Innovative skills to support well-being

and resiliency in youth 1st Edition

Laser-Maira
Visit to download the full and correct content document:
https://textbookfull.com/product/innovative-skills-to-support-well-being-and-resiliency-i
n-youth-1st-edition-laser-maira/
More products digital (pdf, epub, mobi) instant
download maybe you interests ...

Well being and theism linking ethics to God 1st Edition

Lauinger

https://textbookfull.com/product/well-being-and-theism-linking-
ethics-to-god-1st-edition-lauinger/

Grow Your Own Herbal Remedies How to Create a

Customized Herb Garden to Support Your Health Well
Being Maria Noel Groves

https://textbookfull.com/product/grow-your-own-herbal-remedies-
how-to-create-a-customized-herb-garden-to-support-your-health-
well-being-maria-noel-groves/

CBT for Psychological Well-Being in Cancer: A Skills

Training Manual Integrating DBT, ACT, Behavioral
Activation and Motivational Interviewing 1st Edition
Mark Carlson
https://textbookfull.com/product/cbt-for-psychological-well-
being-in-cancer-a-skills-training-manual-integrating-dbt-act-
behavioral-activation-and-motivational-interviewing-1st-edition-
mark-carlson/

Well Being of Youth and Emerging Adults across Cultures

Novel Approaches and Findings from Europe Asia Africa
and America 1st Edition Radosveta Dimitrova (Ed.)

https://textbookfull.com/product/well-being-of-youth-and-
emerging-adults-across-cultures-novel-approaches-and-findings-
from-europe-asia-africa-and-america-1st-edition-radosveta-
Perfectionism, Health, and Well-Being 1st Edition
Fuschia M. Sirois

https://textbookfull.com/product/perfectionism-health-and-well-
being-1st-edition-fuschia-m-sirois/

Procrastination Health and Well Being 1st Edition

Fuschia M Sirois

https://textbookfull.com/product/procrastination-health-and-well-
being-1st-edition-fuschia-m-sirois/

Human Well Being and Policy in South Asia Vijay Kumar

Shrotryia

https://textbookfull.com/product/human-well-being-and-policy-in-
south-asia-vijay-kumar-shrotryia/

Well being Sustainability and Social Development Harry

Lintsen

https://textbookfull.com/product/well-being-sustainability-and-
social-development-harry-lintsen/

Managing Health Safety and Well Being Aditya Jain

https://textbookfull.com/product/managing-health-safety-and-well-
being-aditya-jain/
i

Innovative Skills to Support Well-​B eing

and R esiliency in Youth
ii
iii

i j

Innovative Skills to Support

Well-​Being and Resiliency in Youth
Nicole Nicotera
and Julie Anne Laser-​Maira

i j

1
iv

1
Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers
the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education
by publishing worldwide. Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University
Press in the UK and certain other countries.

Published in the United States of America by Oxford University Press

198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, United States of America.

© Oxford University Press 2017

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in

a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the
prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted
by law, by license, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reproduction
rights organization. Inquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the
above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the
address above.

You must not circulate this work in any other form

and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Nicotera, Nicole, author. | Laser-Maira, Julie Anne, author.
Title: Innovative skills to support well-being and resiliency in youth /
Nicole Nicotera and Julie Anne Laser-Maira.
Description: New York, NY : Oxford University Press, [2017] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016027788 | ISBN 9780190657109 (alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Social work with youth. | Youth—Counseling of. |
Youth—Psychology. | Youth development. | Resilience (Personality trait)
Classification: LCC HV1421 .N53 2017 | DDC 362.7083—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016027788

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed by WebCom, Inc., Canada
v

Contents

Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
About the Authors xi

1. Well-​Being and Resilience 1

2. Healthy Sexuality 13
3. Innovative Cognitive Behavior Therapies 33
4. Mindfulness and Mind–​Body Connection 57
5. Experiential Therapy 91
6. Animal-​Assisted Therapy (AAT) 111
7. Horticultural and Agricultural Therapy 125
8. Parting Words 143

Index 145

v
vi
vii

Preface

Youth can be the most exciting, interesting, and insightful people to work
with, or they can be the most difficult, uninterested, and cantankerous individuals.
They can also move between these different characteristics quickly and with little
warning. Many of the traditional adult forms of therapeutic interventions are used
widely with youth. However, these interventions tend not to be appealing to youth
and often have uneven results when applied with youth.
This book aims to remedy this concern by discussing innovative strategies, tech-
niques, and interventions that are evidence-​based, but more important, can capture
and hold the interest of youth. In addition, we are writing this book to counter
the many therapeutic interventions that start from a deficit perspective. Instead,
the focus of this book and related interventions are strengths-​based and aim to pro-
mote well-​being and resilience.
Each chapter begins by giving the reader a succinct overview of the intervention,
evidence that supports it, and ideas for assessment to ensure that the technique is
appropriate for the particular youth. The subsequent sections of each chapter pro-
vide clear examples of the intervention approaches so that the new or seasoned clini-
cian and educator will have the knowledge needed for implementation.
We believe that this book will both strengthen and invigorate any practice with
youth as well as enhance courses that cover theory and practice skills in social work,
psychology, counseling, and education. It will also be useful in courses that cover

vii
viii

viii i Preface

content on school social work, family counseling, and youth development. The
book is conceived in eight chapters: 1. Introduction of Well-​Being and Resilience,
2. Healthy Sexuality, 3. Innovative Cognitive Behavior Therapies, 4. Mindfulness
and Mind–​Body Connection, 5. Experiential Therapy, 6. Animal-​Assisted Therapy,
7. Horticulture and Agricultural Therapy, and 8. Parting Words.
ix

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank David Follmer, Lyceum’s publisher, for his intellec-
tually stimulating and gracious input on this book. It is a joy to work with him.
We are also indebted to our respective teachers from whom we have learned a great
deal about strengths-​based innovations that promote wellness and healing. In par-
ticular, Nicole wants to thank Jayne Satter, an extraordinary yoga instructor and
human being who brings the connection between the heart and mind into every
class. She also wants to acknowledge the 4-​H community of ropes-​course trainers
in Washington State, where she was trained; and in particular, to thank Cheryl
House, with whom she developed and led her first experiential therapy group for
attention-​challenged youth and their parents. Julie would like to thank the wonder-
ful people at Campo Fiesta, Circle M Camp, Camp Minnetonka, Jackson Public
Schools, Michigan State Children’s Garden, and the Denver Parks and Recreation
Department who have provided instruction, mentorship, and friendship. Finally,
but certainly not least, we want to thank our respective spouses, Ellen Winiarczyk
and Alfonso Maira, for their support and patience.

ix
x
xi

About the Authors

i
Julie Anne Laser-​Maira, Ph.D, LCSW, and Nicole Nicotera, Ph.D, LICSW, are
both tenured associate professors at the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW)
at the University of Denver. Both have extensive clinical backgrounds, as well as
teaching experience. They have also co-​authored another book, titled Working with
Adolescents: A Guide for Practitioners (2011, Guilford).
Julie Anne Laser-​Maira is both a practitioner of experiential therapy and a profes-
sor of experiential therapy. Additionally, she researches the efficacy of experiential
therapy in hopes of increasing its stature as a mainstream clinical intervention for
children, youth, families, and couples. Laser-​Maira’s primary research focus is on re-
siliency, particularly the relevance of specific ecological and internal protective and
risk factors by culture and gender. She has completed large studies of resilience in
Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Ghanaian, and Senegalese youth, and homeless American
youth. Using her resilience lens, she is currently researching human trafficking in
Latin America and the United States. Laser-​Maira has nearly 30 years of clinical
social work experience, with half of those years being employed as a school social
worker in both urban and rural school districts. She has also worked as a clinician
in Mexico, Peru, and Bolivia. Her clinical expertise is in experiential therapy, work-
ing with military families, post-​traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), parenting issues,
child and adolescent healthy development, well-​being throughout the lifespan, work-
ing with immigrant families, trauma-​focused cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT),

