Finding Resilience when debilitating illness (ME/CFS) brings change, loss and grief

Elizabeth Hamilton, a social worker and counsellor, recently talked with us about finding resilience when debilitating illness brings many changes to our lives, along with loss, and grief.
Presentation for MECFS Canterbury, 31st May 2023.

Elizabeth walked us through:
✦ Acknowledging the changes and loss
✦ The normal response of grief to loss
✦ What can we do to adapt to the loss and our circumstances?

Key quote...
"Resilience is the process and outcome of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences,
especially though mental, emotional, and behavioural *flexibility* and *adjustment* to external and internal demands."
American Psychological Association

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*ABOUT ELIZABETH HAMILTON*
Elizabeth Hamilton is a registered social worker who has worked in a variety of health settings for many years, including Older Persons Mental Health and palliative care.

She now works privately offering supervision, counselling, and ACC social work under contract.

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*ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:*
✦ Timestamped slide list further below
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*CONTENT /SLIDE LIST:*
00:00 Introduction
03:30 Definition of Resilience – Take 1
04:50 Quote - Chronic illness diagnosis, plus discussion of the different direction it may force
08:25 Changes – Discussion about the changes we have experienced as a result of having ME/CFS
12:00 Changes – A circle - What is outside of my control, and what is in our control?
14:07 Quote – "When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves." Victor E Frankl
15:40 Definition of Resilience – Take 2
17:32 Thoughts on Living through and with Change
- 18:33 including exercise with arms folded
30:22 Unwanted Change can often bring Loss... grief...
33:28 Types of Grief
41:22 Grief vs Grieving
41:50 How do we manage Living with loss and grief?
49:50 What do I have energy for?
54:05 Resilience – Take 3
54:51 Version of the serenity prayer