Understanding Resilience

Resilience is a fundamental skill that correlates to higher life satisfaction and success. This guided, interactive presentation explains the relevant neuroscience of resilience (The 'Why') and provides frameworks and strategies for proactively building more resilient minds (The 'How').

  • High resilience is strongly correlated to life satisfaction and our long-term success.

  • Improving resilience is considered a major protective factor for mental health and overall wellness.

  • People who are more resilient can adapt in challenging situations, helping those around them.

  • Failure is part of life, and resilient people are able to use failure to aid in their future success.

What's Included?

  • Educational Vignettes

    25 minutes of highly visual and intentionally concise videos (1 min on average), so you can keep the session moving and focus on vibrant discussions with your participants.

  • Built-In Discussions

    Discussions with instructions and prompts for engaging your participants are built right into the presentation. We even provide you with timing so you can keep everything on track.

  • Take-Away Reflections

    The learning shouldn't stop when the session does. We provide specific reflection questions that build on the program and allow people to further apply information to their personal experiences.

Who can use this?

  • Corporate Wellness

  • College Dorms/Residence Life

  • Peer Groups / Clubs

  • Parent Organizations

  • Professional Development

  • Orientation Programs

Watch Intro Video

Preview the Intro

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How does this "presentation toolkit" work?

    We've already created the educational content and discussion prompts. Your role is being the facilitator, and you'll receive a full guide that even provides suggestions for engaging your participants in a discussion. In fact, we've had students as young as 9th grade run a smooth presentation for their peers!

  • Can you give a basic definition of resilience?

    Yes! Resilience is the way we respond to any challenge; good, bad, big, small. The higher your level of resilience, the easier it is for you to overcome and grow from those challenges.

  • Can we actually teach people how to become more resilient?

    Definitely, and at any age. Giving people frameworks and tools for facing and reflecting on challenges helps them develop more resilient brain pathways (i.e., become more resilient).

  • Why brain-based resilience?

    When we understand the brain, we are getting at the "Why" of our behaviors, which is the basis for behavior change.

  • What's with the animated bugs? Isn't that just for kids?

    The great thing about using the animated bug characters to represent different aspects of the brain is that anyone can relate to them. Aside from being relatable, they are a more memorable and interesting way to learn about some basic brain functions.

Meet Your Co-Presenters

We take care of the education, you provide the facilitation

Founder of Pathways to Empower

Dr. Donna Volpitta

Always an educator, Dr. Volpitta loves finding ways to translate neuroscience so that people can apply it to their own lives. Her work is grounded in the latest research in neurology, psychology, and education. She is the co-author of The Resilience Formula, author of Neuroworld, co-creator of the Nametags Education Program, and is a sought-after speaker. A former classroom teacher (and mother of 4 adolescents!) with experience in both general and special education, Donna holds a doctoral degree in Learning Dis/Abilities from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Co-Founder/CEO

Jason Schofield

With a strong background in coaching, management, entrepreneurial consulting, and developing products and services in the technology space, Jason brings his creative spirit and forward-thinking mindset to the Pathways products. Jason feels incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to unite his three main passions, education, health, and entrepreneurship, through Pathways to Empower.