xi
xii

xii i About the Authors

play therapy, agritherapy, and art therapy. She continues to maintain a small private
practice serving children, youth, families, and couples, and is involved in clinical su-
pervision as well. She coordinates the children and youth curriculum for the master’s
in social work (MSW) program of GSSW.
Nicole Nicotera is both a practitioner and professor of mind-​body social work prac-
tice. She is also trained in the use of experiential therapies (low-​and portable-​ropes
courses) with youth, family-​youth groups, and couples. She is the coordinator of
the clinical skills training and the mind-​body courses for the MSW program and
also teaches mixed-​methods research for the doctoral program at the University of
Denver GSSW. Her research and scholarship focus on: promoting health and well-​
being across the lifespan; civic engagement and mindfulness practices as pathways
to well-​being; measuring civic development and civic engagement; interventions to
enhance civic leadership and positive youth development; the role of risk, protec-
tion, and resilience in health; and the issues of unearned privilege and oppression in
social work practice, education and research. She is an active community-​engaged
scholar and collaborates with community agencies to conduct research on their pro-
grams and help them use the results of that research to create stronger programs.

We have three invited guest authors:

Shanna K. Kattari, M.Ed., ACS, is a doctoral candidate at the University of

Denver’s GSSW with a background as a board-​certified sexologist, experienced
sexuality educator, and social justice advocate. She is the author of Chapter 2,
Healthy Sexuality. Her mixed-​methods research focuses on understanding how
power, privilege, and oppression systematically marginalize, exclude, and dis-
criminate against people regarding their identities/​expressions through nega-
tive attitudes, policies reinforcing oppression, oppressive actions, and isolation.
Currently, her work centers on disability studies/​ability expectations and ableism,
and transgender/​gender-​variant identities and transphobia, all through using an
intersectional lens. She is also interested in exploring sexuality within marginal-
ized communities.

Jessica Lapham, MSW, assisted with the writing and research for Chapter 7,
Horticultural and Agricultural Therapy. After receiving a bachelor’s degree
in Communication and Journalism Studies from the Annenberg School for
Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California, Jessica
moved to Thailand and taught English to students in the Thai educational system.
Upon her return to the United States, Jessica followed her passion for helping
others and began her professional career in the nonprofit sector working at Creative
xiii

About the Authors j xiii

Visions Foundation to provide unique mentoring opportunities, development and
production resources, fiscal sponsorship, and a vibrant global community to indi-
viduals creating social-​impact media. In 2010, she was drawn to the mountains of
Colorado and began teaching yoga to at-​risk youth in the Denver County juvenile
justice system. This led her to complete an MSW degree from the University of
Denver, where she interned with the Denver Botanic Garden’s Chatfield Veteran
Reintegration Program to support the vocational, social, physical, and therapeutic
goals of post-​9/​11 military veterans through the application of sustainable farming
techniques in a community setting. The culmination of these personal passions and
professional experiences has ultimately led her to seek a career that provides people
with alternative settings for well-​being. Currently, Jessica works as the development
manager at the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, Colorado, managing the
grant program and developing fiscal resources in order to enhance the lives of indi-
viduals with disabilities by providing outdoor recreation activities.

Ida Seiferd, LCSW, MSW, wrote Chapter 6, Animal-​Assisted Therapy. She lives
in Colorado with her family, horses, and dogs. She has always had a strong passion
for working with youth and families, driving her educational and career choices.
In 2005 she obtained a bachelor’s degree in social work and worked in child wel-
fare for six years, before moving to Denver to obtain a master’s degree in clinical
social work. Her love for animals and helping people were combined during her
education at the University of Denver, where her clinical focus was animal-​assisted
therapy. In 2012, she earned her MSW and certification in animal-​assisted social
work and began working in private practice providing animal-​assisted therapy, spe-
cifically equine-​assisted psychotherapy. Her passion and clinical focus has always
been trauma and healing, specifically youth in foster care and adoption and in the
human-​trafficking realm.
xiv
xv

Innovative Skills to Support Well-​B eing

and R esiliency in Youth
xvi
1

1
Well-​Being and Resilience
i

two major concepts undergird this book: well-​being (supporting positive

healthy development) and resilience (supporting growth after a negative event). We
believe that a strengths-​based perspective with a focus on well-​being and resilience
is applicable across a wide range of youth. We also believe that all youth are capable
of resilience and well-​being. In this chapter, we introduce the concept of well-​being
and describe the outcomes associated with well-​being. Then we introduce resilience
and describe how different aspects of a youth’s life can support or hinder their over-
all well-​being. We conclude the chapter with a description of how the interventions
we chose are associated with the positive youth development outcomes related to
well-​being.

What Do We Mean by “Well-​B eing”?

The concept of “well-​being” largely refocuses clinicians and educators on what can
be done to support and promote healthy development as opposed to a focus on
youth deficits and ways to correct unhealthy development. It counters the medi-
cal model’s reliance on disease and illness models (Moore & Keyes, 2003). It is a
positive approach to the topic of development. Instead of focusing on eliminating
specific problem behaviors, a well-​being focus aims to promote positive behaviors
that support the healthy transition to adulthood. The well-​being stance, from our
perspective, acknowledges that “health” is a continual process of making positive
1
2

2 i Innovative Skills

choices in a context where many unhealthy choices exist. In this vein, the interven-
tions presented in this book aim to teach youth to accept that life brings challenges
and that they have the power to live well, even within the context of challenge. In
this sense, well-​being is more than merely good physical health; it also embodies
the youth’s positive psychological development (Pollard & Rosenberg, 2003). Along
with supporting healthy development, well-​being also aims to assist youth in pre-
venting problem behaviors from ever taking hold by being aware of challenges and
making choices that lead toward health. Thus, prevention is a major focus within
the well-​being literature.

Outcomes of Well-​being

Pittman (1998) defined four desirable youth outcomes for well-​being: confidence,
character, connection, and competence. Subsequently Lerner, Fisher, and Weinberg
(2000) added a fifth outcome, caring, and coined all five outcomes as “the 5 Cs” of
positive youth development (PYD). Later a sixth well-​being outcome, contribution,
was added (Lerner et al., 2005). These six characteristics of PYD represent outcomes
associated with well-​being (Lerner et al., 2000; Roth et al., 1997).
Confidence includes a sense of self-​worth, a belief in one’s mastery of educational
or vocational training, and confidence in what the future holds (Pittman, 1998).
Confident youth are those who can recognize their strengths and limitations and
assert their ideas and choices with a sense of conviction (Lerner et al., 2000; Roth
et al., 1998). Character is defined as being accountable, demonstrating self-​control
and self-​awareness (Pittman, 1998). Youth with character are able to assess the social
world and make prudent choices about their own actions in relationship to social
norms (Lerner et al., 2000; Roth et al., 1998). Connection creates a sense of safety,
structure, membership, and belonging (Pittman, 1998). The youth who exhibits the
characteristic of connection has reciprocal relationships with people and institu-
tions (Lerner et al., 2000; Roth et al., 1998). Competence includes both the ability
and the motivation to be effective at work and school, while doing so with emo-
tional and physical health (Pittman, 1998). A youth with competence has an op-
timistic view of her or his capacities in social, academic, cognitive, and vocational
venues (Lerner et al., 2000; Roth et al., 1998). Caring reflects the ability for self-​care
as well as the capacity to care about the well-​being of others and society (Lerner,
Fisher, & Weinberg, 2000). The caring youth demonstrates sympathy and empa-
thy for himself/​herself and others. Finally, contribution suggests that all healthy
children and adolescents have a capacity and responsibility to influence the world
around them by contributing to themselves, their family, and the institutions of
a civil society (Lerner et al., 2005). In essence, the ethos of PYD is that all youth
3

Well-Being and Resilience j 3

possess the capacity for health and well-​being and need to be viewed as resources
to be developed rather than as problems to be prevented (Roth, Brooks-​Gunn,
Murray, & Foster, 1998).

