Cultivating Hope: Practices and Paradoxes in Sustaining Hope in the Presence of Distress and Trauma

How well we navigate the most traumatic moments and chronic stressors in our lives depends on our capacity to stabilize health while seeding a grounded hope. This workshop integrates research that explores practices and perspectives enabling a true hope, one rooted in the capacity to face stressors and their sequalae without denial as one builds cognitive, emotive and behavioral strategies for betterment. We will examine how hope is defined, what cultivates optimism, the importance of prospective outlooks, as well as the value of micro-habit development. Paradoxical considerations will be outlined, such as hope as a source of both action and inaction. Further we will discuss the relationship between significant sub-categories of research, e.g. character strengths and efficacy, narrative reflection, social support, appreciation and noting progress, and meaning development as they relate to hope elevation.