The Power of Mindsets:
Strategies for Nurturing
Resilience in At-Risk Youth
www.drrobertbrooks.com
contact@drrobertbrooks.com
Two key concepts: mindsets and
resilience
Mindsets: A very brief history of this concept in
therapeutic endeavors
Mindsets: The assumptions and expectations we
have for ourselves and others that guide our
behavior
Two key concepts: mindsets and
resilience
Resilience: Two shifts in perspective
Broadening the concept of resilience from
applying solely to youth experiencing great
adversity to all youth
Moving from a belief in special, inborn qualities
to “ordinary magic”
Dr. George Bonnano
“What is perhaps most intriguing about
resilience is not how prevalent it is; rather, it is
that we are consistently surprised by it. I have
to admit that sometimes even I am amazed by
how resilient humans are, and I have been
working with loss and trauma survivors for
years.”
Dr. Ann Masten
“Resilience does not come from rare and special
qualities; but from the everyday magic of
ordinary, normative resources in the minds,
brains, and bodies of children; in their families
and relationships; and in their communities. The
conclusion that resilience emerges from ordinary
processes offers a far more optimistic outlook for
action than the idea that rare and extraordinary
processes are involved.”
Several important roots of my interest
in resilience
My work with youth and families in the inner city of
Boston
My position as principal of a school in a locked door
unit of a psychiatric hospital
The sudden death of my brother and a changing
understanding of the reaction of my parents
Mindsets and resilience
Two key questions to consider about mindsets and
resilience:
What are the major characteristics of the mindset of
adults who are skilled in nurturing hope and
resilience in children?
What are the characteristics of a “resilient mindset”
and what are the strategies we can apply to develop
this mindset in at-risk youth?
Features of an adult’s positive mindset
To believe in the capacity of at-risk youth to
overcome adversity and become more hopeful
and resilient: To believe we can serve as a
“charismatic adult”
“I want to be a charismatic adult. What do I
do?”
Features of an adult’s positive mindset
To believe that if the strategies we are using
with at-risk youth are not effective then we
must ask, “What is it that we can do
differently to help the situation?” rather than
continue to wait for the child or adolescent to
change first: This should not be seen as
blaming but rather as empowering ourselves
Features of an adult’s positive mindset
To appreciate the importance of empathy and empathic communication in
our interaction with children
Exercises I use to promote empathy
Features of an adult’s positive mindset
Empathic communication: Two important questions to consider
In anything I say or do what do I hope to accomplish?
Am I saying or doing it in a way in which the youngster will be more
receptive to cooperating and working with me?
Features of an adult’s positive mindset
To understand the main characteristics of the mindset of resilient
youth so that we can have guideposts for reinforcing this mindset in
our interactions with at-risk children and adolescents: Let’s look at
several of the main features of this mindset, all of which are
interrelated and all of which can direct our therapeutic endeavors
A resilient mindset in children:
Characteristics and strategies to
nurture it
To believe that others are available to help; we must create
a sense of belonging even as some children attempt to
provoke or push us away
To believe that one can solve problems, which promotes a
sense of autonomy, ownership, and “personal control”
A resilient mindset in children:
Characteristics and strategies to
nurture it
To recognize and apply one’s strengths or “islands of competence”
without denying one’s problems
To believe that one is making a positive difference in the lives of
others: To engage in “contributory activities”
A resilient mindset in children:
Characteristics and strategies to
nurture it
To believe that mistakes are not only expected but also accepted;
mistakes and setbacks are experiences from which to learn
rather then feel defeated
To experience self-discipline; in applying disciplinary techniques
adults must avoid intimidation and humiliation and overcome
what has been called a “praise deficit”