Well-​being and Development

Well-​being has also been thought of in terms of developmental domains: physical,

social-​emotional, and cognitive (Zaff, Smith, Rogers, Leavitt, Halle, & Bornstein,
2003). Physical well-​being incorporates: preventive health care, good nutrition, ex-
ercise, safety, reproductive health, and substance abuse prevention (Zaff et al., 2003).
Social-​emotional well-​being includes: adaption to different circumstances; the abil-
ity to manage stress; the development of autonomy, trust, empathy, and sympathy;
the creation of a self-​identity; and the ability to create positive relationships with
partners, family, and friends (Zaff et al., 2003). Cognitive well-​being includes the
capacity for thinking and communicating thoughts effectively (Zaff et al., 2003).
These developmental domains are conceptualized within a framework of well-​being
and viewed as the building blocks for healthy adult living.

What Do We Mean by Resilience?

Sadly, even with the best of our abilities to support youth, bad things still occur.
Therefore, we need to help youth learn how to move forward (become resilient)
after negative occurrences in their lives. Resilience refers to surmounting adversity
and developing well-​being in the face of exposure to personal, interpersonal, and/​
or societal risks. In other words, resilience represents success in the presence of life
challenges (Luthar, 2003; Olsson, Bond, Burns, Vella-​Brodrick, & Sawyer, 2003).
Werner and Smith (1992), the pioneers of resilience research, reported on young
people who reacted to negative life experiences with initial leanings toward delin-
quency and/​or substance abuse, but who were able to overcome these problems and
make their way back to healthier trajectories (Werner & Smith, 1992). Resilience
is therefore the preferred outcome over vulnerability. Resilience can sometimes be
seen as merely survival after a stressful event. But in other circumstances, resilience
can create strongly life-​affirming feelings, and increase personal growth and the dis-
covery of one’s true identity.

Protective Factors

Resilience happens through a constellation of protective factors supporting youth.

Protective factors are both individual characteristics of the youth, and characteris-
tics of people in the youths’ environment that enable the individual to transcend
4

4 i Innovative Skills

negative experiences (Laser & Nicotera, 2011). Many times there is a disjuncture
between what an educator or clinician views as a protective factor and what a youth
views as desirable or necessary. Additionally, it is not always clear whether these
factors protect the individual from negative consequences or merely promote the
likelihood of more positive outcomes (Laser & Nicotera, 2011). In Laser’s interna-
tional research on resilience, she has found that protective factors are less universal
and more related to developmental stage, gender, ethnicity, and culture (Abukari
& Laser, 2012; Boeckel & Laser, 2015; Laser, 2008; Laser, Luster, & Oshio, 2007a;
Laser, Luster, & Oshio, 2007b; Laser, Oshio, Luster, Tanaka, & Ninomiya, 2004;
Laser & Nicotera, 2011). Thus, the constellation of protective factors for any youth
may be unique to that individual. There does not seem to be one particular protec-
tive factor that is universally beneficial to all youth (Abukari & Laser, 2012; Boeckel
& Laser, 2015; Laser, 2008; Laser, Luster, & Oshio, 2007a; Laser, Luster, & Oshio,
2007b; Laser, Oshio, Luster, Tanaka, & Ninomiya, 2004; Laser & Nicotera, 2011).
Thus, programs that teach only specific protective factors may “miss the mark” for
some individuals. It is more likely that many protective factors act in unison to sup-
port a particular youth. But the combination of protective factors may be unique to
that particular individual within their particular community and culture; there-
fore, psycho-​education and support that nurture specific protective factors should
be done with an awareness of a youth’s family, community, and cultural background.
Protective factors can be internal to the individual or reside in the individual’s
environment. Protective factors within the youth include: mental flexibility, cog-
nitive ability, positive identity, commitment to learning, gender, physical beauty,
easy temperament, ability to perceive social support, self-​efficacy, internal locus
of control, sense of humor, spirituality/​faith or sense of purpose, optimism, emo-
tional intelligence, creation of a personal myth, moral development, autonomy,
and perseverance (Laser & Nicotera, 2011). These internal protective factors may
be more innate characteristics of the individual and less likely to be externally ob-
tained through counseling, but many can be elicited to support the youth in times
of need.
Environmental protective factors include: mother’s level of education; the fami-
ly’s economic stability, safety, parental commitment to each other and co-​parenting;
maternal relationship with youth; paternal relationship with youth; parental trans-
ference of positive values to youth; required helpfulness/​chores; supportive ex-
tended family; mentors in the youth’s school, extracurricular activities, community,
or work; sense of belonging at home, at school, in extracurricular activities, in the
community, or at work; enjoyment of school, extracurricular activities, or work;
sense of being needed at school, at extracurricular activities, or at work; support-
ive friendships; social networks; and social capital (Laser & Nicotera, 2011). These
5

Well-Being and Resilience j 5

environmental protective factors support the individual in persevering and becom-
ing resilient. Many of these environmental protective factors can be enhanced for
the youth through counseling, parenting classes, psycho-​education, and opportuni-
ties created for the youth to connect to others. Thus it does take a village to raise a
youth with greater ability to be resilient.

Risk Factors

Risk factors are deficits, disturbances, and difficulties the youth has experi-
enced or is experiencing. Risk factors are also unique for each individual, but
many seem to have a more universally deleterious effect (Abukari & Laser, 2012;
Boeckel & Laser, 2015; Laser, 2008; Laser, Luster, & Oshio, 2007a; Laser, Luster,
& Oshio, 2007b; Laser, Oshio, Luster, Tanaka, & Ninomiya, 2004; Laser &
Nicotera, 2011).
Internal risk factors include: gender; age; developmental delays or learning dis-
abilities; low birth rate; mental health diagnoses, history of physical, sexual, emo-
tional abuse or neglect; substance abuse; eating disorders; criminal activity; low
socio-​economic status in comparison to others around the youth; low expectations
for the future; low academic achievement; difficult temperament; and severe or
chronic illness in childhood (Laser & Nicotera, 2011). Many of these internal risk
factors may have already created opportunities for the youth to work with helping
professionals, and hopefully to reduce the long-​term deleterious effect these risk fac-
tors have upon youth. However, being involved in the human services system can
also be a risk factor (Werner & Smith, 1992), if the interventions were poorly con-
ceived or created additional negative outcomes.
Environmental risk factors in the youth’s environment also have negative reper-
cussions for the youth. Environmental risk factors include: parental depression or
mental illness, maternal low level of education, parent(s) not emotionally present,
parent(s) not physically present, parent(s) unaware of youth’s activities, lack of at-
tachment relationship to caretaker, witness to domestic violence, severe marital/​
partner discord, sibling spacing, parental substance abuse, personality differences
with parents, family size, living in a home that is overcrowded, frequency of moving
or homelessness, aggression toward peers or adults, alienation from peers or adults,
difficulty making or keeping friends, being bullied or scapegoated by parents, teach-
ers, or others in authority, violence or gang activity in the neighborhood, lack of
upkeep, repaired or abandoned homes in the neighborhood, and lack of positive role
models. All of these risk factors exact a toll from the youth, some more negatively
than others, depending on the individual and the severity and combination of the
risk factors.
6

6 i Innovative Skills

Risks seem to have a cumulative effect (Bogenschneider, 1998; Laser &

Nicotera, 2011; Leibenberg & Ungar, 2008; Masten, 2014; Rolf, Masten, Cicchetti,
Nuechterlein, & Weintraub, 1992; Ungar, 2004; Werner, 1994). Werner (1994) re-
ports that two-​thirds of the children in her study with four or more risk factors
developed serious learning or behavioral problems by age ten. Similarly, Garmezy
(1993) found a relationship between the number of stressors and psychiatric disorder
in children. He found that a single stressor increased the probability of childhood
psychiatric disorder by 1%; two stressors increased the probability of mental dis-
order by another 5% for a total of 6%; three stressors increased the rate by another
6% for a total of 12%, and finally, four or more stressors increased the probability of
psychiatric disorder by an increment of 21% for a total of 33% risk for those who ex-
perience four or more stressors (Garmezy, 1993). Thus working toward the reduction
of risk factors can be greatly beneficial for youth.
Risks, however, have some beneficial effects. Some level of risk is necessary for
growth (Gore & Eckenrode, 1996; Laser & Nicotera, 2011; Leibenberg & Ungar,
2008; Masten, 2014). In Elder’s (1974) seminal research on children of the Great
Depression, he found that some risk actually improved social independence and
greater functioning. Bandura (1997) similarly believes that it is only through
life’s challenges that there is achievement. It is the awareness that the world is an
imperfect place that may in fact improve one’s functioning. Therefore, children
and youth who are overly protected by their caregivers from all negative out-
comes may be less resilient because they have not had to cope with challenges or
disappointments.

