Do you struggle to manage your emotional reactions to stressful situations at work? Do you find yourself becoming overwhelmed by service users’ feelings and experiences? Emotional resilience, or the ability to bounce back when life becomes challenging and stressful, is an essential skill for social workers.

1. How emotionally resilient
are you?
Written by Louise Grant, a senior lecturer in social work at the
University of Bedfordshire and Dr Gail Kinman, professor of
occupational health psychology at the University of Bedfordshire

2. Which of the following best applies to you?
1. Bouncing back
a). I am usually able to cope well when I am going through
difficult times
b). I sometimes find it difficult to bounce back quickly after
hard times
c). I tend to take a long time to get over setbacks in my life

3. 1. Feedback
• If you answered a: You are resilient most of the time and rarely fail to bounce back
when life gets difficult. It is important to recognise though that sometimes things may
get too tough for even the most resilient person to handle. Remember that you need
to nurture your resilience, even during the good times - by continuing to work on the
competencies that underpin this important quality, as this is an investment for your
future.
• If you answered b: You are usually able to manage adversity and recover well from
difficulties. At times, however, you find it difficult to bounce back. It is perfectly
normal to find it hard to get over some things. Gain support from others wherever
possible, and seek out opportunities to learn more about the stress management
techniques that work for you. Use supervision to explore your difficulties and how you
might move on.
• If you answered c: You need to invest in your emotional resilience. Try to think about
setbacks in a different way - as learning opportunities rather than negative events.
Resilient people experience frustration and anxiety, but are able to draw upon more
positive emotions and use a wide repertoire of coping and problem solving strategies
during times of adversity. Take time to consider your resources, such as support and
supervision, and make sure to learn about other stress management techniques that
work for you.

4. 2. Social support
a). I have a wide network of friends and colleagues who
I can turn to for help
b). I sometimes find it difficult to get the support I need
c). I often don’t know who to turn to for support

5. 2. Feedback
• If you answered a: You have a wide network of friends and colleagues
around you who provide you with strong support in times of crisis. It is
important not to take these relationships for granted, however, but to nurture
them and ensure they are reciprocal: if you give support to others, they will
help you when the chips are down.
• If you answered b: You have people around you, but they may not be
available when things get tough. You might also struggle to get the right kind
of support from your existing social network. Positive relationships thrive on
mutual support - it is important to develop reciprocal relationships where
people don’t turn to you in times of crisis only to disappear when you need
support. Consider widening your social circle and spend time nurturing
relationships with others as it is a worthy investment.
• If you answered c: Relying on just one person for support may make you
feel that you are overwhelming him/her with your problems. Actively seek
new relationships and friendships with people who you trust and who trust
you. Make time for other people outside of work so that you have a wide
range of support from different people. Join a gym, do an evening class, or
develop a new hobby. Above all, don’t be afraid to ask for help and try not to
see this as a weakness but a strength.

6. 3. Emotion management
a). I am usually able to manage my emotional reactions
to work effectively
b). I sometimes have difficulty coping with the emotions
I experience in relation to my work
c). I often find it difficult to manage my emotional
reactions to work

7. 3. Feedback
• If you answered a: You have developed effective techniques to manage your
emotional reactions to work and can usually stop work-related concerns from “spilling
over” into your personal life. You recognise the impact that strong emotions can have
on you and others, and are able to explore your reactions independently and during
supervision. It is important to recognise, however, that you may encounter a situation
which triggers an unexpected emotional reaction which may surprise, or even shock
you. Take time to explore any potentially sensitive areas and how these might affect
you and your practice.
• If you answered b: You are usually able to manage your emotional reactions, but
acknowledge that this is an area for further development. Self awareness is a key tool
to manage emotional reactions more effectively that helps us becoming too
enmeshed in our own emotions or those of others. Consider keeping a diary where
you reflect upon situations which invoked a strong emotional reaction in you and
others, and consider how this may be affecting your practice. Discuss your findings in
supervision.
• If you answered c: You need to develop more effective ways of managing your
emotional responses to difficult situations. It is important to avoid becoming
traumatised through encountering the distress and pain of others, but you must avoid
becoming immune to their feelings. Techniques such as mindfulness can enhance
awareness of your own emotional state and the factors that threaten your well-being,
and enable you to tackle issues and situations in your practice that make you feel
anxious or stressed.

