Keynote session by Dr. Charles Figley during the 2017 MFLN Virtual Conference: Learning through Change. Session information: https://militaryfamilies.extension.org/2017virtualconference/figley/

2. Promoting Growth during Times of Uncertainty
Seasons of Change
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3. Chatting
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4. Dr. Charles Figley
Dr. Figley’s numerous publications and
research focus primarily on traumatic
stress and resiliency of individuals,
families, and communities.
• Founding editor of Traumatology
• US Marine Corps Veteran
• Author
• Trauma scholar and practitioner
Dr. Charles Figley
Paul Henry Kurzweg Distinguished Chair in
Disaster Mental Health & Professor,
Tulane University (2008 – Present)
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https://pixabay.com/en/change-hand-finger-keep-present-948008/
What is your biggest challenge to
PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL change?

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• Shortage of time
• Decline in mental health/wellbeing
• Lack of trust
• Difficulty finding/maintaining support
• Overwhelmed/Loss of confidence
• Sense of loss
What your peers shared…

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https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1828&bih=930&tbs=sur%3Afc&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=balancing&oq=balancing&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l4.4499.6051.0.6303.9.9.0.0.0.0.96.592.9.9.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.9.587...0i67k1.3eDtLuw_SbY#imgrc=IfQCdnNMCQpYxM:
methods of coping
How do you & clients
balance it all?

8. https://pixabay.com/p-1846669/?no_redirect
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• Avoiding the problem
• Isola7on
• Dwelling on the nega7ve
• Numbing (food, alcohol, self-medica7ng, etc.)
• Exercise/wellness/mindfulness
• Seeking support
• Using humor
• Wri7ng or expressive outlets
What your peers shared…

9. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1828&bih=930&tbs=sur%3Afc&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=problems&oq=problems&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l4.6629.10713.0.10901.9.9.0.0.0.0.101.622.8j1.9.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.9.619...0i67k1.XuzPx18KTtE#imgrc=szousounuLWvmM:
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What’s weighing you and your
clients down?

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https://pixabay.com/p-1846669/?no_redirect
• Struggle to remain empathe7c
• Maintaining emo7onal/physical health
• Ethical boundaries & employment longevity
• Social unrest
• Compassion fa+gue/Burnout
• Uncertainty
What your peers shared…

11. https://pixabay.com/en/weightlifting-fatigue-sweat-gym-1x872377/
pervasive in many professions
Caring
Empathetic
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”…state experienced by those helping
people or animals in distress; it is an
extreme state of tension and
preoccupation with the suffering of those
being helped to the degree that it can
create a secondary traumatic stress for the
helper."
(C. Figley, http://www.compassionfatigue.org)
Compassion Fatigue

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How do we promote growth
during times of uncertainty?

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pro·mote
verb
further the progress of; support or actively encourage.
Advance or raise (someone) to a higher rank.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&biw=1828&bih=930&tbs=sur%3Afc&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=growth&oq=growth&gs_l=psy-ab.3..0l4.43079.43770.0.44125.6.6.0.0.0.0.101.478.5j1.6.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..
0.6.477...0i67k1.3MLyKqQZblQ#imgrc=lHe4torXXzn4LM:
• Self-Compassion
• Resilience
• Self-Care
• Support

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https://pixabay.com/en/photos/tree%20isolated/
re·sil·ience
noun
1. the capacity to recover quickly
from difficulties; toughness.
2. the ability to adapt to change

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“The Psychological Resilience Scale measures a ‘resilience core’,
defined by five characteristics (purposeful life, perseverance, self-
reliance, equanimity, and existential aloneness) reflecting an
individual's overall physical and mental health resilience across the
life trajectory.”
Maltby, J., Day, L., & Hall, S. (2015). Refining Trait Resilience: Identifying Engineering, Ecological, and Adaptive Facets from Extant Measures of Resilience. PLoS ONE, 10(7), e0131826.
http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0131826 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488934/
Resilience Scale

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Self-care Planning Tool
Figley, Kathleen R. Self-Care Planning Tool© Figley Institue™
https://sites.google.com/site/selfcareassessments/home/kr-figley-self-care-planning-tool
https://pixabay.com/en/photos/wellness/?image_type=illustration

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http://soldiers.dodlive.mil/tag/battle-buddy/
Do you have a
Battle Buddy?

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https://pixabay.com/en/screen-sun-protection-2610769/
Strategies
How can I utilize the
Trait Resilience Scale?
How do I promote
self-compassion?
How can I implement
self-care?
How would I know burnout or
compassion fatigue is present?
How’s the quality of
my support?
Who is my
battle buddy?

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https://pixabay.com/en/lightbulb-bulb-light-idea-energy-1875255/
What’s your NEW take away?

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re·source·s
noun
http://create.extension.org/sites/default/files/Seasons%20of%20Change%20Keynote-
Additional%20Resources.pdf
https://goo.gl/16S3CR

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Breakout Chat

22. Let’s chat!
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23. Keynote Speaker: Dionardo Pizaña
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Leveraging Connections
UPCOMING

24. U.S. Department
of Defense
This material is based upon work supported by the Na7onal Ins7tute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Office
of Military Family Readiness Policy, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Number 2015-48770-24368.