Stress

The concept of stress is also important to resilience. “Resilience refers to a dynamic

process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adver-
sity. Implicit to this notion are two critical conditions: (1) exposure to significant
threat or severe adversity, and (2) the achievement of positive adaption despite major
assaults on the developmental process” (Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000, p. 543).
Therefore, resilience can only occur when there is stress; and resilience cannot occur
if there is no stress in one’s environment. This is an important point, because it
means that protecting youth from all negative external influences, a virtually im-
possible endeavor anyway, undermines the youth’s healthy development. Youth who
are most resilient have had to negotiate significant adversity in their lives (Laser &
Nicotera, 2011). However, if there is too much stress, the individual cannot fully
take advantage of the protective factors that she/​he possesses or that are in her/​his
7

Well-Being and Resilience j 7

environment. Thus, the absence of stress is not good for healthy development, and
too much stress can also be deleterious for healthy development.

Laser’s Resilience Model

The following model was created to provide a visual representation of resilience.

This model helps show the resilience processes in action and the multitude of pos-
sible outcomes. It should be noted that resilience and vulnerability are the two ends
of the continuum, with the middle position being the lack of growth or decline of
the individual. Thus, not all outcomes are necessarily either beneficial or detrimen-
tal to the individual. It is important for the clinician or educator to understand that
not all events innately have a negative or positive outcome. Some youth simply pass
through a negative experience without detrimental effects, while a seemingly posi-
tive experience could have unexpectedly negative influences.
On the whole, resilient youth who experience a negative event may be able to
create new meaning, insight, and understanding from the situation as a result of a
particular constellation of protective and risk factors at their disposal and their abil-
ity to use them. Conversely, vulnerable youth may be totally devastated by the same
negative experience because they have a different constellation of protective and risk
factors at their disposal and a different ability (or inability) to use them. The differ-
ence between the two youth may not be the situation at hand, but the protective
factors available to him or her and the ability to use those protective factors, as well
as the number and severity of risk factors and the harm those risk factors inflict on
the youth to render the protective factors moot. Figure 1.1 depicts this variability.

Resilience
Protective Factors
(Internal and in Stressful Life Positive
Environment) Event Adaptations

Individual No change

Negative
Adaptations
Risk Factors Stressful Life
(Internal and in Event
Environment) Vulnerability

Figure 1.1 Laser’s Resilience Model.

(Model originally printed in Laser, J., & Nicotera, N. (2011). Working with Adolescents: A Practitioner’s Guide.
New York: Guilford.)
8

8 i Innovative Skills

In sum, resilience seems to increase as youth have more opportunities to practice

it. Thus, resilience begets more resilience. It seems to act like a muscle: it gets stron-
ger when exercised, and this stronger resilience muscle can help youth immeasurably
in their lives. Certainly, youth, like adults, will feel better equipped and motivated
in some situations than others. That is, they may feel they have more protective fac-
tors to draw from at certain times, while at other times they may feel mired in risk
factors that hold hope at bay. In general, however, the ability to see oneself as resil-
ient is one of the most important aspects of identity an individual has.

A Focus on Well-​B eing and Resilience

This book advocates practice interventions that engage and empower youth to in-
crease their personal well-​being, and in the healing process to promote resiliency. By
doing so, youth can take an active role in their own healthy functioning, as opposed
to passively receiving treatment. The following chapters of the book are written
from a well-​being and resilience-​based focus. By applying the strategies and tech-
niques described in the subsequent chapters, our readers, as they work to resolve the
social, emotional, and mental health issues that may have disrupted the youths’ lives
they are working with, are also supporting the well-​being of youth, as well as, the
promotion of resilience in youth.
We chose the interventions in this book to coincide with “the 6 Cs of positive
youth development” (Lerner, Fisher, & Weinberg, 2000; Roth et al., 1998):

• Connection (Chapter 2, Healthy Sexuality)

• Character (Chapter 3, Innovative Cognitive Behavior Therapies)
• Confidence (Chapter 4, Mindfulness and Mind–​Body Connection)
• Competence (Chapter 5, Experiential Therapy)
• Caring (Chapter 6, Animal-​Assisted Therapy [AAT])
• Contribution (Chapter 7, Horticultural and Agricultural Therapy [HAT])

Chapter 2, Healthy Sexuality, supports the development of connection as youth

learn about and develop reciprocal intimate relationships within a structure of
safety, membership, and belonging (Lerner et al., 2000; Pittman, 1998; Roth et al.,
1998). Chapter 3, Innovative Cognitive Behavior Therapies, supports the develop-
ment of character, by helping youth learn to not be controlled by their emotions
and behaviors, but to be accountable to themselves and to demonstrate self-​control
and self-​awareness, and make prudent choices about their own actions (Lerner et al.,
2000; Pittman, 1998; Roth et al., 1998). Chapter 4, Mindfulness and Mind–​Body
Connection, presents interventions that help youth develop confidence by learning
9

Well-Being and Resilience j 9

to acquire a sense of self-​worth and efficacy through exercising the power of link-
ing their mind and body to capitalize on their strengths and recognize their limi-
tations with patience and without judgement (Lerner et al., 2000; Pittman, 1998;
Roth et al., 1998). Chapter 5, Experiential Therapy, demonstrates interventions that
build competence by increasing youth’s motivation, tenacity, and optimism to meet
life’s challenges (Lerner et al., 2000; Pittman, 1998; Roth et al., 1998). Chapter 6,
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), uses human–​animal interactions to enhance the
youth’s capacity for caring as they develop sympathy and empathy for the animal
and generalize it to themselves and others (Lerner et al., 2000; Pittman, 1998; Roth
et al., 1998). Chapter 7, Horticultural and Agricultural Therapy (HAT), describes
activities that provide experiences of contribution as youth engage with growing
food and flowers that contribute to the greater good of their community, family,
and self (Lerner, 2005). Each chapter presents the respective activities in the context
of ten basic components, which are described next.

Ten Basic Components of Activities

Each activity in this book has ten basic components that need to be fully considered
before beginning. A well-​planned activity increases the influence of the activity as
a therapeutic tool and reduces concomitant risk. Each component is defined below,
and the reader will find the same sequence of components in all activities through-
out the book.

