Presented at the Annual Conference of the Western Positive Psychology Association (January, 2017)

1. GettingSomeR&R:
The“ResilienceandReconnection” Group
Intervention asaPositivePsychologyApproach to
StressManagement
ShellyP. Harrell, RanyaAlnatour, JoshuaBuch, LilyRowland,
TamaraRumburg, Hank Skulstad, &JessicaStyles
PepperdineUniversity
GraduateSchool of Education andPsychology

2. Stress,ResilienceandPositivePsychology
• Stressisarisk factor for physical and mental health problemsand
compromisesparticipation personal, relational, and collectivewellness.
• Approachesto stressmanagement havetraditionallybeen skills-based
• Recent approacheshaveincluded attention to resiliencewith
applicationsin themilitary(Peterson’swork),with physical illness, and
with interpersonal violence
• Resilience-oriented stressmanagement isconceptualized asapositive
psychologyapproach
• Promotingpositiveadaptation in thecontext of stressand adversity

3. Overview of theR&RGroupIntervention
• TheR&RGroupisconceptualized asaculturally-adaptive, resilience-oriented
stressmanagement approach
• Thegroupisdesignedto strengthen resiliencethrough enhancingpersonal
expressionsof resilience(guiding themesfor dailyliving) throughdeveloping
personally-relevant stressresilienceandcoping skills(TheCoping and
ResilienceToolkit (CART)).
• Participantsaretaught theorganizing framework of “TheThreePillarsof
Resilience” asafundamental stressmanagement approach
• What amI experiencing?(AWARENESS)
• What/who will I connect with?(ALLIES)
• What choiceswill I make?(ACTION)

4. TheIntegratedIntervention
Model for Resilience-Oriented
Stress Management
(see handout)

5. • The“Core4” StressResilienceStrategies
• Thespecificbehaviorsthat build andstrengthen thepillars(processes)of resilience
• TheThreePillarsof Resilience
• Theprocessesthat support resilient waysof being &living in theworld
• QualitiesandExpressionsof Resilience
• Culturally-syntonicwaysof being in theworldthat promotewell-being
• Functionsof Resiliencefor Well-Being
• How resilienceaffectsstressandwell-being
• PositiveAdaptationandWell-Being
• Thetarget outcomeof Resilience-Oriented StressManagement

6. ThreePillarsof ResilienceandPositiveWell-Being
AWARENESS
=ContemplativeProcesses
(“Consciousness”; Attention-Regulation)
ALLIES
=Communal Processes
(“Connection”;Relationality;
Interconnectedness)
ACTION
=Empowerment Processes
(“Transformation”;Choice; Change)

7. The“CORE4” StressResilienceStrategies
1. Foundational Attention-CenteringTechniques(the“FACTs”)
(Breathing, Relaxation,Meditation, Visualization)
2. Reflection-ExplorationStrategies
(Journaling, Self-Monitoring, Dialogue/Verbal Processing, Reading/Learning)
3. Expressive-CreativeStrategies
(Music, Art,Writing Poetry/Lyrics/Stories, Dance)
4. ValuesCongruent Self-CareandLifestyleEnhancement
(HealthyHabits, HealthyPleasures, HealthyRelationships)

8. Diverseexpressionsof resilience:
Themesfor contemplative, communal, and
empowerment practicesin astress
management groupintervention
ShellyP. Harrell, Ph.D.

9. QualitiesandExpressionsof Resilience
• Strengthsandvaluedways-of-living that peopledraw upon in thecontext of stress
andadversity
• Thediversewaysthat resilienceisexperienced andexpressed
• 25 ResilienceThemeshavebeen identified
• throughthestudyof strengths, stress-relatedgrowth, overcomingadversity,andpositivewell-
beingin diversecultural contexts
• acrossdiverseareaswithin thefieldincludingpositivepsychology,multicultural psychology,
community/liberationpsychology,andpsychotherapy(particularlythird-waveCBTand
humanistic-existential perspectives)
• TheResilienceThemesprovidetheorganizing structurefor group sessions
• Contemplative, Communal,andEmpowerment Practicesareimplementedwithin
theorganizing themes

10. ResilienceThemesfor GroupSessions
Acceptance/Non-Avoidance Flexibility Transcendence
Affirmation Flow Presence/Attention/Focus
Authenticity Forgiveness Receptivity/Openness
Compassion Gratitude Reflection/Contemplation
Connection/Relatedness Groundedness Engagement/Courage
Creativity Sharing/Giving Hope/Faith/Optimism
Empowerment Liberation Meaning/Purpose
Release/Surrender/Letting Go Positivity Wholeness/Integration
Patience/Perseverance

