Resilience can be defined as what gives people the emotional strength to cope with setbacks, trauma, obstacles, and loss or change. Resilient people are able to use their internal resources, strengths, and learned skills to help them to tolerate discomfort and rise to meet their challenges by using healthier coping strategies.
“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”
Nelson Mandela
A big part of becoming resilient is being aware of your strengths. Personal strengths are the helpful and healthy parts of your personality that influence how you think, feel and behave. Some examples of strengths can include kindness, being hardworking, perseverance, ambition, or being artistic. The list is endless!
Spend a moment considering your own strengths. Take a look at these few prompts. Jot down some of your answers as you reflect on your strengths. Notice what comes up for you.
- What are you most proud of achieving over the past week?
- What have you done to stay afloat?
- What has helped you to take a step towards your goals?
- What would your best friend say they value most about you?
- What have you learned that you can actually do, that you previously doubted about yourself?
Garden of Resilience
Our Garden of Resilience here at Centre For Effective Living was created to highlight our clients’ strengths and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has grown and flourished over the past few months and is now in full bloom!
Clients were invited to write down the strengths they were most proud of using over such a stressful time. Take a look at how our clients – children, teens and adults – have all been able to identify their unique strengths that have helped them to get through the many adversities over the past few years.
What are your strengths?
“I can be changed by what happens to me. But I refuse to be reduced by it.”
Maya Angelou
If you would like to learn more about your strengths, try taking the VIA character strengths survey. This can guide you in considering your strengths and how best to use them.
f you would like more support in exploring your own strengths and resiliency, give us a call here on 1800 832 588.
Michelle Nortje (M.A. Clin Psych, B.Psych Hons, B.Ed.Psych Hons, BA) is focused on establishing a therapeutic relationship that is safe, trusting and supportive. Michelle aims to use integrated psychological tools and approaches in order to help her clients make sense of their difficulties, gain insight into their patterns of behaviour and relating, and work towards co-constructed and workable goals. She uses Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Positive Psychology, mindfulness-based approaches, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Attachment theories and psychodynamic theories in order to tailor the therapy to best suit the client’s needs.
Michelle’s clinical training and diverse experience have equipped her to intervene in a variety of mental health issues and age groups. She has gained experience working as a clinical psychologist across non-profit, government hospital, school-based and private settings. Across all her roles, Michelle has expanded on her interest in working with children, adolescents and adults experiencing a range of mental health difficulties such as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, adjustment difficulties, trauma and grief.
Michelle is dedicated to consistent professional development by engaging in peer consultation groups, receiving regular supervision and expanding her knowledge through frequent webinars and courses in order to ensure effective interventions with her clients.