The video examines the importance of building resilience in children and young adults who face adversity. It is emphasized that resilience is a skill developed over time through specific strategies, such as connection, possibilities, and reframing, collectively referred to as the CPR of mental well-being. Through personal anecdotes and research, the speaker explains the significant role of resilience in overcoming adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which can lead to mental health issues.

The speaker shares her personal journey with ACEs, highlighting the importance of early intervention and resilience strategies to prevent negative mental health outcomes. Various statistics reveal the prevalence of ACEs and the mental health crisis among youth, pointing out the crucial impact of fostering resilience. By presenting real-life examples and personal stories, the video illustrates the transformative power of connections, envisioning future possibilities, and reframing negative thoughts to support mental and emotional growth.

Main takeaways from the video:

Please remember to turn on the CC button to view the subtitles.

Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. resilient [rɪˈzɪliənt] - (adj.) - Able to withstand or recover quickly from difficult conditions. - Synonyms: (robust, flexible, adaptable)

You know how people say kids are resilient? They're tough, and they'll bounce back from anything? Well, in reality, most children who face adversity don't just get over it

2. adversity [ədˈvɜːrsɪti] - (n.) - A difficult or unpleasant situation or condition. - Synonyms: (misfortune, hardship, trial)

You know how people say kids are resilient? They're tough, and they'll bounce back from anything? Well, in reality, most children who face adversity don't just get over it.

3. reframe [ˈriːfreɪm] - (v.) - To change the way something is viewed or considered. - Synonyms: (rethink, reinterpret, reevaluate)

CPR of mental well-being. C stands for connection, P for possibilities, and R for reframe.

4. correlations [ˌkɔːrəˈleɪʃənz] - (n.) - A mutual or reciprocal relationship between two or more things. - Synonyms: (connections, relationships, associations)

The foundational ACE study shows, among other scientific findings, a direct correlation between having adverse childhood experiences and poor health and mental health disorders.

5. intervention [ˌɪntərˈvɛnʃən] - (n.) - Action taken to improve a situation, especially a medical disorder. - Synonyms: (mediation, involvement, engagement)

Without intervention, without resilience strategies, many young people are at risk for developing mental health conditions.

6. trajectory [trəˈdʒɛktəri] - (n.) - The path followed by an object moving under the influence of given forces. - Synonyms: (course, route, path)

And this shifts the trajectory of their lives.

7. reframe [ˈriːfreɪm] - (v.) - To adjust and reinterpret one's perception or interpretation of a situation. - Synonyms: (reorient, reshuffle, revalue)

And at the times when I'd lost hope, they helped me reframe and see my circumstances through the lens of my strengths.

8. persistently [pərˈsɪstəntli] - (adv.) - In a continued or prolonged manner. - Synonyms: (constantly, continuously, steadily)

The CDC and other national surveys indicates that 30% of high school students and 50% of female students feel persistently sad and hopeless.

9. resilience [rɪˈzɪljəns] - (n.) - The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. - Synonyms: (endurance, strength, fortitude)

resilience, the ability to adapt and recover in healthy ways, is not something we're born with.

10. adverse [ˈædvɜːrs] - (adj.) - Preventing success or development; harmful or unfavorable. - Synonyms: (unfavorable, detrimental, negative)

I didn't realize it at the time, but my tough circumstances are called adverse childhood experiences, or aces

Super Resilient Strategies for the Next Generation - Lorry Leigh Belhumeur - TEDxStGeorgeStudio

You know how people say kids are resilient? They're tough, and they'll bounce back from anything? Well, in reality, most children who face adversity don't just get over it. resilience, the ability to adapt and recover in healthy ways, is not something we're born with. It's a skill we learn and can strengthen with specific strategies. Today, I'll share three strategies with you you can use right away to cultivate resilience in the lives of the young people in your life. These strategies can be life saving and life enhancing. CPR of mental well being. C stands for connection, P for possibilities, and R for reframe.

As a psychologist, educator, and CEO of a large, nonprofit children's mental health services organization, I've taught these strategies to college and high school students, to teachers and counselors and parents and people of all walks of life. I've applied them to my own journey of building resilience, and it fuels my passion for helping others, knowing the positive impact they make. By the time I got to college, my mother had been married five times. I was sexually abused by my adoptive dad and a neighborhood, and I went to school with bruises from my shoulders to my knees. And home was not a safe place. I didn't realize it. I didn't realize it at the time, but my tough circumstances are called adverse childhood experiences, or aces. These are ten specific aces that children might face before turning the age of 18.

Physical sexual emotional abuse physical emotional neglect having household challenges like living with a parent with mental illness or a substance use disorder. A sudden loss of a relative due to divorce or being in jail or domestic violence in the home. The maximum ace score a person can get is ten. One for each. I scored eight. The foundational ACE study shows, among other scientific findings, a direct correlation between having adverse childhood experiences and poor health and mental health disorders. My childhood was not unique. Aces are common. The original ACE study showed that over 60% of adults had at least one adverse childhood experience or aces 20% had three or more.