11. SampleThemeClusters
-Thepresentationsthat follow will integrateexamplesfromthree
thematicclustersthat wemight usein theR&RIntervention
-Reflection/Meaning/Groundedness
-Positivity/Gratitude/Connection
-Transcendence/Flow/Creativity

12. Connecting,Centering,Experiencing,
andEmpowering:
Four-phasesof aCulturally-Adaptive,
Resilience-OrientedGroupIntervention
JessicaStyles&LilyRowland

13. Overview of theStructureandContent of R&RGroups
● Each groupsession isdividedinto four phasesdesignedto “work
thetheme” in different waysthrough utilizing theresiliencepillars
of Awareness,AlliesandAction
o Phase I: Reconnecting
o Phase II: CenteringandLearning
o Phase III: ExperiencingandSharing
o Phase IV: EmpoweringandCommitting

14. PHASEI: “Reconnecting”
● Transition fromtheoutsideworldto thegroup
● Promotepositiveengagement andinteraction
● Trigger positiveemotion
● Activatecommunal resilienceprocessesand
strengthen theAlliesPillar

15. Examplesfromthe“Reconnecting” Phase
● OpeningRitual:CollectiveIntention-Setting
o Verbal commitmentsto thegroupthat set intention for
asafe, positive, andproductivegroupexperience
● Check-In:StressandResilienceDuringthePast
Week
o 1-minutewritingand/or Partner Share

16. PHASEII: “CenteringandLearning”
● AwarenessPillar
● CollectiveWisdomQuoteContemplation
o Centering Breaths
o Guided meditation on aquoterelated to theweek’stheme
o Brief group share
● Vignette-CenteredPsychoeducation- providingconceptual and
researchinformationrelatedtotheweeklytheme

17. Example:CollectiveWisdomQuoteContemplation
“Don’t gowiththeflow,betheflow.”
~Jay-Z

18. PHASEII: “CenteringandLearning”
● AwarenessPillar
● CollectiveWisdomQuoteContemplation
o CenteringBreaths
o Guidedmeditation on a quote relatedto the week’s theme
o Brief groupshare
● Vignette-CenteredPsychoeducation
o Providingconceptual andresearch information
relatedto theweeklytheme

19. PHASEIII: “ExperiencingandSharing”
● BodySynchrony/SymbolicMovement
● Culturally-SyntonicExperiential/InteractiveActivity
● GivingTestimony&BearingWitness

20. PHASEIV: “Empowering&Committing”
● ActionPillar
● Reflectionon InsightsandLearning
● TheWeekly“CARE” Plan(Worksheet)
o Commitment toActivating ResilienceEveryday
● ClosingCollectivePoemActivity

21. ContemplativePracticesfor
Resilience:
Attention Regulation,
Meditation andMindfulness
Hank SkulstadandJoshuaBuch

22. What areContemplativePractices?(Source:contemplativemind.org)
• Contemplativepracticesarepractical, radical, andtransformative, developing
capacitiesfor deep concentration and quieting themind in themidst of theaction
and distraction that fillseverydaylife.
• Thisstateof calmcenterednessisan aid to exploration of meaning, purposeand
values.
• ContemplativePracticescultivateacritical, first-person focus,sometimeswith
direct experienceastheobject, whileat other timesconcentrating on complexideas
or situations.
• Incorporatedinto dailylife, theyact asareminder to connect to what wefind most
meaningful.
• Contemplativepracticescan helpdevelop greater empathyand communication
skills, improvefocusand attention, reducestressandenhancecreativity, supporting
aloving and compassionateapproach to life.

23. WhyIntegrateContemplativeProcessesin
PositivePsychologyInterventions?
CONTEMPLATIVE POSITIVE
PRACTICES<<------------>> EMOTION -------------->> RESILIENCE
• Engagement in contemplative practice facilitates increasedpositive
emotion(Fredrickson, 2008)
• Positive emotionenables greater flexibility andopenness.
(Fredrickson, 2003)

24. Intentionsof contemplativepracticesandexamples
• Stillnesspractices
• Mindfulnessmeditation
• Centering Prayer
• Generativepractices
• Loving-kindnessmeditation
• Visualization
• Lectio Divina
• Creativepractices
• Musicandsinging
• Journaling
• Ritualistic/Life-cyclepractices
• Cultural/Spiritual Ceremonies
• Establishing SacredSpace
• Retreats
Relational Practices
• Council Circle
• Deep Listening
• Storytelling

25. TheR&RApproachto ContemplativePractices
• ContemplativePracticescan bethought of asencompassing a
varietyof strategiesfor deepening andexpanding experiential
andcritical awarenessbybearingwitnesstoone’sown
experience,both internallyandin theworld.
• In R&R, contemplative practices are a culturally-diverse group
of meditative andconsciousness practices that involve
experiencing anddirectingsomatic, mental, andspiritual
energies.