1. Name of activity. What is the activity called? The name is important because
it gives the youth an idea of is involved in the activity. Additionally, know-
ing the name of the activity is important so that the youth has something to
call the activity during the initial debriefing session and how to refer to it at
other times when they speak of their experience during the activity.
2. Time duration. How long will the activity take to complete? It is important
to plan accurately the length of time needed to fully experience the activ-
ity. If there is not enough time allocated, the activity may not be able to be
completed, which diminishes the effectiveness of the activity and increases
frustration. Conversely, spend too much time, and the youth may be bored
or lose focus on what the activity was about.
3. Purpose/​objective. What is the purpose of the activity, and what are the
objectives? What are the youth supposed to gain by being involved in the
activity? Can the purpose or objectives be achieved if the youth does not
complete the activity or fully participate in the activity? Can the objectives
be measured to determine if they have been achieved? Interestingly, a clear
10

10 i Innovative Skills

discussion of objectives serves as an important benchmark for the youth to

self-​evaluate during and after the activity. If the youth chose not to complete
the activity or was unable to complete the activity, it also gives the youth
some beginning insights into why this may have occurred.
4. Age/​gender/​physical/​intellectual/​cultural considerations. What age is appro-
priate for the activity? Do participants need to be a certain size, or have
a certain amount of coordination, strength, or cognitive ability to par-
ticipate? Is this an appropriate activity for a mixed-​gendered or mixed-​age
group? Would the activity be more effective with just males or females, or a
particular age participating separately, especially at particular developmen-
tal stages? If partners need to be chosen, should they be of the same sex, age,
size, physical ability? Can someone with different intellectual abilities fully
participate? If the youth has physical limitations, how could this activity be
modified so the youth is able to participate? Would the activity be appropri-
ate for particular religious or cultural groups?
5. Equipment/​materials/​location needed. What are the necessary materials
needed for the completion of the activity? Sometimes there are no materials
needed other than the participants themselves, and an open space to do the
activity, but sometimes there are equipment, material goods, and location
rentals that can be expensive.
6. Risk assessment. What are the risks involved in a particular activity? Is there
risk? Is there more than minimal risk? There should not be any more than min-
imal risk in any activity. However, all activities involve an inherent amount of
risk: the risk of sharing, the risk of failure, the risk of being vulnerable, the risk
of being seen in a new or different light, and the fear of the unknown.
7. Framing questions. These are the questions that should guide the youth’s
entrance into the activity. What should the mindset of the youth be as they
begin to participate in the activity? This is different from the purpose or the
objective, because it indicates how to enter in to the activity, rather than
what should be gleaned from participation in the activity.
8. Directions for activity. What are the steps, rules, or instructions for carrying
out the activity? What needs to happen for the activity to be successfully
completed?
9. Debriefing questions. At the end of the activity, what did they learn from
the activity? What did they learn from the activity about themselves? Are
there new revelations, insights, or new ideas generated by the activity? How
does the outcome of this activity connect to other spheres of their lives? The
debriefing questions are the catalyzing “takeaway” from the activity. They
center and ground the activity, differentiating it from something that was
11

Well-Being and Resilience j 11

merely, fun, exciting, frustrating, or difficult, and into a deeper understand-
ing about life and living. They are the springboard from the activity’s being
merely fun and exciting, to a therapeutic experience. The better the debrief-
ing questions are done, the better residual effect the activity will have on
the youth.
10. Whom would this activity be appropriate for, and whom would it not work
with? Be honest: not all activities are for everyone. Are there physical or
developmental limitations that just cannot be overcome? Does the activity
tend to trigger a certain personality type or those who have experienced a
particular life event? The clearer you are about this, the more enjoyable and
insightful activity you will have.

References

Abukari, Z., & Laser, J. (2012). Gender differences in academic outcomes among Ghanaian
youth.Youth and Society, 41(1), 117–138.
Bandura, A. (1997). Self-​efficacy: The Exercise of Control. New York: Freeman.
Bogenschneider, K. (1998). What youth need to succeed: The roots of resiliency. In
K. Bogenschneider & J. Olson (Eds.), Building Resiliency and Reducing Risk: What Youth
need from Families and Communities to Succeed. Wisconsin Family Impacts Seminars Briefing
Report. University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.
Boeckel, J., & Laser, J. (2015). Individual and family factors that decrease depressionin Japanese,
Chinese, and Korean Youth. International Social Work, 2(2), 36–67.
Garmezy, N. (1993). Children in poverty: Resilience despite risk. Psychiatry, 56, 127–​136.
Gore, S., & Eckenrode, J. (1996). Context and process in research on risk and resilience. In
R. Haggerty, L. Sherrod, N. Garmezy, & M. Rutter (Eds.), Stress, Risk, and Resilience in
Children and Adolescents (pp. 19–​63). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Elder, G. (1974). Children of the Great Depression. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Laser, J. (2008). Resilience in Japanese youth, Chapter 13. In L. Leibenberg & M. Ungar
(Eds.), Resilience in Action: Working with Youth Across Cultures and Contexts (pp. 321–324).
University of Toronto Press.
Laser, J., Luster, T., & Oshio, T. (2007a). Risk and promotive factors related to depressive symp-
toms among Japanese youth. American Journal of Ortho Psychiatry, 77(4), 523–​533.
Laser, J., Luster, T., & Oshio, T. (2007b). Promotive and risk factors related to deviant behavior
in Japanese youth. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 34(11), 1463–​1480.
Laser, J., Oshio, T., Luster, T., Tanaka, Y., & Ninomiya, S. (2004). Everyday resilience in Japanese
youth. Yasuda Foundation Annual Journal (Vol. 1 pp. 31–37) (Published in Japanese).
Laser, J., & Nicotera, N. (2011). Working with Adolescents: A Practitioner’s Guide.
New York: Guilford.
Leibenberg, L., & Ungar, M. (2008). Resilience in Action: Working with Youth Across Cultures
and Contexts. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press.
Lerner, R. M., Almerigi, J. B., Theokas, C., & Lerner, J. V. (2005). Positive youth develop-
ment: A view of the issues. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 25, 10–​16.
12

12 i Innovative Skills
Lerner, R., Fisher, C., & Weinberg, R. (2000). Toward a science for and of the
people: Promoting civil society through the application of development science. Child
Development, 71, 11–​20.
Luthar, S. S. (2003). Resilience and Vulnerability: Adaptation in the Context of Childhood
Adversities. New York; Cambridge, U.K: Cambridge University Press.
Luthar, S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation
and guideline for future work. Child Development, 71, 543–​562.
Masten, A. (2014). Ordinary Magic: Resilience in Development. New York: Guilford.
Moore, K., & Keyes, C. (2003). A brief history of the study of well-​being in children and
adults. In M. Bornstein, L. Davidson, C. Keyes, & K. Moore (Eds.), Well-​being, Positive
Development Across the Life Span (pp. 1–​12). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Olsson, C. A., Bond, L., Burns, J. M., Vella-​Brodrick, D. A., & Sawyer, S. M. (2003). Adolescent
resilience: A conceptual analysis. Journal of Adolescence, 26(1), 1–​11.
Pittman, K. (1998). Move Over, Greenspan. Youth Today, 7, 55.
Pollard, E., & Rosenberg, M. (2003). The strength-​based approach to child well-​being: Let’s
begin with the end in mind. In M. Bornstein, L. Davidson, C. Keyes, & K. Moore (Eds.),
Well-​being, Positive Development Across the Life Span (pp. 13–22). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates.
Rolf, J., Masten, A., Cicchetti, D., Nuechterlein, K., & Weintraub, S. (1992). Risk and
Protective Factors in the Development of Psychopathology. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
Roth, J., Brooks-​Gunn, J., & Galen, B. (1997). Promoting Health Adolescence: Youth Development
Framework and Programs. New York Center for Children and Families, Teacher’s College,
Columbia University.
Ungar, M. (2004). Nurturing Hidden Resilience in Troubled Youth. Toronto, Canada: University
of Toronto Press.
Werner, E. (1994). Overcoming the odds. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics,
15(2), 131–​136.
Werner, E., & Smith, R. (1992). Overcoming the odds: High Risk Children from Birth to Adulthood.
Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Zaff, J., Smith, D., Rogers, M., Leavitt, C., Halle, T., & Bornstein, M. (2003). Holistic well
being and the developing child. In M. Bornstein, L. Davidson, C. Keyes, & K. Moore (Eds.),
Well-​being, Positive Development Across the Life span (pp. 23–34). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence
Erlbaum Associates.
Another random document with
no related content on Scribd:
certitude que mon mari n’était pas un assassin ? Car c’était pour
cela… seulement pour cela… Je ne savais plus maintenant ce
qu’avaient pu être mes craintes… — mes espérances !… — Je ne
savais plus si ma vie se nourrissait depuis quelques semaines
d’imaginations absurdes ou des plus profondes et poignantes
réalités sentimentales. Le fait seul m’apparaissait dans son
évidence, brutal et nu comme la lumière de cette lampe ; et ma
douleur devant lui ne pouvait être que grotesque ou que
monstrueuse. Je le compris… il ne me fut plus possible de
comprendre autre chose. Et, voulant me défendre de moi-même et
de tout ce que j’éprouvais d’effrayant, je criai presque :
— Triste ! moi !… après ce que tu viens de me dire !… Triste !…
ah ! par exemple !…
Et voici que, soudain, je me mis à rire. C’était un rire terrible et
violent qui ne pouvait plus s’apaiser. Je riais sur Fabien et sur son
visage satisfait. Je riais plus encore sur moi-même et sur mes
grandes émotions. Et ce rire, qui secouait convulsivement mes
épaules, faisait monter à mes yeux des larmes brûlantes tandis que
le spasme du sanglot serrait dans ma gorge son nœud dur et
douloureux.
— A la bonne heure, s’exclama Fabien tout épanoui. Vois-tu…
J’ai été comme toi d’abord… Le contentement semblait m’abrutir. Je
n’ai bien compris qu’au bout d’un instant. Mais alors, dame, j’ai été
pris d’une espèce de folie. Comme toi, vois-tu… tout à fait comme
toi.

