Trauma to Resilience

We all face challenges, adversity or trauma in some shape or form throughout life. Trauma to Resilience: Awareness, compassion and practical skills offers guidance to change unhelpful patterns in how you feel, think and act to build resilience. In a unique co-author approach, Wayne Dignam - an expert by experience - shares his personal story of living through and recovering from trauma whilst Dr Maria Lotty brings extensive experience in social work and research on trauma and resilience.We can learn a lot from how we have coped with pain in the past. When we start to notice how our experiences have shaped us, we begin to understand ourselves with more kindness and compassion. This book helps you explore your experiences in a gentle and supportive way. At the heart of the book is the OAK model, a reflective practice that helps you better understand yourself and your responses to stress and adversity. OAK stands for: O - Observe: Notice what's happening in your body, your feelings, your thoughts, and your behaviours, especially in stressful situations.A - Adapt: Learn new ways to respond when you feel triggered or overwhelmed.K - Know: Understand where your reactions come from and what they might be trying to tell you.The model helps you reflect on your experience in three domains: Body - What you feel physically; Heart - How you connect with others and feel emotionally and Mind - What you think and believe. Wayne's story brings these ideas to life, showing how building resilience and healing is possible. The book also includes practical tools and a step-by-step guide to using the model in your life or work. Whether you're on your own healing journey or helping someone else, this book offers hope, understanding, and a clear path toward growth and transformation.

Maria Lotty is a Lecturer in the School of Applied Social Studies, University College Cork and a  professionally qualified, Social Worker with 20 years professional experience (youth work, probation, social work) in assessment, therapeutic and project management roles with children and families with lived experience of trauma, adversity and resilience. She teaches on social work, early years and childhood, youth and community work professional qualifying programmes as well as supervising undergraduate and post graduate research. Her areas of teaching span childhood studies, child welfare and protection, group psychosocial interventions, trauma-informed practice and family policy. Maria's research focuses on advancing the rights of children to being safe, having family stability, access to quality care and quality education who have adverse experience (including childhood neglect and abuse, and social inequalities). She also specialises in professional continued development for child serving practitioners across health, social care and education sectors in trauma-informed practise. Wayne Dignam is a care experienced children's rights campaigner, successful commercial manager and entrepreneur. He grew up in State Care in Dublin, Ireland and lived in various foster homes and in a residential home, until finally placed in long term foster care with a family when he was ten years old. He went on to receive degrees in Maths and Engineering from Trinity College Dublin; a Masters degree in Engineering from University of Galway, a Masters degree in Business from DCU and a Masters degree in Art, Psyche and Creative Imagination from TUS Shannon. He was a leading campaigner for a 'Yes' vote in the successful Children's Rights Referendum of 2012, enshrining the rights of children into the Irish Constitution. He has set up a support network to support care experienced adults throughout Europe, as well as a wellbeing community in Ireland.