The video challenges the traditional notion of resilience as an individualistic endeavor, advocating instead for a collectivistic perspective. The speaker, a mental health counselor, presents this alternative viewpoint by highlighting how traditional Western approaches focused on individual traits like grit do not universally resonate, particularly within international communities where collective efforts are more valued. Through personal narratives and metaphors like the bamboo tree, the video illustrates how resilience can be seen as a communal construct reinforced by relationships and interconnectedness.

This presentation is compelling because it addresses the limitations of the meritocracy myth and the "American Dream" mentality, which suggest that individuals should rely solely on their personal strength to overcome adversity. By pointing out socio-economic disparities and systemic barriers that individuals face, the video highlights the need to rethink resilience as a shared capacity rooted in community and cultural connections. This approach not only supports individuals in overcoming challenges but also fosters a deeper sense of belonging and stability.

Main takeaways from the video:

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

Key Vocabularies and Common Phrases:

1. resilience [rɪˈzɪliəns] - (noun) - The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness. - Synonyms: (toughness, durability, flexibility)

I'm a mental health counselor and for three years I've been part of an international resilience research group that formed to define a collectivistic concept of resilience.

2. collectivistic [kəˌlɛktɪˈvɪstɪk] - (adjective) - Relating to the practice or principle of giving a group priority over each individual in it. - Synonyms: (communal, cooperative, shared)

Today we're going to rethink resilience through a collectivistic lens by expanding beyond the individualistic narrative of grit.

3. grit [ɡrɪt] - (noun) - Courage and resolve; strength of character. - Synonyms: (determination, perseverance, tenacity)

Today we're going to rethink resilience through a collectivistic lens by expanding beyond the individualistic narrative of grit.

4. meritocracy [ˌmɛrɪˈtɒkrəsi] - (noun) - A political philosophy that holds that power should be vested in individuals almost exclusively according to ability and talent. - Synonyms: (talentocracy, ability-based society, performance-based society)

So let's consider the American dream as a component of individualistic resilience. It encompasses the idea of meritocracy...

5. socioeconomic [ˌsəʊsiəʊˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk] - (adjective) - Relating to or concerned with the interaction of social and economic factors. - Synonyms: (financial-social, economic status, income-related)

But there is a flaw in the idea of meritocracy, because in the Western world and expanding outward globally, people are not supported equitably within socioeconomic systems.

6. meritocracy Myth [ˈmɛrɪˈtɒkrəsi mɪθ] - (noun phrase) - The false belief that success is solely based on individual effort and merit without considering systemic inequalities. - Synonyms: (false merit belief, achievement fallacy, merit falsehood)

There was no fix to the relationship I was in. In fact, giving more of myself to that propelled a tangle problems forward. I was experiencing the limits to pulling myself up by the bootstraps.

7. connectivity [ˌkɒnɛkˈtɪvɪti] - (noun) - The state or extent of being connected or interconnected. - Synonyms: (interconnectedness, linkage, network)

Because resilience is grown within a root system of connectivity.

8. interdependent [ˌɪntə(r)dɪˈpɛndənt] - (adjective) - (Of two or more people or things) dependent on each other. - Synonyms: (mutually dependent, co-dependent, interconnected)

Upon falling, it is other, reliant and interdependent.

9. adverse [ˈædvɜːrs] - (adjective) - Preventing success or development; harmful; unfavorable. - Synonyms: (unfavorable, detrimental, harmful)

According to Kennedy in 2020, when we understand resilience as an individual quality, it can lead to adverse outcomes such as harmful risk taking...

10. equitably [ˈekwɪtəbli] - (adverb) - In a fair and impartial manner; justly. - Synonyms: (fairly, impartially, justly)

...people are not supported equitably within socioeconomic systems.

Resilience through a collectivist lens - Erica Walters - TEDxEdmonds College

Loosen your bootstraps. Today we're going to rethink resilience through a collectivistic lens by expanding beyond the individualistic narrative of grit. I'm a mental health counselor and for three years I've been part of an international resilience research group that formed to define a collectivistic concept of resilience. The origin story of this group begins right here at Edmonds College, where my colleague had been finishing her counseling internship. She was using a strengths based style of counseling and this identifies individual qualities like independence and achievement that drive a person's ability to overcome challenges.

It became clear that this didn't resonate with the international student population. Many were left wondering if they were doing counseling right and at times feeling as though they weren't good enough. And in fact, many Western ideas of strength really don't resonate internationally because it overlooks the effort of the group. So my hope today is to shift the emphasis away from a set of individual qualities, instead expanding into the sense of how self healing is activated within caring attachments.

To set the scene for this collectivistic concept, I'll recite a piece called the Bamboo Tree. This was written by my fellow researchers, Dr. Colin Ward and Dr. Keiko Sano in 2022. The bamboo tree, known as one of the fastest growing plants in the world, begins slowly. The roots take time to become established as they seek connection to the surrounding grove for nourishment as well as depth to assist with stability. They grow best in pairs, and as the young trees increase their capacity for one another as well as their surroundings, they find depth. Connection in this way promotes not only rapid growth, but also the ability to withstand adverse conditions.

