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Stamina Lab

Building Resilience through Psychological Flexibility with Dr. Deborah Teplow

Oct 24, 2023
Dr. Deborah Teplow, an expert in behavior design, discusses resilience and its foundation in psychological flexibility. Topics include finding meaning in life, the three ways to grow resilience, and the importance of daily challenges. Learn how to let others contribute to your resilience and the concept of the window of tolerance.
01:03:30

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Resilience is about expanding beyond difficult situations and acting in line with values.
  • Psychological flexibility and growth mindset are essential for building resilience.

Deep dives

The Keys to Resilience

Resilience is built upon psychological flexibility and the ability to act in line with one's values despite challenging emotions or thoughts. It is important to recognize that resilience is not about bouncing back from difficult situations but rather expanding beyond them. Building resilience involves staying present, gaining perspective, finding a sense of belonging, and developing skills for resilience. Examples of resilient individuals include Lauren Wasser, who turned her own traumatic experience into a movement for hygiene awareness, and Victor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor who emphasized the importance of attitude. Psychological flexibility and growth mindset are fundamental to resilience, allowing individuals to navigate discomfort and endure challenging circumstances. The mindset of resilience is particularly valuable in catastrophic situations where there may not be a possibility of bouncing back. Resilience can be strengthened by using imagination, careful language, and doing something challenging every day. It is also influenced by supportive relationships and the modeling of resilience by others. Understanding the concept of the window of tolerance is crucial to resilience, as it signifies the optimal range where individuals can effectively process stimuli. While hyperarousal involves intense activation and energy, hypoarousal leads to collapse and numbness. Techniques to deal with challenges outside of the window of tolerance include taking breaks, regrouping, and practicing self-compassion.

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