*
* *

… Je ne sais plus le nom de ce restaurant vers lequel nous

allions par les petites rues obscures, ni tout ce que Fabien me
racontait de sa vieille renommée et des personnages importants de
la ville qui ont coutume d’y fréquenter. Mais je me rappelle bien
l’entrée dans la salle basse, pleine et chaude, le gros tapage des
voix et des vaisselles, l’odeur des nourritures dans laquelle se mêlait
à l’acidité des plats vinaigrés, le relent de l’huile bouillante et le
fumet lourd des gibiers. Je me rappelle cette vapeur qui flottait, faite
de l’exhalaison des plats et des haleines et de la fumée du tabac,
cette vapeur embuant aux murs les grandes glaces encadrées de
guirlandes peintes, de fruits, de jeunes femmes coiffées du ruban
provençal, et qui noyait également dans son opacité les figures
décoratives, aux couleurs crues, et les visages vivants, enluminés
avec violence. Et je me rappelle le soin que prit Fabien de choisir,
pour nous y installer, une table qui fût bien en vue, au beau milieu de
la salle.
Il appela le garçon ; il lui donna ses ordres à voix très haute,
satisfait de voir que la plupart des dîneurs se retournaient vers lui ; et
le regard qu’il promena sur tous, quand il fut assis, était un regard
triomphal. En ce moment il était plus heureux encore qu’il n’avait pu
l’être en recevant la lettre de Fardier, et plus heureux que tout à
l’heure, en me faisant son récit haletant de fièvre et de joie.
Véritablement son apparence était celle de la résurrection. Il
semblait de minute en minute s’épanouir davantage. Il prenait sa
revanche de ces quelques semaines pendant lesquelles il avait
vécu, terré, caché, se mourant de honte et de peur, à imaginer
autour de lui le sourire et la raillerie des hommes ; il la prenait avec
éclat, sans mesure et presque insolemment.
Je m’étais assise de façon à tourner le dos à la salle. Parmi tant
de visages qui nous entouraient je ne voyais devant moi que le
visage de Fabien ; parmi tant de gestes qui s’accomplissaient, je ne
voyais que ses gestes. Chacun exprimait l’orgueil, la satisfaction
absolue, la suffisance mesquine et profonde. La manière qu’il avait
de trancher son pain, d’attirer à lui la salière, de reposer fortement
son verre sur la table, révélait, me semblait-il, mieux qu’aucune
parole, de quelle étoffe grossière était faite sa joie… Et je pensais
que, dans la même étoffe, avait été taillé et façonné son désespoir,
ce désespoir sur lequel je m’étais penchée et dont j’avais nourri ma
vie la plus frémissante et la meilleure pendant tant d’heures qui me
paraissaient belles.
 Je commençais maintenant à me rappeler ces heures-là. Je ne
faisais que commencer… Dans cette salle bruyante et chaude, dont
l’air s’épaississait d’odeurs désagréables, je les retrouvais l’une
après l’autre, ces heures d’angoisse et de tourment, redoutées
d’abord, et qui peu à peu m’étaient devenues si chères… Je n’avais
devant moi que le visage de Fabien, mais quand il avançait ou
tournait la tête, ce qui, dans son agitation, lui arrivait à tout moment,
un autre visage m’apparaissait dans la glace étroite, gravée d’étoiles
mates, qui décorait derrière lui le pilier octogone, un visage pâle,
avec des yeux un peu élargis et fixes. Ces yeux, qui étaient les
miens, étaient aussi les yeux de maman que je croyais revoir. Ils
contenaient ma vie tout entière, ils l’expliquaient toute. Ils étaient à la
fois avides et résignés, exigeants et craintifs. Et je n’avais jamais su
voir comme aujourd’hui qu’à leur humilité soumise pouvait se mêler
un désarroi infini et qu’ils se troublaient à la fois des plus étroits
scrupules et de passionnées inquiétudes.
La tête de Fabien, se tournant et s’agitant sans repos, me cachait
ces yeux un instant, et puis de nouveau, je les voyais m’apparaître
confusément dans l’eau de la glace obscurcie de vapeurs et de
fumées. Et ce qui vivait en eux maintenant, ce n’étaient plus que ces
dernières semaines, ce n’étaient que ces dernières heures de mon
existence… Un temps bien court, plus vaste cependant que tout le
reste des jours où j’avais respiré sur la terre. Je me souvenais… je
continuais de me souvenir… Il y avait eu cette nuit à Lagarde…
l’horreur de cette nuit ! Il y avait eu, mystérieuses, menant mes
gestes, dictant mes paroles et cependant comme inconnues à moi-
même, ma résolution soudaine de ne pas abandonner Fabien, ma
volonté de le suivre. Il y avait eu… Mais tant de choses
aboutissaient à une seule… — et c’est une pensée unique à présent
qui me torturait, c’est parmi tous ces souvenirs le souvenir d’une
seule minute — il y avait eu, devant cette douleur que je voyais si
grande, si absolue, capable d’enrichir de ses tourments l’âme la plus
misérable, il y avait eu mon amour, l’élan merveilleux de mon amour.
— Et maintenant il y avait cela seulement ; la révélation que cette
âme n’avait pas changé, la certitude qu’elle ne changerait pas. Il y
avait cela… rien que cela.
« Ah ! peut-être j’aurais préféré qu’il tuât réellement… qu’il tuât…
et qu’il ne fût pas ce qu’il est… »
A ce moment Fabien se redressa, et je ne vis plus mes yeux
dans la glace ; je n’eus plus devant moi que son regard à lui, un peu
vague et tout chavirant d’excitation et de plaisir.
— Garçon ! appela-t-il… Et jetant son ordre avant que l’autre fût
tout près de lui… Du châteauneuf des papes… Une bonne bouteille.
Il se pencha vers moi, ricanant et confidentiel :
— Ça va me coûter cher, ce petit dîner… Mais puisque ce sont
eux qui paient.
— Qui cela ? demandai-je.
— Mais, dit-il, les clients du père Fardier. D’où sors-tu donc ?…
Depuis une demi-heure, nous ne parlons pas d’autre chose.
Il disait : « nous ne parlons », sans remarquer qu’avant cette
brève question je n’avais encore prononcé aucune parole. Ma
distraction, qu’il crut soudaine, l’égaya. Il se servit pour la deuxième
fois des cailles placées devant nous, qui dressaient et
recroquevillaient sur des croûtons de pain gras leurs petites pattes
noires et métalliques, et il reprit cet entretien que je n’entendais pas.
Ne cessant de parler et de manger avec une égale abondance, il ne
cessait non plus de s’avancer de droite et de gauche, de se dresser,
de se pencher, d’observer qui le regardait. Et revoyant à tous
moments derrière lui, dans la glace, ces yeux qui me regardaient, je
continuais, tout éperdue, de leur répondre et de les interroger.
« N’eût-il pas mieux valu qu’il tuât réellement… qu’il tuât ?…
L’être est-il plus avili par l’acte passionné d’une seule minute, que
peuvent essayer de racheter tous les repentirs, ou par la continuité
paisible de la médiocrité et de la platitude ?… »
Mais de cette même façon réelle dont je voyais Fabien couper sa
viande et se verser du vin rouge, je voyais maintenant que le crime
même, s’il eût été commis, n’eût éveillé dans cette âme qu’un ennui,
qu’un repentir et que des craintes à sa taille. Et désespérément
alors, pour ne plus rien voir de lui ni de moi-même, me détournant
moins de ces deux visages dressés devant moi que de l’âme secrète
et trop douloureuse à connaître dont s’animait chacun d’eux, je
regardais la salle, moi aussi, j’attachais mon attention, toute mon
attention, au chapeau extravagant d’une jeune femme, aux
remarques faites par nos voisins, deux couples brésiliens, dans le
plus divertissant langage, aux courses des garçons glissant
prestement au milieu des tables serrées, à la caissière ronde et
brune qui paraissait tant s’ennuyer derrière son haut bureau fleuri de
roses. Je m’appliquais à écouter jusqu’au petit bruit de la monnaie
