What is resilience training and why is it used?

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma or significant stress.

The trait involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed over time. Resilience training is a series of programs to help people learn to cope with and grow from stress or serious life struggles.

Resilience training is used to help disaster workers cope with the suffering they see in their work, or aid people with serious health problems learn to better navigate their challenges.

Most resilience training programs offer a combination of:

• Psychological education.
• Cognitive-behavior therapy.
• Mindfulness training.
• Self-compassion skills.
• Gratitude.
• Emotional regulation training.
• Relaxation.
• Goal setting.

Reactions to stressful situations in life range from mild to severe. Stress causes both physiological symptoms such as headaches, stomach upset and difficulty sleeping, as well as emotional symptoms such as negative thoughts, sadness, anxiety and anger.

For many people, these problems will resolve on their own with time. However, symptoms can become so severe that they lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Resilience training can be a preventative step, helping some people move through challenges without damaging long-term effects.

What are signs of low resilience skills?

People who have been through a stressful situation(s) or who face unique life challenges may have many of the following symptoms. If they persist for more than two weeks or get worse, seek help from a mental health professional. Your primary care physician may be able to recommend someone, or your employer may offer a program to help.

• Anxiety or fear.
• Insomnia or fatigue.
• Recurring nightmares or intrusive thoughts.
• Stomach upset or appetite change.
• Heart palpitations/fluttering.
• Sadness and crying easily.
• Being easily startled.
• Feeling irritable, angry, or resentful.
• Overly critical and blaming others or self.
• Grief, guilt, self-doubt.
• Increased use of alcohol or illegal drugs, or misuse of prescription medication.
• Isolation or social withdrawal.
• Morbid humor.
• Difficulty making decisions.
• Decreased libido/sexual interest.
• Decreased immune response (seen in frequent colds, coughs, other illnesses).

What does resilience training involve?

Resilience training programs vary. However, common themes include:

• Promoting positive emotions.
• Teaching flexible thinking.
• Finding social support.
• Identifying meaning in life.
• Learning good coping skills.

Resilience training is primarily designed to help people before they encounter stresses. They can also be used during or after these stresses are experienced. All resilience training programs have roughly the same goal, but can vary widely in terms of structure.

Program time frames can range from one two-hour session to 28 hours of training over multiple sessions. A common pattern is to have 60-to-90-minute sessions weekly over several weeks or months.

Most resilience training involves face-to-face training with a mental health professional. Some are online or may be offered in print form or done over the phone. Follow-ups (for example, six months after completing the program) are usually done.

These programs are found through employers, community groups or physician referral.

What are some examples of resilience training?

• Disaster worker training is a major focus in the field of resilience training. Responders to trauma such as fires, car accidents and crime scenes can be left with physical and mental problems. They witness human suffering, risk their personal safety, manage intense workloads, face life-and-death decisions and are often separated from their families. Programs and training to help them manage these stresses are critical in helping them stay healthy and able to stay on the job now and in the future.
• People with chronic conditions benefit from resilience training, as it can improve their ability to manage their own care and navigate an often unpredictable journey through life. This includes help for children with special needs, who not only have to face physical limitations but may also have to deal with teasing or even bullying from their peers.

What does resilience training teach?

Building resilience means learning to manage how stress affects you. It can apply to experiences before, during and after a stressful situation.

Before

Know what you are facing to help you cope better with the stresses you will encounter in potentially traumatic events:

• Learn as much as possible about the situation(s) you will face and your role in them.
• Make a plan to stay in touch with your support network during difficult times. For example, disaster workers may work long hours and be hard to contact. A realistic plan lets everyone have the same expectations of when they may be in or out of reach.
• Think through what needs to be done at home and the office if you will be away.

During

• Take care of yourself: take breaks, eat healthy foods, exercise and limit caffeine and alcohol consumption.
• Use the buddy system. Disaster workers support each other by monitoring stress, workload and safety – and celebrating successes together.
• Maximize resilience and strength in difficult situations by keeping a journal and practicing relaxation techniques.

Resilience training helps you discover that it is not selfish to look out for your own needs while you help others. It is the only way you will be able to continue to help them.

After

Coming home after a traumatic assignment and then settling back into a routine is not always easy. Don’t be afraid to talk about your feelings or seek professional help through your employer or other resources.

Here are a few tips to help ease you back in:

• Limit social activities to your family and closest friends for a while. Too much stimulation can be taxing.
• Understand that roles at home and at work may have altered while you were gone. Things might not go back to “normal” right away.
• If you don’t want to talk about what you’ve been through in detail yet (or maybe ever), say so. It is natural for people to have questions, so having an answer ready, such as “I’d rather not talk about it right now,” will help you avoid getting defensive or caught off guard.
• Plan a few activities: visiting a favorite restaurant or playing a game you all enjoy.
• Understand that kids may have unexpected reactions to your return. They may express anger (and confusion) about your absence before they show joy at your return. This is natural. With patience and love, they should warm up. If they seem to be struggling consider talking to a family counselor, together or separately.

What signs show a need for immediate help from a healthcare professional?

• Intense feelings of sadness and loneliness.
• Suicidal or homicidal thoughts.
• Acute psychiatric symptoms, such as hearing voices, seeing visions or having delusional thinking.
• Inability to care for yourself, such as not eating or bathing.
• Abusing alcohol or drugs (including prescription medication).
• Harming or thinking about harming a family member.