8. 4. Empathy
a). I can empathise with service users’ feelings and
experiences without becoming over-involved
b). I sometimes find it hard to empathise with the feelings of
service users without becoming over-involved
c). I frequently get overwhelmed by the feelings and
experiences of service users

9. 4. Feedback
• If you answered a: You have developed an appropriate level of empathetic concern
with service users. You are able to respond to intense emotional reactions in others
without becoming either overwhelmed or disassociating from them. There may,
however, be some people that you find difficult to connect with emotionally, or feel
overwhelmed by their pain. Becoming distressed about another person’s
circumstances will happen from time to time in social work, so it is important to know
where to seek support if this happens to you.
• If you answered b: Sometimes you find it difficult to empathise with service users
and/or may feel that you are in danger of becoming over-involved. It is easy to get lost
in the world of the service user: it is important to recognise, however, that if you
become over-involved your ability to help is limited. Recognise that you cannot “fix”
people’s emotional hurt but you can help them find solutions to their difficulties.
Reflect upon your own feelings and use supervision to check that your empathetic
concern is not spilling over into distress.
• If you answered c: Try to ensure that you don’t become overwhelmed when listening
to intense stories of grief, trauma and abuse. Consider using techniques to help you
to develop appropriate empathy. For example, imagine a semi-permeable boundary
between yourself and service users to allow yourself to be receptive but not
emotionally over-whelmed. Use supervision to explore ways to do this effectively.

10. 5. Flexibility
a). Reflecting on my practice comes as second nature to me
b). I frequently find it difficult to reflect on my practice
c). I struggle to reflect on my practice

11. 5. Feedback
• If you answered a: You are a flexible person who is usually able to see
change as an opportunity rather than a threat. Remember, however, that
some rules are universal and there are key professional values that should
guide your behaviour. Use these as a framework to determine how flexible
you should be when trying to adapt to new situations.
• If you answered b: Don’t pay too much attention to your initial defensive
reactions to change. Try to shift your position to one who sees change as an
opportunity rather than an inevitable source of fear and anxiety. When
assessing the potential impact of change, focus on long-term gains rather
than short-term discomfort.
• If you answered c: You find change difficult to manage - this may be due to
fear of the future or unhappy memories when you felt out of control. Try to
reinterpret changes as new horizons in order to develop a more flexible
world-view. Anchor yourself by acknowledging that change is inevitable and
desirable, and then accept opportunities as they arise. Making minor
changes encourages a more flexible and less fearful response, as change
can then be seen as an incremental process rather than a major event.

12. 6. Challenge
a). I am good at finding solutions to difficult problems
b). I often find that a problem is too difficult to tackle
c). When I am faced with a difficult problem, I frequently
give up because I think I will fail

13. 6. Feedback
• If you answered a: You are always willing to take on a challenge and
actively seek opportunities for problem solving. Embracing challenge
underpins emotional resilience, but remember to utilise critical thinking skills
to ensure you are not just repeating the same old patterns of problem
solving.
• If you answered b: Consider how you might improve your problem solving
abilities. Break down problems and approach them systematically. Consider
using the COPE model C= Challenge - identify the problem, consider the
causes and results. O=Opt - select the best option from possible solutions.
P=Plan - make a plan to action your option. E=Evaluate - check for progress
and revise the plan if need be. Learning to face challenges head-on will help
you enhance your resilience.
• If you answered c: Challenges and problems are an inevitable part of
social work practice, and we are often faced with situations that are beyond
our control. More resilient people tend to see challenges as something that
can be embraced, and recognise there are usually solutions to even
seemingly intractable difficulties. Try and see challenges as opportunities to
exercise your problem solving abilities rather than a threat to your emotional
equilibrium. If the initial solution doesn’t work, try another.

14. 7. Reflecting on practice
a). Reflecting on my practice comes as second nature to me
b). I frequently find it difficult to reflect on my practice
c). I struggle to reflect on my practice

15. 7. Feedback
• If you answered a: You recognise the important role that reflection plays in
your practice. Resilient social workers see reflection as a vital technique to
develop insight into themselves and their practice and how they might
improve this. Remember that it is important to develop holistic reflective
practice, using others to check that your thinking is not reinforcing
stereotypes or one way of viewing the world.
• If you answered b: It is not always easy to dedicate time and energy for
reflection as it can be a challenging and time-consuming process. Try to see
reflection not as an opportunity for self-criticism, but a way of acknowledging
competence and examining practice constructively rather than defensively.
Professional supervision must include reflective space and a supervisor’s
role is to facilitate this - try and discuss different ways and models of
reflection until you find one which is comfortable for you.
• If you answered c: As reflection is strongly linked to emotional resilience it
is important for your personal well-being and your practice that you develop
this resource. Seek out tools that can aid your reflection. Consider the
“what” “so what” “now what” approach to help structure your reflection time.
Carve out space for reflection, both personally and during professional
supervision, and consider creating peer reflective supervision opportunities.

