The outcome is not determined by the stressor alone—it’s determined by how the family responds.
🌿 When Facing a Crisis:
1. Identify the stressor
- What actually happened?
2. List your resources
- What do I already have?
- Who can help?
3. Check perception
- How am I viewing this?
- Is there another way to see it?
4. Watch for pileup
- What new stress is being added?
5. Add resources
- What new help can I find?
6. Aim for adaptation
- Growth > survival
Core Idea:
👉 It’s not just what happens—it’s how you respond over time.
🌿 Adult
Precrisis
- What is the stressor (a)?
- What resources do you have (b)?
- How do you view this situation (c)?
Postcrisis
- What additional stress has piled up (aA)?
- What new resources can you use (bB)?
- How do you view the situation now (cC)?
Outcome
- Are you moving toward growth or decline? (xX)
- What is one step toward improvement?
🌿 Teen
- 1. What happened?
- What else is making it harder?
- What support do I already have?
- What new support could I find?
- How am I thinking about this?
- What’s a healthier way to see it?
- What direction am I heading?
- ☐ Growing
- ☐ Stuck
- ☐ Declining
🌿 Children
- What happened?
- ✏️ Draw or write
- Who can help you?
- What makes it harder?
- What makes it better?
- One thing I can do today:
🌿 Coping Tool
Identifying & Using Resources
- Internal Resources:
- Mindset
- Experience
- Communication
- Skills
- External Resources:
- Friends & family
- Community programs
- Professionals (therapy, doctors)
- Support groups
👉 Most people don’t fail because of the crisis—they struggle because of the pileup and lack of support.