We were so excited as we anticipated the arrival of our second child. Adam would have a brother and we would have another child to nurture and love.
The day arrived. We dropped Adam off at my parents and we proceeded to the hospital. Eric was born and what happened next, was completely unexpected. “This baby is tugging”, cried the nurse.
“What?” “Tugging” “What the heck is that?”
Without warning, our joy and bliss was gone. Just like that. Instead, there was confusion, disruption, and worry.
Unforeseen and unpredicted events are life altering. Sudden change is often perceived as a loss. Engulfed in an excess of emotions, it is easy to become exhausted, overwhelmed and crushed.
When I began my work with families and support professionals, I had no idea how much I would learn, about myself, and about the lives of others. I heard so many stories from many families and support people and the common theme was about stress, grief, and concern.
People continually remarked on my optimism, despite my very challenging family situation. Every day, I was learning, from my family and from those around me. I saw my circumstance as an opportunity, rather than as a loss and I wanted to pass along this energy to people who were going through a similar experience.
I created “The Road to Resilience” as a course for people to get in touch with their emotions and to better understand their grief. To offer a chance to realize how shame and vulnerability can affect their ability to communicate and stay connected to family members and friends. Finding ways to take care of yourself no matter how busy you are taking care of others is a key element in your road to resilience. I want people to learn about and strengthen their emotional intelligence so that they can become more resilient and view their situation as an opportunity and a reason to celebrate.
Hope, optimism, perseverance and planning can help you turn your emotions to energy and to explore the possibilities that lay ahead.
I am looking forward to providing this workshop to all people who have gone through a sudden and unexpected change so that they can feel more positive, focused, flexible and organized. From emotions to energy and opportunity, that is the road to resilience. If you would like to organize The Road to Resilience for the families that you support, contact me by phone: 519-551-0780 or by email: lisa@lisaraffoul.ca
~ Lisa
Interested in participating in the course? Register for this course with Autism Windsor Essex.
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