School of Social Work, Dalhousie University Counselling Children and Families with Complex Needs: Building Resilience Across Cultures and Contexts CCPA, Halifax, 2013 Michael Ungar, Ph.D. Killam Professor, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University @MichaelUngarPhD www.michaelungar.com www.cyccnetwork.org www.resilienceresearch.org

High Well-being Low “Disorder” High “Disorder” Low Well-being

Hidden Resilience Level of Functioning Time ‘Hidden Resilience’ Actual Expected ‘Hidden Resilience’ Acute Stressor/trauma Chronic Stressors Time

Three Definitions Strengths are population-wide internal and external assets Associated with prosocial behaviour and outcomes A ‘thin description’ of success: lacks context Resilience is positive outcomes/strengths shown under adversity Context sensitive Hidden resilience is socially marginalized adaptation in stressful environments where resources are few or solutions devalued

Five things we know about Resilience: #1-For the most disadvantaged children, facilitative environments (like good schools and safe streets) can be more influential to the processes associated with resilience than individual factors (like personality or self-esteem) “Nurture trumps nature” The challenge is to know which protective factor is best suited to which type of problem for which person in which context

2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey

Five things we know about Resilience: #2-The environments that are most facilitative of resilience are those that help individuals, families, and communities to navigate to the resources that are the most meaningful to them

Five things we know about Resilience: #3-The greater a child’s exposure to adversity, the more likely the child is to benefit from protective factors (like a mentor or extra-curricular activities) Differential impact Examples: Conduct disorder, obesity, demobilizing gang members

Five things we know about Resilience: #4-An adaptive coping strategy that works well at one point in time may have long-term negative consequences.

Five things we know about Resilience: #5-Culture and context matter.

Seven Resilience Resources cultural adherence cohesion relationships identity access to material resources social justice power & control

Resilience is… In the context of exposure to significant adversity, resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural, and physical resources that sustain their well being, and their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided and experienced in culturally meaningful ways.

A Social Ecological Approach (S.E.A.) to Counseling S.E.A. is a model of clinical intervention that integrates case management and advocacy into direct practice with individuals and families S.E.A. nurtures people’s abilities to navigate towards, and negotiate for, the health promoting resources that are meaningful to them

S.E.A.: Broadens the scope of clinical practice for counselors working from other approaches (CBT; Solution-focused Therapy; EFT; FFT; Narrative Therapy, etc.) Focuses on individual, relational and social determinants of health (mental and physical)

Case Illustration: Brian

Individuals, Families and Communities Resources Seven Resources Culture Individuals, Families and Communities Context Meaning Navigation and Negotiation © Michael Ungar, Ph.D.

Individuals, Families and Communities A Social Ecological Approach (S.E.A.) to Counseling Navigation Resources Seven Resources Culture Individuals, Families and Communities Context Meaning Negotiation © Michael Ungar, Ph.D.

Theory of Change People living in challenging contexts change when their natural supports, programs and interventions, and social policies help them: Navigate effectively Negotiate effectively Find resources that are culturally and contextually meaningful

Service Use Experience Contextual Risk Individual Risk Service Use Experience Resilience Functional Outcomes .37* -.30* -.17* -.38* .33* .07 -.03 -.21* .53* .18* -.14 .13 Life time Service Use Accumulation

Service Use Experience .33* Resilience .37* Functional Outcomes

Help People Navigate

External Resources Cultural spaces, diverse curriculum, etc. Mentors, teachers, extended family, etc. Experiences at School, Religious Institutions, etc. cultural adherence relationships cohesion Opportunities to use talents, experience respect, etc. identity Employment, housing, clothes, etc. access to material resources social justice power & control Opportunities to participate, make a contribution, etc. Laws, anti-discrimination efforts, etc.

Internal Resources Cultural identification, cultural practices Quality of attachment to peers and caregivers Sense of engagement with others, attitudes towards belonging, spirituality cultural adherence relationships cohesion Self-worth, self-esteem, assessment of strengths identity Awareness of resources such as educational opportunities and health care access to material resources social justice power & control Attribution style (internality/externality), efficacy Knowledge and experience of one’s rights

Help People Negotiate

School of Social Work, Dalhousie University Thank you! Michael Ungar, Ph.D. Killam Professor, School of Social Work, Dalhousie University @MichaelUngarPhD www.michaelungar.com www.cyccnetwork.org www.resilienceresearch.org