How can group facilitators build resilience when working with groups dealing with grief?

To build resilience they need to incorporate Worden’s Tasks of Grief model, the Oscillation theory, and the Continuing Bonds model of mourning into their program. Also they should focus on Niemeyer’s Meaning Reconstruction theory. To build resilience in those who are grieving, helpers need to know ways to mitigate prolonged grief disorder and be well versed in these theories of mourning.

The only and the better way to do so step into the shoes of an individual. Until you wear the shoes you never know where it pricks. So true empathy with an attitude to help & support will open up the person and create a world of difference.

It is quite challenging to build a safe and supportive space in a world of VUCA and mis-judgement or mis-adventure by any Individual can cost his / her career. So people shy away from expressing their candid views because of fear of retaliation. So it the role of a facilitator to ensure a safe environment with out fear of kick backs reflecting the ethos of the leader in action and not some high flowing jargons / statements which is rarely being practised.

Amina Knowlen at Matrix Leadership Institute spends a lot of time with groups to establish, what she calls, a "ground of health." In fact, she spend an almost excruciating amount of time in whole group dialogue explicitly instructing people to get to know one another as human beings and to NOT go into potentially traumatic topics or events. I think it's worth spending extra time with groups to establish 1:1 connections based on positive life attributes, experiences and stories. This fosters resilience and enables groups to handle, together, the "hard" or more vulnerable stuff.

Covid has accelerated and redefined the era of technology. So now-a-days technology is a good enabler allowing you to voice out your opinions anonymously without any fear of retaliation. More so organise polls, share contents, conduct proctored exams, celebrate memories / contributions and be as critical in evaluation or assessments.

We’re resilient when we can bounce back, like a rubber bad easing its tension and returning to form. As humans, resilience comes from rest and recovery. Even better, growth or anti fragility comes from rest, recovery AND reflection. So, to stay resilient, ensure there is time for rest and recovery, micro (5 minutes), meso (45 minutes) and macro (45 minutes plus). Exercise, breathing, meditation, laughter, sleep. Even better, do so together in community, connection and with accountability.

Practising self-care is easier said than done. When you cite self-care, it embraces both physical and mental health covering aspects of sleeping, bowel habits, diet, exercise, meditation. Just having no physical symptoms does not warranty someone is perfect psychologically and vice versa. The seek support aspect is the most critical aspect and most challenging aspect as it should reflect an environment / support system to allow people to reach out without being judged or subjected to ridicule or embarrassment.

Embracing growth mindset is a welcome change as it is freeing oneself from colonial mindset, look at the situations multi-dimensionally and finding and applying unconventional lens to problems being more adaptable, optimistic and resilient.