Build Your Resilience

What is "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson about?

• Focus on psychological resilience: The book explores how ordinary people can adapt and cope well with adversity by developing skills like problem-solving, emotional regulation, and social competence.
• Integrative approach: Donald J. Robertson combines evidence-based cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) with modern mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies, especially Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
• Practical self-help guide: Readers are provided with a step-by-step plan to build resilience, emphasizing values clarification, acceptance, mindfulness, relaxation, and social skills for thriving in any situation.

Why should I read "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson?

• Preventative and general wellbeing: The book aims to enhance resilience for both current and future adversities, improving overall quality of life rather than just fixing specific problems.
• Evidence-based strategies: It draws on well-researched psychological therapies, including CBT, ACT, and relaxation training, ensuring scientifically supported advice.
• Holistic and accessible: Robertson integrates ancient Stoic philosophy with modern psychology, making the content practical and relevant for everyday challenges.

What are the key takeaways and focus points from "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson?

• Skill acquisition and practice: Building resilience is likened to learning a physical skill, requiring systematic practice of techniques like Progressive and Applied Relaxation, worry postponement, and assertiveness.
• Mindfulness and acceptance: Central themes include accepting internal experiences, practicing cognitive defusion, and cultivating present-moment awareness to reduce unhelpful emotional reactions.
• Philosophical integration: Stoicism is presented as a timeless framework, emphasizing control over actions, acceptance of external events, and living in accordance with personal values.

How does Donald J. Robertson define psychological resilience in "Build Your Resilience"?

• Positive adaptation: Resilience is described as “patterns of positive adaptation during or following significant adversity,” relying on everyday skills like problem-solving and emotional regulation.
• Commitment to values: Robertson frames resilience as the ability to remain committed to one’s core values despite setbacks, rather than simply eliminating distress.
• Dynamic process: Resilience is seen as an ongoing, flexible process of coping well and bouncing back, not about being perfect or emotion-free.

What are the main risk and protective factors for resilience according to "Build Your Resilience"?

• Risk factors: These include childhood developmental issues, daily hassles, major setbacks (like bereavement or illness), and the stress of seeking greater meaning or purpose.
• Protective factors: Social support from family, friends, and community is highlighted as the most consistent protective factor, along with self-acceptance, confidence, and emotional regulation.
• Experiential avoidance: Attempts to control or avoid unpleasant internal experiences often backfire, increasing distress and reducing resilience.

What is experiential avoidance and why is it important in "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson?

• Definition: Experiential avoidance is the unhelpful effort to suppress, control, or avoid unpleasant thoughts, feelings, or memories—a core concept in ACT.
• Counterproductive effects: Trying to avoid or control internal experiences often worsens emotional suffering and interferes with living according to values.
• Creative hopelessness: The book encourages letting go of futile control efforts and instead cultivating psychological flexibility through mindful acceptance and valued action.

How does "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson explain values clarification and its role in resilience?

• Values as life directions: Values are described as ongoing, intrinsic life directions (e.g., “acting with integrity”) that guide actions, not just specific goals.
• Distinction from goals: Values provide meaning and motivation, while goals are specific, achievable outcomes that serve those values.
• Foundation for resilience: Clarifying values helps define what resilience means personally and motivates individuals to face emotional challenges.

What does "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson say about commitment to valued action?

• Central to resilience: Acting according to core values despite internal barriers is presented as the essence of emotional resilience.
• Goal-setting and planning: The book recommends setting SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-limited) aligned with values and scheduling value-driven activities.
• Overcoming barriers: It distinguishes between external (practical) and internal (psychological) barriers, suggesting problem-solving for the former and mindfulness/acceptance for the latter.

What are acceptance and cognitive defusion, and how do they contribute to resilience in "Build Your Resilience"?

• Acceptance: Willingness to fully experience unpleasant thoughts and feelings without struggling against them, in service of valued living.
• Cognitive defusion: Techniques for seeing thoughts as mental events rather than literal truths, reducing their emotional impact (e.g., labeling thoughts, imagining them as leaves on a stream).
• Psychological flexibility: Together, acceptance and defusion foster an “open” response style, increasing flexibility and enabling value-driven action despite internal challenges.

How does "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson describe mindfulness and its role in resilience?

• Mindfulness as ‘centred’ responding: Mindfulness involves present-moment awareness and adopting the perspective of self-as-observer, complementing acceptance and defusion.
• Reducing rumination and worry: Mindfulness helps limit unproductive rumination about the past and worry about the future, common in anxiety and depression.
• Practical exercises: The book includes mindfulness practices like mindful eating, body scans, and brief meditations to cultivate awareness and flexibility in daily life.

What is Progressive Relaxation and how is it used in "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson?

• Scientific muscle relaxation: Progressive Relaxation (PR) involves systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups to achieve deep relaxation and reduce residual tension.
• Stepwise training: The book outlines a five-week program, starting with seven muscle groups and progressing to fewer groups and relaxation by recall, making the practice efficient and effective.
• Resilience benefits: PR reduces physical and mental tension, improves stress tolerance, and complements mindfulness and acceptance strategies.

How does "Build Your Resilience" by Donald J. Robertson integrate Stoicism into modern resilience-building?

• Philosophical origins: Stoicism, an ancient philosophy, teaches distinguishing what is within our control from what is not, influencing modern CBT and resilience methods.
• Core principles: The Stoics advocated focusing on one’s own actions and intentions, accepting external outcomes with equanimity, and living in accordance with Nature.
• Practical exercises: The book introduces Stoic practices like the “reserve clause,” the “View from Above,” and contemplating the ideal Sage to foster perspective, acceptance, and value-driven living.