1. Life Lesson 9: How do I overcome adversity?
Use the ABCDE Strategy to build resilience.
© Paul T. P. Wong

2. Meaning-Centered Approach to coping with tragedy & trauma
When people are deeply wounded or traumatized, a meaning-centered approach may be more effective than the happiness-oriented or strengths- based approaches.
The meaning-centered ABCDE strategy is primarily concerned with existential crisis and the reality of pain and suffering.
Meaning Therapy focuses on both cognitive meaning & existential meaning

3. Suffering triggers the quest for meaning

4. The cognitively-based ABCDE strategy
Albert Ellis’s Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT) focuses on rational thinking & cognitive meaning.
REBT is the most influential form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
ABCDE is designed to dispute a dysfunctional belief and replace it with a more effective and rational belief

5. Albert Ellis’s Rational-Emotive-Behavior Therapy

6. Examples of irrational beliefs according to Albert Ellis: Catastrophing, Musturbating, Awfullizing…

7. The Meaning-Centered ABCDE Intervention
Accept and confront reality – the reality principle
Believe that life is worth living – the faith principle
Commit to goals and actions – the action principle
Discover the meaning and significance of self and situations – the Aha! Principle
Evaluate the above – the self-regulation principle

8. From real problem to personal growth…C
Commit to achievable goals (PURE) A
Accept the reality B
Believe in possibilities D
Discover new resources & solutions E
Evaluate
& enjoy the progress
© Paul T. P. Wong

9. Lesson 1: The power of acceptance
Taoism and Buddhism have much to teach us about the adaptive power of acceptance

10. To fully understand and utilize the power of acceptance is to be free from all worries and anxieties.

12. Denial is an obstacle to positive change

13. Self-deception can be harmful

15. One big challenge is to accept yourself

16. Another challenge is to let go

17. Practicing acceptance without judging leads to inner peace & interpersonal harmony.

19. A Fundamental Dilemma: Acceptance or Change

20. Lesson 2: The power of belief

22. Faith helps re-author our life story

23. Lesson 3: Commitment is the key to success
Commitment entails action, engagement, & persistence.

24. Commitment = passion + action + persistence

25. Commitment involves goal setting
No matter how restrictive and oppressive the circumstances, you can still set some realistic goals. You need to goal-setting each day in order to keep hope alive and maintain your sanity.

26. Commitment till completion
Moving forward and carrying out one’s responsibility with determination.
Doing what needs to be done regardless of feelings or circumstances.
Enduring hardship and pain for the cause.
Avoiding errors and temptations.
Practicing the PURE principle.
Pursuing your mission with a clear sense of purpose

27. Commitment also includes a higher purpose & larger vision

28. A Meaningful Fulfilling Life PURE: The Four Treasures of Life
Discover the Purpose or goal
Seek to Understand the self & situation
A Meaningful
&
Fulfilling Life
Identify personal Responsibility
Enjoy the process and the journey
© Paul T. P. Wong

29. It takes commitment and courage to overcome obstacles and reach the mountain top.

30. Lesson 4: The Journey of Discovery
The path toward healing and flourishing is a journey of self-discovery.

31. The joy of self-discovery
Learning something new about the self and life.
Digging deeper, exploring farther, and searching higher.
Discovering one’s hidden talents and strength.
Discovering the power of faith and spiritual resources.
Grasping the complexities of life and people.

32. Lesson 5: Enjoyment or Evaluation
Savoring small successes and re-assessing one’s progress.
Feeling relief that the worse is over.
Monitoring progress.
Savoring the moments of small success.
Reflecting and reviewing one’s life.
Receiving feedback from others.
Conducting assessments and making adjustments.

33. Conclusions

34. The capacity for meaning-making can transform everything from negative to positive

35. Growing stronger through struggle
If you are able to apply the above lessons to your personal problems and challenges.

36. Adversity provides a better foundation for life than prosperity

37. Questions & Exercises for Lesson 9:
What is the main difference between Ellis's REBT and Wong's Meaning Therapy?
Can you think of a personal problem for which Meaning Therapy may be more helpful to you than REBT?
Can you think of a personal experience in which acceptance enabled you to move forward?
What sorts of beliefs enable you to maintain your hope in desperate situations?

38. Questions & Exercises for Lesson 9:
What is your most immediate goal? Is it related to your larger or higher life purpose?
Can you think of a situation in which you discovered something new about yourself through a painful experience?
Try to apply the Meaning Centred ABCDE model to a personal predicament.