The majority of psychological research is focused on helping those who are already suffering with mental health issues. Stress is often seen as a trigger or significant factor that leads to emotional struggles. While it is worthwhile to understand the mechanisms of how stress affects mental health and leads to struggles, even more might be learned from looking at those who deal with the same adversity and for some reason are still able to thrive. At the center we believe in a strength based approach in helping every individual overcome their unique challenges. One of our core values is that through effective therapy people can learn to adapt and grow despite hardships. Life presents with many environmental stressors, our histories and prior experiences, and even genetics may present roadblocks that at times feel impossible to face, but none of these are enough to extinguish the hope for change. We all have the potential to grow and to develop resilience in our lives and become increasingly fortified to deal with life stressors.
The following article outlines the history of research on resilience, and relays the important lessons that we have learned about how to overcome the most trying circumstances.
http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/the-secret-formula-for-resilience