tombant dans les plateaux de métal, et j’entendais venir de la salle
voisine, où trois billards étalaient sous les lampes leurs tapis d’un
vert éclatant, le choc léger des boules d’ivoire, les voix des joueurs
annonçant les points, et quelquefois aussi s’élevant avec violence
pour discuter d’un « coulé » douteux ou pour applaudir un coup
difficile.
Dans un de ces moments où tous les secours m’étaient bons
pour échapper à moi-même, regardant une fois de plus, pour
regarder le plus loin qu’il me fût possible, dans cette salle où
s’agitaient les joueurs de billard, je vis un homme qui venait sur le
seuil, le chapeau sur la tête, boutonnant son pardessus, prêt à sortir,
un vieil homme robuste et grand dont l’aimable visage était tout
rayonnant sous d’épais cheveux blancs ; et je le reconnus
brusquement… Alors, me penchant vers Fabien, je me mis tout à
coup à répondre à chacune de ses phrases, à lui demander de petits
détails, à l’entretenir avec une animation fébrile de toutes ces
questions qui l’intéressaient. Il fallait que sa pensée en ce moment
s’attachât à moi seule, que son regard se fixât sur moi seule, car je
ne voulais pas qu’il vît cet homme à son tour et qu’il le reconnût, je
ne le voulais pas… Mais il ne remarqua pas plus mon attention qu’il
ne s’était inquiété de mon indifférence. Et malgré mes pressantes
paroles, mon visage tendu vers lui, mes yeux qui cherchaient les
siens, se tournant de tous les côtés comme il continuait de le faire, il
fallut bien enfin qu’il se tournât de ce côté.
 Aussitôt une rougeur plus violente monta à son visage déjà
empourpré. Il s’exclama ; il frappa joyeusement sur la table, et d’une
voix forte, à travers tout ce monde, il cria :
— Fabréjol !
Je vis le petit mouvement surpris de M. Fabréjol, je vis son
regard se promener de table en table, cherchant avec étonnement
qui pouvait l’interpeller ainsi, et je vis son sourire qui n’était peut-être
pas seulement de cordialité, tandis qu’ayant aperçu Fabien qui
s’était levé et lui faisait de grands gestes, il prenait le parti de venir
nous rejoindre. Aussitôt mon mari donna l’ordre que l’on apportât
des liqueurs, bouscula nos voisins afin de placer une chaise de plus
entre leur table et la nôtre, rappela le garçon pour demander des
cigarettes, et attira sur nous de telle sorte l’attention générale que M.
Fabréjol me parut un peu gêné.
— Mais je vous en prie, ne cessait-il de répéter, ne vous donnez
pas tant de mal… Ne dérangez pas ainsi tout le monde…
— Laissez donc, disait Fabien… laissez !… Ah ! mon ami, mon
cher ami, je suis si heureux de vous revoir… Quelle chance que
cette rencontre ! Justement, figurez-vous, je quitte Avignon demain.
M. Fabréjol m’avait saluée avec cette cordialité amicale, cette
bonté affectueuse et presque paternelle qu’il m’avait témoignées
déjà en me recevant chez lui. Et il allait me parler. Fabien ne lui en
laissa pas le temps.
— Hé ! oui, reprit-il, demain. Je ne pensais pas partir aussi
brusquement, mais que voulez-vous ! Les malades me réclament…
Les confrères aussi. C’est à croire vraiment qu’à Lagarde on ne peut
plus vivre — ni mourir, ajouta-t-il plaisamment — sans que je sois là.
Alors je repars, je sacrifie ma santé… mon repos… Il le faut bien.
— Votre santé, me semble-t-il, est meilleure maintenant,
remarqua M. Fabréjol.
— Meilleure, déclara Fabien, oh ! certes, et même aujourd’hui
tout à fait bonne. Ce n’est pas comme le jour où je vous ai rencontré,
Fabréjol, — avouez, mon ami, que j’avais une tête à faire peur — ni
comme cet autre jour où j’ai eu le grand regret de ne pouvoir
accompagner ma femme à votre déjeuner. Ah ! j’ai été vraiment très
mal… Mais c’est fini, bien fini… De la chartreuse, Fabréjol, ou de la
fine ?…
Jamais il n’avait parlé aussi familièrement à M. Fabréjol. Même
quand nous étions seuls et qu’il m’entretenait de lui, il le faisait avec
plus de déférence. Mais il se sentait aujourd’hui tout magnifique, il
était tout hors de lui-même, et je crois bien qu’il n’eût pas imaginé
sur la terre entière quelqu’un à qui il ne pût s’égaler.
— L’une et l’autre, ajouta-t-il en débouchant les flacons de
liqueurs. Et je vous ferai raison.
— Ni l’une ni l’autre, dit M. Fabréjol couvrant son verre de sa
main. Je vous remercie. D’ailleurs je vais être obligé de vous quitter.
Il est bien tard. J’ai six kilomètres à faire pour rentrer chez moi. Un
vieux cheval… un vieux cocher. Ma sœur qui s’inquiète et veille en
m’attendant. Mais j’ai voulu ce soir prendre congé de quelques amis.
— Allons donc !… s’exclama Fabien, vous repartez déjà ! Moi qui
comptais vous demander de venir nous voir un de ces jours à
Lagarde.
Il prononça ces derniers mots avec désinvolture. D’un trait il vida
son verre qu’il avait rempli de chartreuse. Et il éprouva le besoin
d’ajouter, important et confidentiel :
— Ma situation là-bas, vous savez, est en train de devenir
considérable !
Il répéta, tapotant la table de sa main ouverte, comme pour bien
pénétrer de ce mot le marbre lui-même :
— Considérable.
— Je n’en doute pas, dit M. Fabréjol avec politesse. J’ai toujours
pensé qu’il en serait ainsi. Et je vous félicite bien sincèrement.
Autant qu’il m’était en ce moment possible de remarquer quelque
chose, je remarquai que le ton de Fabien le surprenait ce soir, et
peut-être même l’agaçait un peu. Ce fut vers moi qu’il se tourna pour
ajouter :
 — J’ai conservé de Lagarde le meilleur souvenir… Et j’aurais eu
grand plaisir, madame, à vous y rendre de nouveau visite.
Malheureusement, je vous le répète, je pars, ou plutôt nous partons,
mon fils et moi.
J’acquiesçai de la tête. Je crois même que je souris. J’avais
tremblé en apercevant M. Fabréjol. J’avais souhaité qu’il ne nous vît
pas ce soir, qu’il ne vînt pas auprès de nous. Mais je ne savais plus
d’où m’était venue cette frayeur ; je ne me représentais pas bien en
ce moment ce fils qui devait partir avec lui ; je ne souffrais pas en
l’écoutant.
— Philippe, continua M. Fabréjol, était un peu hésitant. Il avait, je
crois, l’intention de prolonger son séjour en France d’un ou deux
mois. Et sa tante, ma pauvre vieille sœur, en eût été bien heureuse.
Mais vous savez comme sont les jeunes gens. Il a maintenant
changé d’avis. Et tout à l’heure même, il vient de me déclarer que sa
résolution était enfin prise et qu’il préférait m’accompagner.
— Quand partez-vous ? demanda Fabien.
— Le douze, dit Fabréjol.
— Le douze, répéta mon mari d’une façon machinale.
Ce fut ce petit mot qui réveilla tout. A cause de cette date qu’il
avait prononcée au musée Calvet et que j’avais répétée comme
Fabien venait de le faire, je revis le musée et Philippe devant moi.
J’entendis sa demande et mon refus. J’entendis ma voix sourde et
sincère qui prononçait : « J’ai l’amour… » Et voici que de nouveau,
comme tout à l’heure, rue des Trois-Faucons, dans la chambre
vilainement éclairée par la lumière nue de la lampe, j’éclatai de rire.
Et c’était comme tout à l’heure, un rire terrible, violent, qui ne cessait
plus de secouer mes épaules et faisait monter à mes yeux des
larmes brûlantes, tandis que le spasme du sanglot serrait dans ma
gorge son nœud dur et douloureux.
M. Fabréjol me considérait, étonné ; mais Fabien expliqua avec
une grande indulgence :
— Elle est très gaie… Que voulez-vous ! — (Et j’avais
l’impression précise que chacune de ses paroles serait répétée à
Philippe, et chacune de ses paroles me déchirait comme une lame
grinçante et froide.) — C’est que la journée d’aujourd’hui a été pour
elle une bonne journée.

