resilient & resourced podcast - season 2, episode 1

Running a Good Race

Dr. Barbara Ward has been working in the field of social work for 30 years and is currently the Mental Health Lead for the Waterloo Region District School Board, a Clinical Supervisor and is also a valued workshop presenter in the areas of Resilience and Self-Care. A lifelong runner, Barb draws on the lessons she’s learned from her running practice, through recovering from injuries as well as positive psychology and mindfulness. Join us for this inspirational conversation about how leaning into everything can help us build up our stores of resilience for times when it is needed most.  https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLTZvxYl7vFHMiNDb_GlYatecQpgMLep68 Barb has been running since she was 10 years old so has a lifetime of lessons and insights that have come from listening to her body’s wisdom through that practice. Running provided her with a mechanism to help work through adverse emotions and even positive ones. It became a way to deal with life even when the physical act of running didn’t always feel good. Growing up in a family system where resilience was expected, she learned the skill of working through challenges without complaint early in life. This introduction to resilience-building evolved into a skill that she has relied on to face physical, relational and professional challenges. Barbara also shares the benefits of developing that habit of attending to your “self-care buckets'' as a method for support during difficult times. From single parenting to running the Boston Marathon to defending her PhD, Barb has had plenty of opportunities to lean into difficult times and to learn from them. Keenly aware of her privilege, Barb is a grounded source of wisdom and encouragement for those looking for resilience, within themselves and from external resources. To dig deeper into the work of Barbara Frederickson (Broaden and Build Theory) and Michael Ungar to learn more about their theories of resilience, click on the links. You can connect with Dr. Barbara Ward on LinkedIn.