LIFE Raft has asked Una Bryce, Integrative Counsellor, to lead four resilience workshops for the team and the whole community. Here she writes a bit about what resilience is, and what people can expect from the workshops – first one is Tuesday 7-8:30pm, 7 November at the Branson Centre.

In the words of the famous boxer Joe Louis, “everyone has a plan until they get hit”. And while most of us don’t make a living in the boxing ring, the idea still resonates because it highlights how, sometimes, plans fall by the wayside. We don’t know what’s coming down the track. There is a lot we cannot control. And that is where resilience matters.

What does resilience mean?

Resilience is something that we often practice without realising it. Life is full of difficulty. We all have many strands in our lives (jobs, families, friendships) and at any one point in time one of more those strands can experience breakdown or tension. What’s important is how we find our way back to ourselves. This means having the ability to adapt, persist and sometimes transform in the face of adversity.

What will the workshops cover?

In these upcoming workshops we will be exploring resilience in ourselves, in our teams and in our community.

We will reflect on our own ways of dealing with tension and look at how some of these methods work better than others. What works? What habits do we use that perhaps aren’t so effective? What can we learn from how other people handle tension?

My background is originally in fine art, and I worked as an art coordinator in a special school in London and as an art facilitator working with young people. Through all this I practiced a creative approach and began studying therapeutic techniques at the London Institute for Art and Therapy in Education. I have just finished my training as a counsellor at the Ulster University and I use my art background in client work.

Resilience is at the heart of the therapeutic process. I have witnessed people grow and prevail despite the greatest of shocks. It is always an inspiration.

When and where are the workshops?

The full schedule of the workshops is below – everyone on Rathlin is welcome (ages 16 and up). There will be refreshments after each session, and there’s no need to register in advance.

• Tuesday, 7 November – What is resilience? 7-8:30pm, Branson Centre
• Tuesday, 14 November – Building resilience. 7-8:30pm, Branson Centre
• Tuesday, 21 November – Releasing your power. 7-8:30pm, Branson Centre
• Tuesday, 28 November – A celebration of power. 7-8:30pm, Kelp House

I hope to see you there!