Fostering Resilience in a Stressed Culture (online)

Many more children than in the past are diagnosed these days with various learning and
behaviour difficulties and many have problems learning from negative experiences. Schools
are also having to deal with an increasing incidence of bullying which “zero tolerance” policies
do not seem to be diminishing. Dr. Matés sessions, based on his best-selling books, will include
generous time for interactive dialogue with participants and will focus on the causes and
underlying dynamics of the challenges faced by today’s children—and therefore, by the adults
tasked with nurturing and educating them. It will be shown that the most important feature of
any approach to resilience needs to be the attachment relationship between children and the
adults responsible for their care. Sometimes we seek to avoid conflict by keeping each other at
an emotional arm’s length, creating yet another impediment to genuine connection.