26. ContemplativePracticesusedin R&RGroups
• Foundational Attention-Centering Techniques(FACTS)
• Practicing Presence(Mindfulness)
• Relaxation Strategies(Breathing,ProgressiveMuscleRelaxation, Guided
Imagery)
• CollectiveWisdomContemplation(PassageMeditation)
• BodySynchrony/Embodiment
• Journaling
• ValuesClarification
• R&RPlaylist (music)

27. ReCENTERingClosingMeditation
• CENTERyourself and your attention bytaking adeep breath, closing your eyesand opening your
heart
• Breathe out abig EXHALEinto thepresent here-and-now moment, grateful for itsgiftsand
opportunities
• NOTICEyour internal experience, what you arefeeling, byobserving (without evaluating) what is
going on, whereyour energy isphysically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
• TRUSTin what brought you to thisgroup, trust in thehealth- and growth- seeking part of yourself
• Todayour resilience themewasReflection-Meaning-Groundedness,so focuson thesewords,
intentionally bringing them to your consciousness
• EXPANDyour awarenessof what thesewordsmean to you, allowing yourself to bemoreempowered
byany awareness, knowledge, and skillsyou mayhavegained from group today
• Asyou prepare to RETURNto your dailylife, releasewhat doesnot serveyour highest purpose and
values, re-entering your world centered in your highest self and in theenergy of beinggroundedin
what ismost meaningful to you.

28. Applicationsof Resilience-Oriented
StressManagement for
Children&Adolescents
RanyaAlnatour &TamaraRumburg

29. Stress, Resilience, &Coping:
Children &Adolescents
• Stressresultsfromadverseeventsor circumstances
– In children, emotional and behavioral cuesof stresslook different
• Mood swings, irritability, withdrawing frompreviouslyenjoyableactivities,
acting out, changesin sleep patterns, bedwetting, crying, appetitechanges
• Physical effectsincludestomachachesandheadaches
– Adolescentsmayavoidparents, abandon friendships, expresshostilityto
family
(APA, 2017)

30. Stress, Resilience, &Coping:
Children &Adolescents
• Resilienceisaprotectiveprocessandfacilitatescopingwith stress
• Can reducetheintensityof stressandallow oneto recover morequickly
• Helpsonebuildandsubsequentlyutilizeresourcesboth internallyandexternallyto
managefuturestressors
• Transformsstressful experiencesso that onecan learn andgrow fromthem
• Therearemanywaystocopewith stressandpromoteresilience
that areeffectivefor children

31. How to CultivateResiliencein Children&Adolescents
• Providesupportiveadult-child relationships
• Scaffoldlearning in order to build:
– Senseof self-efficacy&control
• Strengthen:
– Adaptiveskills
– Self-regulatorycapacities
• Usefaith &cultural traditions:
– Encouragehopeandstability
(Center on theDevelopingChild,2015)

32. ApplyingtheR&RModel to
Children &Adolescents
AWARENESS- integrationof developmentallyappropriatemindfulness
exercises
ALLIES- research suggeststhat thispillar isparticularlyimportant for
children andyouth
ACTION- building confidencethroughgaining skills

33. AlliesPillar for Children
• Communal processes: Connection, Relationality, Interconnectedness
• Wellness-promoting activities that give children a sense of community
andstrengthen connectedness to others
• Targeting each of the three different functions of stress resilience
– Asking for helpfromparents andfriends when in distress
•(i.e. asking for a hug)
– Joining school clubs or sports teams to builda peer network
– Building strengths such as compassion for others

34. Peer Support
• Possiblebenefitsinclude:
– increasedself-esteemandconfidence
– improvedproblemsolving skills
– increasedsenseof empowerment
– improvedaccessto work andeducation
– morefriends, better relationships, moreconfidencein social settings
– greater feelingsof being accepted, understood, andliked
– reducedself-stigmatization
– greater hopefulnessabout their own potential
– morepositivefeelingsabout thefuture

