1. 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

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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 2008 British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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.

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

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

12. 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.

13. 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

14. 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)

15. Case Illustration: Brian

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

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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

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

21. Help People
Navigate

22. 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.

23. 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

24. Help People
Negotiate

26. School of Social Work, Dalhousie University
Thank you!
Michael Ungar, Ph.D.
Killam Professor,
School of Social Work, Dalhousie University
@MichaelUngarPhD