (For example, a
sense of humor.)
8 Traits of Resilient Families
Commitment Connectedness
Time Together Adaptability
Respect Communication
Spirituality Cohesion
All families have strengths!
Think of a family you know.
What resiliency strengths do they have?
What’s one area you think is not as
strong?
What could you do to help strengthen
that area?
Walsh’s Key Processes in Family
Resilience: Belief System
Resilient families:
Make meaning of crisis and
challenge
Maintain a positive outlook
Value spirituality
Walsh’s Key Processes in Family
Resilience: Organization
Resilient families:
Are flexible
Stay connected
Use their “lifelines”
Walsh’s Key Processes in Family
Resilience: Communication
Resilient families:
Share clear, consistent messages
Openly express their emotions
Solve problems together
We need resiliency in all
domains
Physical
Intellectual
Social
Emotional
Spiritual
Brainstorm!
What could people do in each of the five
domains to keep themselves and their
families strong under stress?
Physical Domain
Actively work to protect and
enhance physical wellness
Plan for and make healthy and
attractive food choices
Plan for and engage in enjoyable
physical activity
Intellectual Domain
Understand what are normal
changes across the lifespan
Use flexible problem-solving
Seek challenges
Keep mentally active
Social
Regularly connect with each other
(rituals, routines, and traditions)
Maintain supportive social networks
and close kin relationships
Have access to sufficient
community resources
Emotional
Use flexible and adaptive problem-
solving
Communicate feelings appropriately
and interact respectfully and safely
Respond sensitively and effectively
to others
Spiritual
Have a positive or optimistic outlook
Engage in regular reflection,
meditation, or prayer
Are cognizant of own important
values
What about you?
What do you already do to help
strengthen your resiliency?
What is one thing you could start doing
to build resiliency?
How could you help others be resilient?
Resiliency:
It’s not what happens to you but what
you make out of what happens to you
that makes you resilient.