And this is relational resilience. It's stabilized through attachment and deepened by the shared sense of belonging with community, culture, and most importantly, one another. Withstanding adversity is not a single tree bending in the wind, nor an individual arising alone in the darkness. Upon falling, it is other, reliant and interdependent. All those who fall find support in the faith that others have in their strength to stand again. A faith that only comes when standing together, arm in arm.

In the Western tradition, a description of individualistic resilience is prevalent. Ward and his team in 2022 defined this as exposure to stressors from adverse life events that drive a person's perception of their ability to bounce back while also increasing their tolerance for future challenges. Working in the mental health field, I can tell you that healing is often defined by individualistic resilience. Imagine a client who comes in seeking treatment for a presenting problem, the dyad of client and clinician relies on an inherent power dynamic.

The struggling client seeks the expertise of a clinician who can discern the intervention that's going to lead to a cure. And the assumption here is that the clinician holds the knowledge and has the ability to fix the other. And this is where the story takes an interesting turn. Because the client can either pull themselves up by the bootstraps and address their problem with the prescribed solution, or alternatively, they risk remaining stuck if they're unable to overcome their problems. The message that gets internalized by the client who risks remaining stuck is that they don't have the inner strength to overcome the problems that they're facing. And this is where feelings of shame begin to grow.

According to Kennedy in 2020, when we understand resilience as an individual quality, it can lead to adverse outcomes such as harmful risk taking and abiding toxic social environments. What this means is that the individualistic idea of strength doesn't finish the story of resilience.

I'll give you a personal example of this. I'll take you all the way back to when I was in college and I remember what a struggle that first year was, living away from home for the first time, balancing academics, a job, emerging adulthood, and the relationship I was in at the time that seemed essentially important. This relationship wasn't going well, so I gave most of my attention to it. And consequently balancing other areas of my life became a lot harder. My grades were slipping enough that a professor intervened, telling me I was close to academic probation.

Around this time, I remember being asked what I had to be so stressed out about. And internally I thought, well, I have everything to be stressed out about. But the message was clear. It was time to show some grit. I needed to dig deeper, give more of myself, and then things should be fine. After all, hard work that's devoted to the desired end goal is part of the American Dream. And while it was well intended, this was not a great solution.

There was no fix to the relationship I was in. In fact, giving more of myself to that propelled a tangle problems forward. I was experiencing the limits to pulling myself up by the bootstraps. And the feeling I was left with was so deeply shameful, I felt like a failure. Here I was, that single tree bending in the wind, overlooking access to the caring attachments that could grow stability.

So let's consider the American dream as a component of individualistic resilience. It encompasses the idea of meritocracy, that when a person wants something badly enough, they can simply try harder and ultimately they'll work themselves out of their struggle. This according to McNamee and Miller in 2009. But there is a flaw in the idea of meritocracy, because in the Western world and expanding outward globally, people are not supported equitably within socioeconomic systems.

The presence of hardship and suffering isn't the fault of the individual because there are factors involved that make the lives of humans far more complex. Think of people living in neighborhoods underserved and under-resourced. Think of people who are discriminated against based on race. Suffering and challenges are rooted in this system.

So how do we rethink resilience? This is where the collectivistic narrative comes in. And again, I'll give you a personal story. I think back to the time when I was finishing up my master's program and I was invited by my mentor to join the research group I mentioned earlier. And the night before my first meeting, I was so full of nerves. I would be the most junior level member on the team, and I assumed that there would be a hierarchy based on expertise.

So I was really questioning the value of what I would have to contribute. But to my surprise, I was met with this space of sharing and curiosity. And from the start, the team believed in my ability and in my contribution. And being part of that group has led to more opportunities. And here I am talking with all of you today, and I can tell you this as a person who at times really struggles to believe in myself. This would have seemed like an unattainable dream. But because of my connection to these caring others who believed in my capacity, I had access to that root system that grows stability and that increased my ability to withstand the adversity of my own fears.

The point is, a person doesn't need to be the lone individual who embodies all the strength necessary to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Because resilience is grown within a root system of connectivity. Let's dig into that root system.

Working with the research team, we identified four essential components to collectivistic resilience. They are connection, community, culture, and capacity. We call these the four Cs. The first C is connection, and Unger in 2008 indicates that people look to be witnessed by supportive groups with the ability to hold their struggle. It is so powerful to be met in this way.

The second C is community, and this amplifies resilience by promoting caring attachments. Third is culture, and Echo Hawk in 1998 states that when an individual is raised within an ecosystem of their cultural traditions, then meaningful values are established. So culture is an aspect of caring attachments that builds methods to navigate struggle and finally, capacity. This describes an interaction within caring attachments.

Unger, this time in 2010, notes that an individual's participation within community creates a stronger whole by connection, and at the same time it increases the well being of the individual. I'll wrap up with this final thought that resilience is so much more than a solitary experience. Instead, it's an expression of the individual and their connection to the world they live in.

Thanks so much for your time today.

Resilience, Collectivism, Mental Health, Education, Inspiration, Philosophy, Tedx Talks