Resilience
In response to all the research and documentation on the stress and strain on the US Army after a decade of protracted war, the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness program (CSF) came to life in 2009. It is a prevention program to ensure psychological fitness of the Army community, including soldiers and their families, through resilience. “Master resilience training” is a key component in the CSF program and it is being taught for drill sergeants who learn the tools of positive psychology, mental toughness, using strengths, and building strong relationships.
Some definitions of resilience are:
Psychological resilience was extrapolated from physical resilience. It has been defined in a number of ways and there is a lack of acceptance on one definition. However, common attributes include strengths to endure some type of traumatic or adverse circumstances and to adapt and grow and flourish beyond baseline functioning
Coaching
According to the ICF, coaching has been defined as:
an ongoing partnership designed to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Coaches help people improve their performances and enhance the quality of their lives.
Coaching is a confidential relationship between a trained coach and the client in a nonjudgmental and trusting space. The purpose of coaching is to bring clarity and awareness so the client can unlock his/her potential. Coaching can be a very powerful tool to overcome roadblocks on the transition to civilian life.
Coaching and Resilience
The National Center for PTSD has developed a scale, called the Response to Stressful Experiences Scale (RSES), to rate psychological traits that promote resilience, defined as the ‘ability to undergo stress and still retain mental health and well-being’. RSES has been tested on more than 1 000 active-duty soldiers and army personnel.
It identifies the following six factors:
Each trait can be explored, developed and sustained by working with a coach. The coach can first help the soldier identify his strengths as well as areas requiring improvement that will allow to design a plan for his personal resilience today and tomorrow.