Those that had four or more were over 400% more likely to experience depression, anxiety, or post traumatic stress disorder, and 1200% more likely to attempt suicide. I'm particularly interested in the link between the exposure to aces and the risk of developing depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicidal intent. The us surgeon general confirmed that we now face a youth mental health crisis in our nation. The CDC and other national surveys indicates that 30% of high school students and 50% of female students feel persistently sad and hopeless, and aces are a key contributing factor. Without intervention, without resilience strategies, many young people are at risk for developing mental health conditions.

We all want our kids to thrive. The good news is that we can do something about it. Imagine what if we could help the young people in our lives become super resilient? Imagine what if there was something we could do today, right now? Would you do it? At our children's mental health services organization, we screen for aces and the majority of kids that come through our doors have at least one and 35% have four or more. And since they are exposed to aces, we know the risk and we know that when we are preventive versus reactive, when we intervene early, kids can and do respond positively and learn new skills. And this shifts the trajectory of their lives. They can greatly increase self esteem, confidence and mental well being. Kids can set a path to healthy relationships, career success, good health and a fulfilling life.

So how can we create super resilience in our amazing young people? Remember the initial CPR? The first strategy is to connect. Having positive and trusting relationships is vital, especially for young people with challenging backgrounds. When I was in my senior year, while my friends were touring and applying to colleges, I wasn't. I didn't think college was possible for me with all the things that were going on. And my Spanish teacher misses camp.

We had a connection and she believed in me and she saw my strengths and she took me aside one day and she said, Lori, you're going to college. And that simple sentence set me on a new path. She helped me with my college applications and I still credit her for being a part of my resilience journey. You can be like misses camp to the young people in your life. You can be the positive connection and I bet you already are. And the next time you're with a young person and connect, notice them. Really notice them. Be the caring, dependable adult who believes in them and sees their strengths. And even better, look for one supportive action that you can take to set them on a new path. Even one tangible step of assistance can change the rest of their lives.

The second p the second strategy is possibilities. Being able to consider possibilities means imagining a future where success is the only option. And having something to look forward to gives young people direction and purpose. Recently, I asked a group of 9th graders my favorite question, what makes your heart sing? And I encourage them to consider a future full of possibilities. Set a goal doing what they love. And Max, he wanted to be a champion on his wrestling team, and he mapped out specific steps to make it happen and which one to take first. And he committed to moving forward toward that goal.

Carla wanted to be a famous singer, but couldn't imagine her best first step. And she thought for a while and she thought for a while and she said, I can't think. I can't think of anything. And I suggested, well, how about you sing. Sing in front of people. Sing in front of the class. Sing in the mall if you want to. And Carla looked down. I couldn't do that. Her friends were kind of encouraging her. Carla, you sing great. You're a great singer. And she still looked down and said, I can't do that. I can't sing in front of people I don't know. And I said, well, Carla, if you're a famous singer, do you think that you'll sing in front of strangers?

And she kind of blushed and said, okay, I suppose you're right. And Max and Carla are considering the future possibilities of doing what makes the their heart sing. And you can do the same the next time you're with a young person. Ask them that question, what makes your heart sing? And help them think about the best first step to move in the direction of their dreams and goals, doing what they love.

The third strategy R is for reframe. Cognitive reframing is the ability to view situations from a different and healthier perspective and helping young people shift their thoughts from what's wrong with me to what happened to me and even better, what's strong in me. And that's vital for building resilience. And I'll give you an example. Michelle was on the honor roll in her school when she was transferred from a private to a public school. And they tested her for the gifted and talented education program. And her mom was told that Michelle had a severe learning disability and she would struggle with math the rest of her life. And Michelle heard about this and her math grades plummeted. She became depressed, unsure of herself and anxious. And once an enthusiastic student, she sat in the back and tried to hide her.

Coach, Mister Jensen, noticed this change in her demeanor, and he took the time to sit with her and listen. And Michelle told him about the test and her disability. And instead of joining Michelle in her woe, Coach Jensen said, you must have worked really hard to get those good grades in math in the past when you were younger and your brain made it happen. To me, it sounds like you have a super brain. And that moment with Coach Jensen changed Michelle's inner talk about her abilities. And she stopped hiding and she took on new challenges and went on to do graduate work in science and now is the CEO of her own company. So the next time you're with a young person saying something negative about themselves, about something that happened, think about what's good in it, and then help them reframe their thinking in a way that helps them see it through their strengths.

In those examples and mine lie the three resilience building strategies. Connect possibilities and reframe. You can help the young people in your life become super resilient. And I'm telling you, these interactions can change their trajectory. I've seen it happen over and over again. I wasn't resilient, at least not at first. The adults in my life had no idea what was going on, all that was going on at home. And frankly, and to be honest, I didn't need them to. They connected with me. They were supportive and believed in me. They saw my strengths and helped me consider my possibilities. And at the times when I'd lost hope, they helped me reframe and see my circumstances through the lens of my strengths.

I am who I am today because of the adversities I experience. It was when I was able to cultivate resilience and that I was able to move on and forward in my life. So consider the possibility of joining me in trying these simple and powerful strategies to be resilient in your life, and then take them to the young people in your life. Being super resilient is a life giving process, no matter if we're young or young at heart, and if you haven't already, begin today and imagine the ripple effect of positive impact that we can make together. Thank you.

Education, Mental Health, Resilience, Leadership, Innovation, Youth Empowerment, Tedx Talks