16. 8. Self-efficacy
a). I am generally able to maintain a strong belief in my
professional capabilities
b). I sometimes have doubts about my professional
capabilities
c). I frequently have crises of confidence about my
professional capabilities

17. 8. Feedback
• If you answered a: You are generally confident about your professional capabilities.
Continue to learn and grow and approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered
rather than as threats to be avoided. It is important to acknowledge, however, that an
overly strong self-belief can lead to a reluctance to accept criticism or consider
alternative options.
• If you answered b: Use supervision as an opportunity to review your capabilities in a
non- threatening way. Consider using peer coaching to seek out feedback from others
about your practice; accept constructive criticism and explore options for change.
Enhance your ability to recover from setbacks and consider areas for development as
an opportunity to enhance skills rather than engendering a sense of failure.
• If you answered c: Social work is all about dealing with uncertainty and complexity.
Social workers often lack self-belief and focus on perceived shortcomings rather than
acknowledging their competency. The new Professional Capability Framework is
useful in this regard as it can help you to identify your strengths and areas for
improvement. Use supervision and peer coaching to identify training need and to
highlight where you feel competent. Lacking self-belief can be self-perpetuating and
indulgent, so try and seek opportunities to celebrate your success rather than
dwelling on perceived failures.

18. 9. Social confidence
a). I am confident that my interpersonal skills at work are
effective
b). I sometimes find social interactions at work difficult
c). I often struggle with managing social interactions at work

19. 9. Feedback
• If you answered a: You have well developed interpersonal skills and are
socially confident - both of which are important elements of emotional
resilience. Use these skills to support and mentor others and be careful not
to talk over others who may not be as socially adept as you.
• If you answered b: Some of us find it easier than others to cope with social
interactions at work. Consider using “mirroring” techniques to form
connections with other people. Consider using role play to act out difficult
social situations that you are going to encounter testing your own and other
people’s reactions to difficult or challenging situations. This is a great way to
be better prepared for social interactions and it will boost your confidence.
• If you answered c: You need to develop your social confidence as it
contributes to a belief in your ability to cope with a situation, and enables
you to advocate on behalf of others. We can all struggle at times with social
interactions and demanding professional situations, like panels or court
appearances, are bound to make us nervous. Building social confidence can
help us manage these situations more effectively, and this is an element of
emotional resilience.

20. 10. Optimism
a). I feel positive about most aspects of my working life
b). I sometimes struggle to remain optimistic about work
c). I frequently have a pessimistic view of my working life

21. 10. Feedback
• If you answered a: You are generally optimistic and tend to see life as full of
opportunities for growth and development. Using positive emotions to help you
bounce back from an emotionally challenging experience helps build resilience.
However, being “unrealistically” optimistic can encourage risk-taking behaviour
without due attention to the consequences. Also be aware that having an overly
positive world view can lead to optimistic bias. Always seeing the positive in
situations and people can lead us to miss warning signs, as we may not want to
believe anything could go wrong.
• If you answered b: Sometimes things get you down and it is difficult to remain
hopeful about the future. Take time out to celebrate those moments when things went
well – focus on the “sparkling moments” in your career where you felt successful, and
seek out opportunities to repeat them. This can be done effectively using peer
coaching techniques. Use supervision as a safe haven to explore your anxieties
about the future, and take responsibility for finding solutions to difficulties. Being
solution-focused rather than problem-focused will help you see the future more
positively.
• If you answered c: If you feel pessimistic about the world and people’s capacity for
change it can have a negative impact on your well-being and your professional
practice. It can also alienate other people who may be important sources of support.
Try and develop a more hopeful attitude; set yourself specific goals and plan how to
achieve them step by step. Celebrate successful milestones in your career and
remain focused on why you chose social work as a career. Try visualising what you
want, rather than worrying about what you fear.

22. 11. Stress
a). On the whole, I manage my stress levels well
b). I sometimes have problems managing stress effectively
c). I tend to get stressed very easily

23. 11. Feedback
• If you answered a: You have developed techniques that help you cope with stress
effectively. Try to identify potential stressors at an early stage and take opportunities
to address these before they get entrenched, or out of control. Continue to utilise
support widely, reflect on your practice, maintain firm boundaries between work and
home, and seek out opportunities to relax. Recognise that you should not attempt to
cope with difficulties alone; your employers have a duty of care to ensure that your
work place is as stress-free as possible.
• If you answered b: None of us is immune to stress. Sometimes we find our stress
levels difficult to keep in check. Focus on developing techniques to manage stress
which suit your current needs and your lifestyle. As well as trying to make enough
time for work and family, carve out some “me” time when you engage in pleasurable
and relaxing activities. If you are finding yourself worrying about work problems
excessively at home, create a space to write your worries down together with action
points to address them. Put the list to one side and then action them on your return to
work.
• If you answered c: You need to improve your stress management strategies, as
excessive stress can lead to ill health and burnout. You may need professional
support to keep your stress levels in check. Consider using techniques such as
meditation and mindfulness, and deep breathing as well as more practical methods
such as developing your time management skills and using supervision to discuss
issues you are finding stressful.

24. Thank you
We hope you found this exercise useful. To access the complete
social work guide to developing emotional resilience please log in to
your account on Community Care Inform; www.ccinform.co.uk