Nurturing Resilience

Raising children to be competent and caring.

Michael Ungar Ph.D.

Rekindling Love at 35,000 Feet

Air travel is likely to reach record highs this year, and with it, the opportunity for people to finally reconnect.

When Values Diverge, Is Separation the Best Option?

Personal perspective: Family therapy has taught me that when people hold values that divide them, separation is a path to mutual respect and social resilience. Maybe nations need to learn this too.

Should I Vacation with My Spouse or Take a Break on My Own?

The past two years have been difficult for couples. Vacations can be a way of making relationships more sustainable, even when not taken together.

How to Keep Employees From Leaving in a Hot Job Market

With unemployment rates so low, businesses risk losing great employees unless they inspire connection and reward commitment.

Maintaining Workplace Resilience When Change Happens Fast

A business that shows resilience during a period of rapid change is one that thinks about the many different interacting systems that have to work together.

If Your Energy Is Low, Where Do You Find More?

Supply chain management has a surprising number of ideas that we can use to think about our own resilience during crises.

Why the Vaccinated Are Now Willing to Break COVID-19 Rules

Social science tells us that if people feel herd immunity has been reached, pandemic restrictions must end, or else we risk undermining our trust in public health authorities.

How to Deal With an Anti-Vaxxer at Thanksgiving Dinner

When a relative won’t vaccinate and is putting our health at risk, there are strategies that may work to change the situation.

Yoga and Meditation Are Not Enough

More and more studies are pointing to an epidemic of mental disorders as the pandemic rages on.

Young People Are Very, Very Anxious About Climate Change

New research tells us that 40 percent of kids are hesitant to have children, and feel that their future is doomed.

How Does Losing a War Make People Feel?

The long-running war in Afghanistan appears to be over, and the United States and their allies have lost. How do such losses make people feel—and what can we learn from them about the effects of war?

The Psychological Benefits of Building a Home

Building a new home can be one of the most exciting — and most stressful — things we ever do. It can also teach us lessons for lifelong resilience.

All-Electric F150 Pickup Truck Will Affect Mental Health

When one-industry towns that depend on oil and gas production have to diversify their economy, it means big disruptions to people’s identities and family functioning.

Which Children Benefit Most from Publicly-Funded Preschool?

Even though preschool doesn't improve academic performance, it delivers real benefits in terms of behavior and attendance at college.

The Year Sex Fizzled

Rates of sexual activity during the pandemic have declined, which is straining our mental health. More sex may be exactly what we need to resist depression.

Be a Super Changer, Not a Super Attractor

Just because we think that success is the result of positive thinking doesn’t mean that it is.

Recovery Can Be Just Another Word for Failure

Every major crisis can teach us better ways of living if we are willing to embrace our potential for transformation.

Is Mental Health Really Getting Worse During the Pandemic?

New research suggests that not everyone is doing worse, and some people may even be thriving.

Will Wearing Masks Affect Children’s Emotional Development?

Public health measures are absolutely necessary, but there are unintended consequences for our children, including arrested emotional development.

Why Are Anti-Vaxxers Willing to Harm Themselves and Others?

They don’t trust science, refuse to contribute to herd immunity, and love the power of thinking they’re right. Those three mistakes put everyone at risk.

The Upside to the Pandemic (Is There One?)

Studies of people who have divorced, become widowed, deployed overseas with the military, or recovered from cancer show that 10% of people experience improved mental health after adversity.

60% of Americans Lack the Resilience to Cope With COVID-19

While younger and older Americans are a little more likely to cope with the pandemic, young adults and the unemployed report struggling with mental and physical health problems.

Getting Children Back to School During COVID-19

Our children’s return to school can be made easier with three simple strategies I call the Three "O"s.

When Is Being Happy Not Good for You?

Being happy can make us more judgemental and less capable of responding well during a crisis.

Children Need to Know That People Are Dying of COVID-19

We’ve known for centuries that children are capable of dealing with death if we stop being overprotective.

12 Good Things to Say to a Friend During This Crisis

We may not need professional help if we have a friend who is willing to listen.

Homeschooling Driving You Crazy? Turn Chores Into Lessons

Turning learning at home into a meaningful, timely contribution can help motivate a child to learn—even if parents don't follow the prescribed curriculum.

Resilience During a Pandemic

Coping with social isolation takes more than positive thinking. It requires us to reach out and find the psychological and social resources we need to adapt and thrive.

What Teens Need During a Pandemic

Social distancing and a lack of activities can lead to increased levels of depression unless we offer teens the tools to remain resilient.

Should Teens Be More Sexually Active?

As sexual activity declines and loneliness increases, young people are more likely to experience mental health problems.

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