Michael Furlong, Natalia Jaramillo, Maryam Kia-Keating, and Rebeca Mireles-Rios of the Gevirtz School will be four of the presenters for the UC Santa Barbara Resilience Summit and Certificate Program. The summit features a dozen lectures in positive psychology designed to build the skills of mental health and cultivate resilience and optimism during difficult times. The series begins November 4th and runs through March 10th, 2021.
These interdisciplinary sessions will cover a variety of concepts from the basics of positive psychology, to utilizing mindfulness, to dealing with imposter syndrome. This program was designed for the current crises the country is facing so it will also discuss the importance of relationships in times of need, growth after periods of struggle and trauma, as well as racism and implicit bias.
This is a unique opportunity for the UCSB community that will provide consistent and active participants not only with skills, but also with a Certificate in the Science and Practice of Resilience that demonstrates their commitment to their personal growth. The certificate is provided by the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences. Participants would need to attend 8 of the 12 virtual talks and complete a handful of short assignments to earn the certificate, but anyone can also sign up for individual sessions without fulfilling the certificate requirements.
Maryam Kia-Keating will present “Conditioning for Resilience” on December 2. In our ever-changing, uncertain, and stressful world, the pressure to assess whether we are “resilient or not,” forces a dichotomous choice on a phenomenon that is much more complex. This talk will draw from the psychological science of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, and resilience, to inform how we might cultivate resilience in our own lives. Kia-Keating, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Clinical Psychology and a Licensed Clinical Psychologist. She directs the Trauma & Adversity, Resilience & Prevention (TARP) research program. She is a Consulting Editor for two scientific journals: Child Development and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology.
Mike Furlong will present “Monitoring California Students’ Complete Mental Wellness” on January 20. The importance of monitoring adolescents’ mental wellness is now as apparent as ever. This talk will describe a field-tested approach for assessing and monitoring students’ social-emotional wellness based on a study of more than 100,000 California secondary school students. Professor Furlong will provide information about how schools integrate screening/monitoring within a comprehensive mental wellness program that seeks to foster their thriving, life-long well-being. Mike is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus in School Psychology and Research Professor at the International Center for School Based Youth Development. He is also the coeditor of the Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools (2009, 2014, 2021) and Associate Editor of Educational and Developmental Psychologist and the Journal of Positive School Psychology. As the Director of Project Covitality, he works with schools, children, and young-adults of all ages to develop positive personal mindsets in order to foster thriving and lifelong wellbeing.
Rebeca Mireles-Rios and Dr. Victor Rios will present “Supporting At-Promise Students” on February 3. For the past 20 year, the Rioses have collaborated on working with at-promise students. In this talk, they will share about their journeys, their research and give a call for action. This inspiring lecture from such a renowned pair of individuals about overcoming adversity is sure to help many who find themselves in difficult situations. Rebeca is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education and Victor is Professor in the Department of Sociology and Associate Dean of Social Sciences. The dynamic husband-and-wife duo are featured in the award-winning documentary The Pushouts, an inspiring story about the grit and resilience of young people living with stigma, social exclusion, and poverty. Victor is also author of one of the most popular Ted Talks to have ever aired. His talk, “Help For Kids the Education System Ignores,” has over one and half million views.
Natalia Jaramillo will present “Let’s Talk about Posttraumatic Growth” on February 10. Posttraumatic growth is the phenomenon of self-reported positive change that can result from highly challenging life crises or a traumatic event. Obtaining a clear understanding about the construct of posttraumatic growth and the research in this area can be useful to understand the range of reactions that people can encounter following difficult life events. Jaramillo is a 5th year Ph.D. student in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology. Natalia has engaged in research examining the psychological impact of acute mass violence and natural disasters. Natalia is currently an NSF-funded AGEP Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) Alliance fellow which provides her with pedagogical training and experience to pursue a faculty career. Natalia is also passionate about providing therapy services and mentoring undergraduate students.
To learn more about the Summit or to register, go to the event's website.