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Social resilience program

mandala

Background

Research shows that successful approaches to risk and learning are enabled by social connection, community and family support, supporting groups and collectives and, an ecological understanding of risk factors, trauma and stress. All forms of mental health dysfunction surface and present through social isolation and withdrawal.

An extensive body of research in bullying, workplace abuse, mental health and trauma also shows that both suffering and healing often comes from people who we consider closest to us (family, friends and colleagues at work).

We also tend to think of learning and wellness in separate compartments. This is evident in an increasing trend towards ‘welfare programs’ and mental health initiatives. On the other hand, learning is often more focused on the mechanics (for instance operational learning). Efficiency and speed matters when it comes to investigating accidents and finding quick solutions. 

All this means that when things go wrong, we are faced with at least two problems – people are traumatised by the event. But more importantly, those traumatised people suffer even more trauma and distress when they are put through the investigation process. 

Social Resilience

The social resilience program begins with a focus on language and the embodied mind. We think of social resilience as Resiliencing – the ongoing ebbs and flows; ups and downs; failures and successes of everyday life. Every surprise, trauma, stress, failure and success affect our perception and alters our inner experiences.

This means that when things go wrong, our focus should be on people first, how to help them recover from their trauma and learn from their experiences. Learning and healing should be reconciled not compartmentalised.

The social resilience program views relationships as key to Resiliencing. Our ability to live and flourish despite our setbacks is ultimately based on our social connections and our surrounding ecology.

The focus of our program is based on the extensive and successful work of Gabor Mate, Bessel Van Der Kolk and embodied mind (Antonio Damasio and Mark Johnson).

Social resilience

Expected outcome

By the conclusion of this workshop participants will:

  • Better understand the nature of stress, distress and trauma.
  • Be equipped with solid research into wellness, Mindfulness and Psychosocial risk.
  • Learn about an ethic of risk and personhood.
  • Be introduced to SPoR methodology and methods to assist people in trauma and distress
  • Learn tools and semiotic models to empower Resiliencing.
  • Develop skills in effective listening and open questioning.
  • Learn how to identify and create communities-of-practice (Wegner)
  • Learn basic pastoral care skills to help identify and help people who are harmed Psychosocially.
  • Better understand in-group and out-groupness.
  • Better understand the Psychology of Goals
  • Apply the Everyday Social Resilience tool

Resilience is how we relate with each other

i-thou

The essence of social resilience can be described in this picture. How do we relate with another person.

Do we see another person as an object, a means to an end, a hazard to control, a problem to fix or a solution for our own problems?

Or, do we see another person as an equal other?

Social resilience comes from asking open questions, setting aside our agenda and listening to the other person.

Ask and listen so the other person will listen and ask. 

We have seen this approach working each time and every time in every relationship.

Discussion topics

  • The embodied Mind
  • Why Resiliencing
  • The Resilience Paradigm
  • Traditional understanding of resilience
  • Individualism (Speak up, Mental wellbeing)
  • Slogans (bounce back and bounce forward etc.)
  • The Myth of Resilience
  • Rituals and Habits
  • The ongoing, ecological and active need for learning
  • The Social Psychology of Risk
  • Anthropology
  • Holistic Ergonomics
  • Storytelling
  • Wicked Problems
  • Thinking Semiotically (signs and symbols), Poetically (non-measurables) and Ecologically
  • What is embodied learning?
  • The Fallible Person
  • The Embodied Person
  • Resonance and Memory
  • Wellness, Mindfulness, Identity and Belonging
  • Resiliencing
  • Meaning, Control and Purpose as motivation
  • Mandala workshop
  • Communities of Practice
  • The Everyday Social Resilience Wave Method