35. Action Pillar for Children
• Empowerment processes: Transformation, Choice, Change
• Wellness-promoting activities that give children a voice and
allow for the development of autonomy & transformative
change
– Building upon a child’s skills & strengths
– Flexible use of coping strategies
(i.e. giving words to feelings, asking for help)
– Facilitate motivation & creativity throughexpressive arts
– Goal-directedbehavior at school & home

36. • Connectedto themes of Flow & Creativity
• Aims:
• Confidence & self-esteem building
• Encouragingcreativity
• Enhancingself-expression
• Example Activity for Children/Adolescents:
•“Postcards in Motion”
GroupInterventions

37. • Activity combines:
• Guidedimagery
• Writing
• Art
• Performance
• Promotes:
• Sense of competency/accomplishment
• Enhanced self-esteem
“Postcardsin Motion”
(Kaduson& Schaefer, 2001)

38. • Step1: GuidedImagery
• “Remember a place you felt safe”
• Step2: Explore
• Colors, shapes, sights, sounds, smells of safe place
• Step3: “Write a postcardfromyour safe place”
• Step4: Draw an image
• Step5: Four words about safe place
• architectural element, small detail, main element, moodor feeling
• Step6: Four body gestures
• Step7: Order gestures (can work with partner)
• Step8: Movement sequence (postcard read aloud)
“Postcardsin Motion”
(Kaduson& Schaefer, 2001)

39. StressResilience
•For children, buildingupthesethreefunctionsof stress
resilienceiskeytocopingwith stress
•Thiscouldinvolveutilizing parental attention or playing with toysto
reduceimmediatedistress,strengthening peer relationships, joining
clubsor sportsteams, using coping skillssuch asnaming feelings, and
enhancing self-esteemthrough positiveself-talk.

40. Cultural andContextual Adaptation
Considerationsfor aResilience-
OrientedGroupIntervention
ShellyP. Harrell, Ph.D.

41. Cultureis…
•The multiple organizing systems of meaning and living in the world
that
•consist of patterns of being, believing, bonding, belonging, behaving, and
becoming which provide the foundational frames for developing worldviews,
interpreting reality, and acting in the world
•for a group of people who share common ancestry, social location, group
identity, or defining experiential contexts; but for whom, as individuals or
intersectional subgroups, elements of a particular cultural system may be
embraced, internalized, and expressed differentially.
•emerge and transform through cumulative and adaptation-oriented person-
environment transactions over time
•are maintained and transmitted through collective memory, narrative, and
socialization processes

42. Cultureis…
• Embedded in environmental contexts,
• Internalized as patterns of meaning and identity,
• Expressed through actions and relationships, and
• Interactive with multiple cultural expressions that reflect various
dimensions of human diversity (intersectionality).

43. TheFoundational Roleof Culture
o Theinclusion of culturein theanalysisof human experience,
behavior, andtransformation facilitatestheidentification of
constructs,methods, andstrategiesthat mayenhancethe
effectivenessof appliedwork in diversecultural contexts.
o TheR&Rapproachrequiresongoingandintentional culture
andcontext consideration andispart of pre-session
Facilitator preparationfor everysession

44. Approachesto Cultural Adaptation
Surface-Level:Topography/Language/Materials
Example:Nameof session theme,Choiceof Quotes, experiential
activities(e.g.,Soul Train Line)
Deep-Level:Values/Worldview
Example:Phenomenal Women Rising application; Christian meditation
vs. Mindfulness

45. Culture,Context,andLiberationin ContemplativePractice
“Culture”
Therearediversecontemplativepracticesin manycultural andreligioustraditionsand
theresonanceandeffectivenessof anymeditativeor contemplativeapproach isa
function of itscongruencewith language, rhythms, values, beliefs, andcultural
worldview
“Context”
Contemplativepracticessuch asmeditation, likeall human behavior, occursin multiple
ecological contextsandthesemust beunderstood to maximizethepotential
effectivenessof anyparticular meditativeor contemplativepractice
“Liberation”
Themeaningful coreof all contemplativepracticesisfreedomin thecontext of the
challengesandboundariesof thehuman condition such that theeffectivenessof the
practiceisenhancedwhen it remainsconnected to thisultimatepurposeof liberation
fromboth internal andexternal oppression

46. Thank You!
Contact Info:
Shelly.Harrell@pepperdine.edu