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Building and Strengthening Resilience in Childhood

Writer's picture: shakira cuttingshakira cutting

What is Resilience? And why is it so important? Many factors can impact on childhood resilience. The ability to cope and bounce back in difficult and stressful situations is important in later adulthood. This blog looks further into 'RESILIENCE'.


Building Resilience in childhood

As a Dance Movement Psychotherapist, I find that ‘resilience’ often comes up as a theme within sessions. As an embodied practitioner, I feel that it is important to recognise that resilience is experienced through the body. Dance Movement Psychotherapy is an embodied approach to psychotherapy that uses dance and movement to promote the integration of the physical, social and emotional, and cognitive functioning (Goodill, 2005). Movement can promote freedom and flexibility, which promotes body ownership and agency and therefore creates trust and safety in the body (Feldman, 2020).

Resilience

Resilience is important for children’s mental health. Children who have greater resilience are able to better manage difficult and stressful situations. Resilience is a key skill that can be proactively developed at any age and is taught through life experiences. However, the earlier we can support the development of resilience, the better! Resilience can support a child’s physical and mental wellbeing, which can further support with building coping mechanisms for adult life (Brooks & Goldstein, 2005).

It is common to want to protect children from the turbulent and challenging world that we live in. However, it is also essential to allow children to thrive in life and build their independence and self-esteem. Although we cannot simply change our biology, there are many ways that adults can support children to develop these important life skills.

The term ‘resilience’ is often used, especially in education and healthcare environments, but what does ‘resilience’ really mean? Resilience can be described as; facing adversity with confidence and having a ‘bounce back ability’ (Harms, 2015). It can be said that everyone is born with resilience, however, resilience can be impacted by many factors such as; the environment, challenging situations, and adverse experiences. Within a child’s life, challenging experiences may be; moving to a new house, moving schools, exam pressure, or separation or loss of a family member.

It can be said that resilience is shaped by not only ‘nurture’, but also ‘nature’. Therefore, it is important to consider factors such as; the environment, family dynamics and beliefs, and wider social systems. It is also vital to consider the child’s characteristic qualities such as; personality type and genes.

You will be pleased to read, that there are many things that parents, carers, teachers can do to support the building of resilience in childhood.

Here are a few ways:

  • Create supportive and positive relationships - Listen and validate the child's thoughts and beliefs. Role model RESPECT and healthy relationships.

  • Create a safe environment within the home and in school - Does the child have a safe quiet place, can they share their worries with a trusted adult?

  • Support a child’s positive view of themselves - Highlight what makes them, them. Celebrate their successes! You can even encourage the use of the phrase... "I CAN..."

  • Support the building of their independence - Providing them with opportunities to make their own decisions and encouraging them to try new things out.

  • Build their confidence in risk-taking and problem solving - Let them take time to explore challenging experiences, and teach them about persistence and not giving up.

  • Support them to identify and express different emotions - Be aware of your own emotions, allow the child to express what they are feeling without judgment.

  • Build their regulation and coping skills - Role model staying calm, breathing activities, and reminding them that difficult times do not last forever.

  • Encourage and support a child’s creativity and self-expression - Remember to PLAY and find creative ways to release and let go!

In conclusion

Adults can help develop a child's resilience by being a positive role model in their lives. It is important that as adults, we make sure that children know, that it is OK for them to ask for support or help when they need it. It is also important that adults embrace their mistakes and learn from them, and encourage children to also embrace and learn from their own mistakes too. Building resilience can be tricky and challenging at times, but always reminding ourselves and the children who we support, that the difficult moments won't last forever...and these difficult feelings will pass.


If you would like to understand more about this topic or are seeking more support for a child, you can contact a trusted registered therapist who will be able to offer additional interventions to support the child's needs.


Thanks for reading!


Shakira

Registered Dance Movement Psychotherapist


 

Copyright 2020 Shakira Cutting - movingmindandbody.co.uk

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