The Resilience Revolution

Vol 18, No 4 (2010)

Approaches to challenging youth are being transformed by an impressive body of knowledge about resilience, the human capacity to surmount adversity and thrive. The Circle of Courage synthesizes this research into four universal needs: attachment, achievement, autonomy, and altruism. This new paradigm is providing a blueprint for building strengths in all children and youth. This special issue explores practical applications of this research to education, treatment, juvenile justice, and positive youth development.

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Book Reviewsback to top

Deep Brain Learning

Timothy Baker, John H. Hoover

Deep Brain Learning (Brendtro, Mitchell, & McCall, 2009) blends brain research with findings from diverse disciplines to provide evidence for effective approaches in reclaiming disconnected youth.

Growing Up in the Care of Strangers

John R. Seita, Waln K. Brown

The authors share rich perspectives from their new book which is co-authored by eleven former foster kids who are now dedicated professionals working to transform systems which serve vulnerable children and youth.

Culture and Developmentback to top

The Resilience Revolution: Our Original Collaboration

Martin Brokenleg

The Circle of Courage™ philosophy emerged from research on how Native American cultures reared respectful, responsible children without resorting to coercive discipline. It was first presented at international conferences of the Child Welfare League of America in Washington, DC, and the Trieschman Center in Boston. The model entered the mainstream of education and youth work with the 1990 publication of Reclaiming Youth at Risk by Larry Brendtro, Martin Brokenleg, & Steve Van Bockern. This article reviews the development of this resilience model over the past two decades.

Chillihuani's Culture of Respect and the Circle of Courage

Inge Bolin

A Canadian anthropologist describes how “rituals of respect” permeate the indigenous culture of a remote mountainous village in Peru. When children’s needs for belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity are met, they thrive and achieve their full potential.

The Oneness of Humankind

Sharon E. Davis

The guiding principle behind the healing of racism is the Oneness of Humankind. This is not an old concept warmed over. It is knowledge about our collective capacity to reach deep into the human spirit and solve the most complex challenges of our time.

CYC-Net

Thom Garfat, Brian Gannon

The world’s leading website for child and youth professionals is cyc-net.org which is hosted in South Africa. The founders of the site describe the history and scope of free resources available on this site which is visited by one million persons each year.

Educational Innovationsback to top

Why Competent Persons Have Meltdowns Working with Troubled Students

Nicholas J. Long

How do otherwise competent helpers “lose it” in work with certain troubled children and youth? Drawing on extensive research and practice expertise, this article identifies four causes of these predictable professional “meltdowns” and proposes strategies for prevention.

From the Editorback to top

The Reclaiming Saga: The Second Century of the Child

Larry K. Brendtro, Martin L. Mitchell, Nicholas J. Long

In the early twentieth century, democratic ideals transformed schools, courts, and children’s programs. Educational pioneers found untapped strengths in “wayward” youth and forged restorative programs rooted in values of respect and self-governance. Nazi occupation of Europe brought many European reformers to North America where Michigan, with its long progressive tradition, became the epicenter of the reclaiming movement. This journal, now published through a collaboration of the Circle of Courage Institute and Starr Commonwealth, networks leaders in reclaiming youth worldwide.

Treatment and Familyback to top

Searching for Truth

Mark D. Freado, Steve Van Bockern

The Developmental Audit® offers an alternative to traditional assessments that diagnose disorder and focus on pathology. These assessments often end with negative labels for the child and discouraged spirits for all involved in that young person’s life. The Developmental Audit®, on the other hand, encourages youth in conflict to help identify strengths that can be used to solve problems and find solutions.

Strength-Based Discipline that Taps into the Resilience of Youth

Scott Larson

Between 85 and 90 percent of 17-year-olds self-report committing an act for which they could be arrested (Moffitt, 1993). At the same time, attempts to regulate teens’ behavior by either reward or punishment almost always backfire and produce even more aberrant behavior and rebellion. Several methods of engaging with young people and their destructive behaviors yield more positive behavior outcomes, empower young people to grow in both character and positive decision-making skills, and strengthen the bond between the adult caregiver and the youth.

Searching for Strengths: Rethinking "Disorders"

Robert Foltz

There is growing debate about limitations of the current DSM diagnostic system with children and youth. A case in point is the use by schools of TeenScreen programs purporting to identify mentally ill students. Instead of profiling troubled youth, effective diagnosis empowers youth as experts with unique perspectives on challenges they face in family, school, and community.

Structured Sensory Trauma Interventions

William Steele, Caelan Kuban

The National Institute of Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC) has trained thousands of professionals in methods that move beyond cognitive, talk therapy to create deep brain exercises of safety and trust. Through corrective sensory experiences, children learn to overcome terror and manage emotional arousal.

Families and the Circle of Courage

Thom Garfat, Steve Van Bockern

This article considers how the Circle of Courage principles of Belonging, Mastery, Independence, and Generosity impact families.

The Academy for Positive Peer Culture

Erik K. Laursen

Positive Peer Culture [PPC] creates a pro-social climate in schools and youth programs by enlisting youth in helping their peers. Research and training in PPC is coordinated by the Academy for Positive Peer Culture.

Combat or Cooperation?

Thomas F. Tate, Randall L. Copas

The best intentioned efforts of adults are often sabotaged by coercive climates of bullying among peers and conflict with adults. The solution is to create cultures where youth cooperate with authority and treat one another with respect.

Voices of Youthback to top