Emotional Resilience Training Offered by Church 

A new manual and videos are available for a course in emotional resilience offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  

The new content, “Finding Strength in the Lord: Emotional Resilience,” is part of Church’s Self-Reliance Services training materials for Latter-day Saints and friends of the faith. Ten chapters cover topics such as building emotional resilience, developing healthy thinking patterns, managing stress and anxiety, understanding sadness and depression, and overcoming anger.

“Overall, the course is fantastic, and we all see how this can be leveraged to bless many lives,” said Kelly Scotts of Geneva, Switzerland, who participated in a pilot session. “The group has developed a unique bond and closeness because of what we have shared and learned. I have been significantly impacted for the better from this course and have been able to apply many of these principles in various circumstances in my life.”

“The program taught me so much about myself, how to process my emotions in healthy ways, and how to create intentional habits that lead to better wellness,” said Alyssa Free, a young adult from Holladay, Utah. “These skills, coupled with the gospel of Jesus Christ, really can help us achieve a spiritual, emotional and physical balance in our lives.”

“Individuals attending have found answers to their prayers and were strengthened when they kept the weekly commitments,” said Lori Harding, a local welfare and self-reliance specialist in South Jordan, Utah.

Latter-day Saint congregations are organizing virtual and in-person meetings based on local conditions and direction, allowing group members to connect in meaningful ways even if they are physically separated.

Harding, who is also a regional welfare and self-reliance manager for the Church, said that there was great interest in the program when it rolled out in Utah at the end of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Recent major natural disasters coupled with the onset of the pandemic has really affected a number of individuals of all ages in my region,” added Harding. “I know the Lord knew we needed the blessings found in the self-reliance groups at such a time as this.”

“A prepared and thoughtful facilitator and fully engaged participants can create an environment where group members feel valued and cared for and where the Spirit can be present,” states the manual. “Meeting virtually presents special challenges to maintaining full engagement, connection, and belonging. It’s a learning process for both facilitators and participants.”

A training booklet is also available to help facilitators understand self-reliance groups and facilitators’ role in the group learning process. It can be used in local self-reliance committee training or be reviewed individually.

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“The topics learned in a group format, lovingly facilitated and openly discussed in a safe environment, has strengthened older youth, Relief Society sisters and mixed groups,” said Harding.

Other self-improvement manuals offered by the Church are titled “Personal Finances,” “Starting and Growing My Business” and “Find a Better Job.”

The emotional resilience materials are currently available in English and many additional languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, French and Russian. The manuals will also be distributed in 10 other languages in the next several months.

Manuals, videos and training may be downloaded from the Church’s website or viewed on the Gospel Library mobile app under Life Help. Manuals are also available at Church distribution centers. Participants are encouraged to reach out to their local Church leaders to find out when groups are meeting in their areas.