An ecological-systemic approach to resilience: A view from the trenches

This article is the edited transcript of an interview with Rony Berger by Charles Figley regarding trauma resilience. It is part of a special issue focusing on resilience and the results of a panel study. Because, as Berger has noted, resilience as a concept is a socially constructed and culturally bounded concept and saturated with political and ethical aspects, he provides examples. First, this article outlines the major components of both individual and community resilience factors, according to this author. Next, he broadens its scope with such markers as quality of life, values, and identity issues. Resilience, therefore, is not simply “bouncing back to previous level of functioning,” it is a matter of incorporating trauma into their personal and collective narratives. Based on his many humanitarian trips, he is opposed to governments abdicating their responsibilities to their citizens by neglecting to establish a trauma preparedness program before major disasters strike. The author offers the following definition of a resilient society: “The capacity of a community to deal with a major crisis by adapting and growing while minimizing casualties and preserving a fair quality of life for all its citizens and maintaining its core values and identity”.