Attribution note:
“Thriving from Within” by Kate Hoffmann should be attributed to
The Institute for Life & Care and the
THRIVING FROM WITHIN (R): A Creative
Approach to Professional Resilience model
THRIVING FROM WITHIN®
A Creative Approach to Professional Resilience
Kate Hoffmann, LCSW Institute for Life & Care
2018
Handout
Burnout-
Compassion Fatigue -
Moral Distress -
Vicarious Traumatization –
Caregivers journey:
Energetic
Safe world view
Connected to
Source and others
Meaning and purpose
Compassion
Fatigued
World is dangerous
Alone and abandoned
Hopelessness and despair
Ambivalence
How do we remain healthy
and resilient in the caregiving field?
THRIVING FROM WITHIN® is a meaning-
centered model that offers a road map to
make this journey in a healthy way.
THRIVING FROM WITHIN®
A Logo (meaning-centered) therapeutic approach to wellness and quality of life.
Outer ring – the path of life, filled with challenges.
Middle ring – the journey we can choose to make in response to life’s challenges.
Center ring – the fruits that naturally come from
the journey to ReVision your life.
Drawing from THRIVING FROM WITHIN®, we will explore 3 Seeds of Resilience to help you strengthen your inner core as you face the challenges of your
caregiving profession.
1. Embrace all 4 Dimensions
of Self
Body – physical
Mind – psychological
Heart – emotional, connection
Soul - spiritual
Soul
That which is uniquely human - Frankl.
N
Öos (Greek: Meaning) Seat of creativity, humor, self-reflection, self-transcendence.
Ability to connect with Source.
It is in the Soul or noetic dimension that we are
able to find meaning in life events.
ACTIVITY
Recognizing the Soul
Can you identify a time when:
You were so involved in a creative activity that time seemed to stand still? (flow)
You experienced awe or wonder?
You experienced an “inner knowing”?
You felt intimately connected to those
around you and/or something greater
than yourself?
2. Feed the Soul
Learning to feed the soul is vitally
important to building internal resilience to
chronic stress.
Example: berry-picking
Embracing All 4 Dimensions Of Self
Outside, nature
Engaging my senses (hearing, sight, touch, taste, smell)
Companionship
Engaging my imagination (noetic dimension)
Mindfulness – being in the moment!
ACTIVITY
Feeding the Soul
What do you do that makes you happy?
When are you “in the flow”?
What do you do that leaves you feeling
more energized or deeply rested on a
soul level than you were before?
3. Adopt a meaning-centered
approach to life.
Research
Current research in whole-body health,
including dementia prevention, confirms that
a sense of meaning and purpose in life is a
key ingredient in maintaining health and
wellness.
Viktor Frankl
Freud (1865) – pleasure
Adler (1870) – power (inferiority complex)
Frankl (1905) – will to meaning
when we can find meaning in the difficult
times of life, we cannot only survive but
thrive.
How do you find meaning in your life?
Frankl: “Man has a will to meaning.”
Example: suicidal man in camp
What is life asking of me?
Finding Meaning (continued)
Nietzsche, “If man understands the why, he can survive almost any how.”
Example: Physician
Know your why
ACTIVITY
Finding Meaning
Exercise
Think of a current situation in which you feel uncomfortable or that you would like to improve.
Work, significant other, friend.
What feelings are your experiencing?
Frustration, anger, resentment, sadness, powerlessness?
Now, take some time to examine this situation from a logotherapeutic
perspective.
Ask yourself the following questions:
What is life asking of me?
To focus on the internal growth that the situation is highlighting?
To value myself and my feelings more?
To survive the situation in order to reach a higher goal?
What is my why?
What opportunities for personal growth is this situation offering?
What personal meaning do I find in my
choice of action?
Summary
Chronic stress takes its toll on professional caregivers, challenging our sense of self and safety in the world.
THRIVING FROM WITHIN® offers a meaning-centered approach to
remaining healthy and resilient. Three
seeds of resilience are:
1. Embrace All 4 Dimensions Of Self.
2. Feed The Soul.
3. Adopt A Meaning-Centered Approach
To Life.
