Imagine. Just imagine a world in which healthy and emotionally secure children and youth play, interact, share thoughts and ideas, enjoy their diversity and find peaceful ways to solve their differences.
Imagine the national and global impact for our next generation, if they are able to live on this planet in harmony with others. These are thoughts well worth imagining. They stimulate hope and confidence in the future for all of us.
To move our society in this direction, we must understand and respond to the damaging effects of trauma and injury to our children and youth. We must find ways to help them move beyond their adversities and life challenges and develop “resilience” – the ability to have their own “hero-within” – that inner strength that helps them move forward.
Resilience is the ability to face and overcome adversity, then thrive. Resilient youth can “bounce back” after challenges and tough times. They are more likely to complete their education and become hopeful and productive adults. Non-resilient youth are more easily overwhelmed, prone to school drop-out, homelessness, mental illness, poverty and incarceration. This leads to enormous societal and economic cost.
Without “resilience”, it is difficult to find hope and healing. With “resilience”, hope and healing