Developing Resilience: A Cognitive-Behavioural Approach / Edition 2

by Michael Neenan

Overview

Some individuals emerge from grim experiences stronger in mind and spirit than others who suffered the same ordeal. In this updated and revised edition, Michael Neenan focuses on the meanings we attach to life’s adversities in order to understand how we respond to them. This is why different people can react to the same adverse event in a variety of ways such as fighting back or crumbling. Different meanings of what constitutes resilience are also discussed and the author takes issue with the simplistic view of it as bouncing back from adversity which suggests the absence of struggle and emotional pain as well as underestimating how long the process of self-righting can sometimes take.

Developing Resilience shows how people can find constructive ways of dealing with hard times by using the ideas and techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy as well as drawing on the viewpoints and experiences of other writers presented here. This book provides useful guidance and advice on topics including:

• managing negative emotions in difficult times

• using an assets and liabilities model to understand resilient behaviour

• distinguishing between what’s within and outside of your control

• identifying and changing attitudes that undermine resilience building

• developing self-belief

• increasing your level of frustration tolerance

• maintaining a resilient outlook.

This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in learning more about resilience as well as for mental health professionals, coaches and therapists looking for guidance in helping their clients to cope better with adversity.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780415792912
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	07/04/2017
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.44(w) x 8.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Michael Neenan is a former Associate Director of the Centre for Stress Management and Centre for Coaching, Blackheath. He works in private practice as a cognitive behaviour therapist and coach. He is the author (with Windy Dryden) of Life Coaching: A Cognitive Behavioural Approach (2^nd edn., 2014).

Table of Contents

List of illustrations vi Preface vii 1 What is resilience? 2 Attitude: the heart of resilience 3 Attitudes that undermine resilience building 4 Making yourself more resilient 5 Strengths underpinning resilience 6 Resilience in the workplace 7 Resilience in relationships 8 Resilience in dealing with difficult people 9 Maintaining resilience10 An overview of resilience References Index

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Natasha Lukasiewich, DNP, MSN, RN (Legal Nursing Solutions, LLC)
Description: There is much research that speaks to resilience, with many definitions. Using a fresh take, this author takes a cognitive-behavioral approach to developing resilience. The first edition of this book was published in 2009.
Purpose: The purpose is to help readers tap into resources that can truly assist with building resilience. The author assists readers in identifying with stoicism, positive psychology, and central personal metaphors. This book provides actual tools that readers can incorporate into their daily lives.
Audience: This is meant for anyone who has an interest in building resilience. It can be used by mental health professionals, students, peer support, life coaches, therapists, or even laypersons who want to know more.
Features: Chapters address managing difficult emotions, using a model to understand resilient behavior, reframing one's attitudes, developing self-belief, increasing one's frustration tolerance, and keeping a resilient outlook. Each of the 10 chapters builds on the previous one. The book starts by exploring what resilience is. I appreciate how the author notes that resilience is the bedrock of positive mental health. Then the author explores attitudes at the heart of resilience and attitudes that undermine resilience. He then discusses how to make oneself more resilient, exploring the strengths that underpin resilience. He discusses what resilience looks like in the workplace and in relationships, how to deal with difficult people and, last but not least, how to maintain resilience.
Assessment: I have focused much of my Doctor of Nursing studies directed toward resilience. This book is a fantastic contribution to the field. This author truly understands what it is to be resilient.

Doody's Review Service

"The first edition of this book was a landmark publication in presenting a cognitive-behavioural perspective on resilience with Michael Neenan’s characteristic perceptiveness and clarity. The second edition is even better and contains topical new material on stoicism, positive psychology and the use of central personal metaphors. An important update"

Windy Dryden Ph.D, Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies, Goldsmiths University of London

"The first edition of this book was a landmark publication in presenting a cognitive-behavioural perspective on resilience with Michael Neenan’s characteristic perceptiveness and clarity. The second edition is even better and contains topical new material on stoicism, positive psychology and the use of central personal metaphors. An important update."

Windy Dryden Ph.D, Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies, Goldsmiths University of London

From the Publisher