The Resilience Doughnut

Book excerpt: Applying the principles of the Resilience Doughnut model promotes emotional resilience for employees in the workplace, young adults in transition, adults managing their mental health, and all adults going through life's inevitable challenges. In this ever changing world, the only constant is change, so enabling people to confidently cope with this inevitable change with a practical and usable model is refreshing. The model gives the reader an insight into their own resilience as well as provides them with ways to build on their strengths to help cope with the tough stuff. The Resilience Doughnut has become a foundational ecological model of resilience used by practitioners all around Australia and is quickly spreading to other countries. The work of the Resilience Doughnut across a whole organisation builds staff awareness of the coping resources available and enhances a culture of resilience. Programs using the Resilience Doughnut model have been used with adults in mental health units, rehabilitation services and organisations to increase staff morale with success. Results show those who have significant positive intentional relationships also have high personal and social competence and subsequently report low anxiety and depression symptoms. From these studies Resilience Doughnut programs to enhance positive connections with purpose and meaning have been introduced in corporate and school staff.