Emotional Resilience in the Helping Professions and how it can be Enhanced

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of research that has examined the benefits of emotional resilience for the wellbeing and employability of helping professionals such as social workers, nurses and midwives. It outlines the competencies that have been associated with emotional resilience (such as emotional literacy, reflective ability, appropriate empathy and social competence) and considers how they have the potential to help people to cope with the emotional demands inherent in the helping professions. Some evidence-based strategies are highlighted to help academic staff develop an 'emotional curriculum' to foster emotional resilience in students training for the helping professions.