Introduction: Creating your Resiliency Roadmap

Apr 27, 2020 | Dona Locke | @DrDonaLocke | Comments (16)

Road to Resilience

 

Hello Mayo Clinic Connect members and visitors!

This page is typically focused on topics that might be of benefit specifically to those living with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). Because of all the changes to our practice due to COVID-19, I've found myself in a new role here at Mayo Clinic--Resiliency workshop leader for our Mayo Clinic Arizona staff. Resilience is the ability to adapt to, or bounce back from, challenging life situations. A psychologist at the University of Nebraska, Dr. David Cates recognizes that it isn't just patients who are at risk for psychological distress in a situation like the COVID-19 pandemic--our health care workers are at risk, too. For example, in a recent article reporting survey results from over 1250 physicians and nurses from China showed that the majority reported some sort of distress (depression, anxiety, insomnia) after their time as health care workers during the COVID crisis. I read about Dr. Cates's work in this piece by the American Psychological Association in early March and reached out to him immediately. He was kind and generous in sharing his work--both how he helps patients and how he supports his fellow health care workers. Since then, we've implement his Resiliency Roadmap workshop here at Mayo Clinic Arizona for all staff in all capacities to help us all build our resiliency in this time of COVID-19 changes.

This role supporting my colleagues, has been very meaningful and rewarding. This week, it also is my turn to write an article for this newsfeed. This got me thinking---we can ALL use resiliency support!  And much of what we are doing with staff in our workshops can be broadly applied to any person facing any challenging situation. So, I want to take you on a resiliency-building journey with multiple posts over the next 2-3 weeks, taking you through the resiliency training we offer our staff as applied more generally. The goal is to help you build your own personal resiliency plan. We all experience stress differently, find different situations stressful, and find benefit from different types of coping tools. Lets spend these next couple weeks together working on these topics one at a time. At the end, I hope you'll have your own resiliency roadmap and toolbox for COVID-19 challenges or any other challenge you may be facing. If COVID-related issues really remain your primary stress, I also like this 5 minute video that offers coping tools that may be helpful in addition to working through this roadmap series with us. It is developed in a COVID-specific context but there are a number of tools you could put in your toolbox to apply for other situations.

Roadmap Plan:

Day 1: Identify your own personal signs of stress

Day 2: What aspects of a stressful situation are most likely to be challenging for you?

Day 3: Identify stress coping techniques that already work for you and some tips from me.

Day 4: Part 1 of formal relaxation techniques you may want to try--Focus on diaphragmatic breathing.

Day 5: Part 2 of formal relaxation techniques you may want to try--Building on diaphragmatic breathing.

Day 6: Healthy thinking and recognizing and reframing unhelpful thinking patterns.

Day 7: Intentional focus on positive emotions and experiences

Day 8: Social support (and keeping those connections in this time of physical distancing!)

When to ask for help:

I hope that the couple weeks together building and reinforcing your resiliency plan will help you feel confident and empowered with your own toolkit. But, the reality is that there are times when this toolkit may not be enough. So, if that's the case--please do not hesitate for ask for help. If you are experiencing daily anxiety, insomnia, irritability, withdrawal, and/or feeling numb such that your are significantly distressed and having trouble with daily functioning--Now's the time to ask for help. Please first call your primary care physician. Having a provider who knows your health history well is important. Consider the Alzheimer's Association 24/7 help line: 800-272-3900. You can search for a psychologist or mental health professional by looking at providers in your area on your insurance panel, asking your primary care physician for a recommendation, or searching Psychology Today

In addition to this series on resiliency, you may also appreciate joining in discussions on Mayo Clinic Connect's COVID-19 support network or look for other groups to join if your challenges really are not related to COVID-19 right now. For example, Just Want to Talk, Depression & Anxiety, and Caregivers for those with or without cognitive impairment are just a few of the connect group options. If you want more news COVID-19 and Mayo Clinic's response, I would recommend following Mayo Clinic News Network.

I look forward to sharing with you over these next weeks. When we do these topics with our staff, we seek lots of feedback on each topic so we can learn from one another. I hope you'll share your reactions and ideas each day!

Continue to Day 1: Creating your Resiliency Roadmap

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) blog.

This is an excellent idea. Thank you for starting it!

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@nevi5

This is an excellent idea. Thank you for starting it!

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Hi @nevi5, I also read this article with great interest. Thank you @DrDonaLocke.

Nevi, what helps you build resiliency?

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Wow. This is helpful and I'm looking forward to it. My husband has been through the HABIT program and we are missing our HABIT alumni group. But I'm keeping it together so far. Then, today - I heard on the news that Mayo was starting to furlough employees. I can tell you that it made me panic. I'm okay right this minute. So is my husband. But I don't want to lose any of our Mayo doctors, nurses, helpers. So... in answer to #1, I have identified one of my personal signs of stress. I'm about to write to my PCP to make sure she is still there! It will help me sleep better at night.

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@debbraw

Wow. This is helpful and I'm looking forward to it. My husband has been through the HABIT program and we are missing our HABIT alumni group. But I'm keeping it together so far. Then, today - I heard on the news that Mayo was starting to furlough employees. I can tell you that it made me panic. I'm okay right this minute. So is my husband. But I don't want to lose any of our Mayo doctors, nurses, helpers. So... in answer to #1, I have identified one of my personal signs of stress. I'm about to write to my PCP to make sure she is still there! It will help me sleep better at night.

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I understand your anxiety about loosing Mayo docs. I am very far away from my heart aneurysm test and surgeon and breast recheck with possible biopsy since I cannot fly to Rochester due to the virus. Too far to drive it. We were thinking of moving to be closer but that is on hold. It is just my husband and I with no immediate family. He has a heart condition also. This is all very concerning.
I have always been resilient but this time circumstances are my most challenging. I feel for those with various conditions I see on Connect. This is an extreme time for all. Deby

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This looks like an excellent topic! Thank you!

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Hi Deby @ginko - Thanks for your understanding. I actually did write my PCP and she is not going anywhere. It made me feel calmer when I read her reply. I'm wondering if you might write your own surgeon and other doctors to see if there are some alternatives closer to home that might work just for this current unusual circumstance? If you are like me, getting some additional information will make you feel better. Does this sound like an approach you could take?

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@nevi5 @ginko @debbraw @becsbuddy @bonniep Thanks to all of you for your "likes" and interest and enthusiasm for this topic! Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be the first step in building a roadmap so I hope you join me and send in your comments!

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I am looking forward to participating in the HABIT program!

God grant me the
SERENITY
To accept the things I cannot change,
COURAGE
To change the things I can
And WISDOM
To know the difference.

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@DrDonaLocke

@nevi5 @ginko @debbraw @becsbuddy @bonniep Thanks to all of you for your "likes" and interest and enthusiasm for this topic! Tomorrow (Wednesday) will be the first step in building a roadmap so I hope you join me and send in your comments!

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How do I join in today?

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@helenfrances

I am looking forward to participating in the HABIT program!

God grant me the
SERENITY
To accept the things I cannot change,
COURAGE
To change the things I can
And WISDOM
To know the difference.

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So be it. Words of divine wisdom and grace.

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