Читать книгу Counseling Practice During Phases of a Pandemic Virus - Mark A. Stebnicki - Страница 20

Resiliency is often described as the capacity to adjust to difficult life situations. It is closely aligned with the construct of coping, in which individuals attempt to protect themselves from a psychologically distressing event. A new science emerged in counseling and psychology beginning in the early 1970s that uses a biopsychosocial approach to discover a person’s resiliency and coping characteristics after exposure to trauma. The literature is robust, and researchers suggest that persons who are more stress hardy and stress resistant have a greater capacity for empathy and possess better overall health and wellness. These individuals enjoy what Siebert (2005) referred to as the “resiliency advantage,” which comprises eight factors: making a conscious choice in life, harnessing the power of positive thinking, taking responsibility, having an internal locus of control, being self-motivated, not being afraid to try out new and different things, taking control of one’s life, and practicing positive approaches in life. Positive psychology and complementary, integrative, and behavioral health care strategies have had a significant influence on resiliency programs in the disaster mental health response (Stebnicki, 2017).

The intention of accelerating resiliency programs during disaster mental health response improves medical, physical, and mental health conditions. Resiliency programs overall have the potential to empower individuals by affecting positive change within the family system and promoting the practice of self-care. The early contributions of clinical researchers in resiliency psychology identify why some individuals are more stress hardy than others. There are excellent resiliency models to choose from that provide guidance on integrating resiliency strategies into evidence-based practices for individuals struggling with stress, trauma, and disaster-related mental health symptoms.