Resiliency Guidebook


Just released! REVISED RIRO Resiliency Guidebook is now available in French (2020)

The Guidebook acquaints readers with the topic of resilience and provides an overview of important abilities and skills that support resilience.[1]Material is adapted from The Resilience Factor by Karen Reivich and Andrew Shatté and the University of Pennsylvania's renowned Penn Resilience Program for school–age children

This 56-page Guidebook is available in PDF format and can be downloaded as one large file, or in smaller sections.

Download the complete Resiliency Guidebook (3Mb) English | French


Section 1 gives an overview of selected resiliency research, explains key strengths that support our resilience and explores how adults can develop thinking skills that they can introduce to young children.

Guide 1 (473Kb) – Resilience: A brief overview

Guide 2 (559Kb) – Critical abilities associated with resilience

Guide 3 (705Kb) – Understanding our response to stress and adversity

Guide 4 (631Kb) – Thinking styles that affect our resilience

Guide 5 (621Kb) – Thinking traps

Guide 6 (385Kb) – Challenging our thinking promotes resilience

Guide 7 (592Kb) – "Iceberg beliefs" -underlying beliefs that can undermine our resilience


Section 2 focuses on strategies and resources to help children foster a resilient outlook.

Guide 8 (887Kb) – The importance of relationships and role modeling

Guide 9 (735Kb) – Helping children develop resilient thinking styles

Guide 10 (744Kb) – The CAR Model –using Thought-Feeling Connections with children

Guide 11 (973Kb) – Helping young children express and challenge their thoughts


Section 3 offers a summary of RIRO training programs and resources, our six phases of development since 2002 and findings from our research and evaluation program.

RIRO (673Kb) – What is Reaching IN...Reaching OUT (RIRO)?

References (137Kb)