Finding strength How to improve resilience Resilience has become something of a buzzword since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinical, health and neuropsychologist Dr Melanie Robertson, and Thomas Blasbichler (MA), clinical and health psychologist at Park Igls, thoroughly researched this topic before joining forces with the health retreat’s doctors to develop a programme designed to strengthen mental resilience. Beneficial during a pandemic, resilience can help us through all kinds of personal crises.
Their interest in the issue of resilience predates the coronavirus. Back in 2017, Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, and American psychologist Adam M Grant famously published Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. In this best- selling book they combined Sheryl’s personal insights following the death of her husband with Adam’s groundbreaking research on strength in adversity. Dr Robertson agrees with the authors that we are not born with resilience, but, like a muscle, we can train it. Blasbichler concurs. In his view, resilience arises from the interaction of many factors. the foundations are laid during childhood and are influenced through experiences and learning processes in later life. Resilience is therefore a combination of abilities, attitudes and behaviours that are both inherited and acquired through experience. ‘Even though the genetic point of departure is different for each person, we can definitely learn to be resilient.’ HOW RESILIENT ARE HUMAN BEINGS? Scientists have defined seven factors of resilience: acceptance, optimism, problem-solving skills, healthy ability to manage feelings, self–efficacy, autonomy and network–orientation. But so far, we
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FINDING STRENGTH
only have hypotheses as to why some people are more resilient that others. According to Blasbichler, some of it is a question of how we evaluate situations. This can be subject to change because it is about how much one believes a difficult situation can be mastered. However, how is a person’s psychological resilience graded? Can resilience even be measured? Although the desire for a way to measure it is understandable, resilience cannot be assessed scientifically: It is a complex interplay of very different components relating to individual development and personality. Dr Robertson believes that a person’s resources, the pillars of stability in each individual’s life, are of huge importance. These tend to be friendship, family, work and leisure pursuits. In her view, resilient people often unconsciously invest in these resources. They do not shy away from change, and are able to rapidly build support systems when necessary. LOOKING AHEAD It never ceases to amaze Dr Robertson that there are people – and we all know someone like this – who suffer calamity after calamity yet still face life with courage, determination and joy. Like the rest of us, these people have good days and bad, but
