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fostering resilience

 
 

Resilience — the ability to thrive in spite of adversity — is innate and resides in all of us. However, based on a person’s prenatal experiences and earliest experiences of attachment and connection, it can be easier or more difficult for them to access their resilience. One metaphor for these discrepancies comes from the documentary Broken Places, which describes people as being either dandelions or orchids in terms of resilience: Either someone is a dandelion, thriving anywhere regardless of circumstance, or an orchid, struggling without the right combinations of environmental, social, and sensory inputs. Each individual’s capacity for resilience is a direct result of their earliest experiences and relationships with adults, such as the factors listed in this questionnaire. Positive adult connections are top protective factors for fostering resilience.