Title: The New Survival Skill: How to Find, Build, and Maintain Resilient Communities in a Fragmented World
Presenter(s):
Rhaeza Bruce, LCSW-C, LICSW (She/her/hers)
Tania DeBarros, LICSW, LCSW (She/her/hers)
Room: Prince George’s 1211
Session Block(s): Session I and Session II
Time: 10:25 a.m. to 11:25 a.m. AND 11:35 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.
Duration: 120 minutes
Program Abstract:
The Faculty Staff Assistance Program invites participants to a 120-minute interactive presentation on the rise of the loneliness epidemic, highlighting how community serves as a vital anchor for combating isolation and building resilience in an ever-changing world. Through guided discussion and engaging activities, the session will explore the various forms that community can take. Participants will gain concrete, actionable tools to find, build, and strengthen meaningful connections in their own lives.
Program Description:
The modern world often leaves individuals feeling isolated, giving rise to what is now known as the loneliness epidemic. The loneliness epidemic is an increasingly recognized public health crisis characterized by the pervasive, chronic feelings of isolation and disconnection across populations which carry significant health risks (Murthy, 2023). The negative effect chronic loneliness has on mortality rates has even been compared to smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Holt-Lunstad et al., 2015). Join the Faculty Staff Assistance program in a comprehensive session dedicated to understanding the profound impact of the loneliness epidemic on well-being and resiliency.
We will move beyond simply recognizing the problem to focusing on active solutions rooted in human connection. We will emphasize the importance of community for resiliency, highlighting how it serves as a critical anchor amidst constant change, helping us navigate stress and adapt to new challenges.
We will examine diverse supportive structures—from professional networks to shared interest groups to digital community spaces—and discuss how to cultivate these varied forms. By the end of this program, participants will leave with concrete, practical and actionable strategies to help develop and sustain robust support systems. Join us to reconnect and build the community you need.
References
Murthy, V. H. (2023). Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General's Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015). Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: A meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 10(2), 227–237.