Resilience: The Role Meaningful Relationships Play

Stress from an event or life situation that disrupts a child’s sense of security can have a negative impact on his or her emotional and mental development and well-being. Positive relationships can be a contributing protective factor that offsets environmental stress for children this includes relationships outside of the family model. Resilience is one’s capacity to cope with or recover from extreme stress, trauma and maltreatment. It is an important element to cope with adversity, adapt to stressful situations and reach one’s full potential. Although an individual’s traits have some correlation in their ability to deal with hardships and adversity having nurturing, supportive and committed people in one’s life can make all the difference. Ken Wynes, Treena’s husband, had experienced a major life disruption at three years old when his father shot and killed his mother. He will speak on how this greatly affected his life and what he believes helped him through.