*
* *

… Sur le toit de tuiles rousses que je vois de ma fenêtre, une

fumée voudrait monter, que rabat le grand vent. Elle bouillonne au
sortir de la cheminée comme un jet d’eau sans force ; elle se couche
et s’échevèle, et, comme le soir va venir, elle est blanche sur le ciel
gris.
Nous sommes en hiver, maintenant. Nous approchons de la
Noël. C’est le temps, à Lagarde, où l’on se rend des visites. J’ai été
très occupée à en faire, à en recevoir aussi. Et j’ai dû m’interrompre
souvent d’écrire, si souvent que quelquefois je ne savais vraiment
plus bien pourquoi j’avais entrepris de conter toutes ces choses…
A quoi bon l’avoir fait ? C’est fini d’ailleurs, c’est fini. Je n’ai plus
rien à dire. Je fréquente beaucoup de monde maintenant. Cela est
naturel. Je donne à goûter et quelquefois à dîner. La situation de
Fabien m’impose ces obligations, qui ne sont pas désagréables. Ce
dernier soir en Avignon, dont j’ai parlé pour finir, il avait bien raison
d’être si content. Tout s’est parfaitement arrangé. Le vieux Fardier a
commencé déjà de lui passer la plus grande partie de sa clientèle.
Nous le voyons assez souvent. Il dîne ici demain avec Romain de
Buires, qui est maintenant tout à fait de nos amis.
Bien entendu, on ne parlera de rien. Je veux dire : on ne parlera
pas de toute cette histoire. On n’en parle jamais. Elle est vieille
d’ailleurs : un an déjà. Personne n’y pense plus. Moi-même, bien
souvent, je crois l’avoir oubliée.
Quelquefois cependant… oui, quelquefois… je me rappelle. Cela
me vient tout à coup, d’une manière brusque que rien ne prépare et
qui me surprend. Cela me vient quand je suis seule dans ma
chambre ou bien assise près de Guicharde à coudre devant le feu,
ou encore, ce qui est plus singulier, quand je fais quelque visite
d’importance, au beau milieu d’une conversation, alors que je
m’applique à me tenir avec élégance et que je suis toute contente de
mon chapeau avec une plume brune qui vient de Paris, ou de mes
gants montant un peu haut et brodés de baguettes noires, à la
dernière mode. Je me rappelle…
Il semble que mon cœur tout à coup se réveille et supplie, qu’il
grandit et qu’il souffre. Ma gorge se serre. Je ne sais plus que dire.
Mes mains deviennent un peu froides. Et si j’ai une glace devant
moi, j’y vois aussitôt se lever ces yeux qui me regardèrent tout un
soir, du fond de la glace trouble, gravée d’étoiles mates, ces yeux
résignés et tout remplis cependant d’inquiètes exigences…
Mais ces moments tourmentés sont assez rares maintenant.
Peut-être vont-ils encore le devenir davantage. La vie passe. Elle
ordonne. J’ai toujours été pliée à l’obéissance et je ne fais que
continuer. J’accepte ce qu’elle entend faire de mon être soumis. Je
souris à la forme du visage qu’elle tourne vers moi. Oui, je souris…
Je suis heureuse. — Pourquoi pas ? La considération dont nous
entoure tout le pays est chaque jour plus grande. Mon mari chaque
jour gagne plus d’argent et la tendresse qu’il me témoigne est
raisonnable et fidèle. C’est Guicharde qui a raison. Il ne faut
considérer que l’apparence des choses et quand elle est excellente,
il est inutile et peut-être ridicule de rien chercher au delà.
C’est fini. Je vais faire un grand feu avec tous ces feuillets. Le
soir vient. Des femmes dans la rue vont à la fontaine. J’entends le
grincement de la pompe, le bruit sonore d’une anse retombant
contre un seau vide. Et j’entends au-dessous de moi tous les bruits
de ma maison : Guicharde met la table avec vivacité, Adélaïde fend
du bois dans la souillarde. Tout à l’heure, Fabien va rentrer dans sa
voiture grise et basse, pareille à quelque gros cloporte roulé dans la
poussière.
La vie est régulière, abondante et tranquille. Elle est bonne pour
moi en somme. Elle est très bonne. Je suis heureuse. Je puis l’être.
Je le serais tout à fait s’il n’y avait pas encore ces moments, tous
ces moments où il me semble que je m’éveille, et où je pense que
ces minutes paisibles et satisfaites sont peut-être les pires de
toutes…
 PARIS
IMPRIMERIE GAMBART & Cie
52, avenue du Maine, 52
 *** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK POUR MOI
SEULE ***

Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will
be renamed.

Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S.

copyright law means that no one owns a United States copyright in
these works, so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it
in the United States without permission and without paying copyright
royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part of
this license, apply to copying and distributing Project Gutenberg™
electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG™ concept
and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and
may not be used if you charge for an eBook, except by following the
terms of the trademark license, including paying royalties for use of
the Project Gutenberg trademark. If you do not charge anything for
copies of this eBook, complying with the trademark license is very
easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose such as
creation of derivative works, reports, performances and research.
Project Gutenberg eBooks may be modified and printed and given
away—you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with
eBooks not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject
to the trademark license, especially commercial redistribution.

START: FULL LICENSE

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
 PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg™ mission of promoting the free

distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work (or
any other work associated in any way with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg”), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full
Project Gutenberg™ License available with this file or online at
www.gutenberg.org/license.

Section 1. General Terms of Use and

Redistributing Project Gutenberg™
electronic works
1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg™
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree
to and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or
destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works in your
possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a
Project Gutenberg™ electronic work and you do not agree to be
bound by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from
the person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in
paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B. “Project Gutenberg” is a registered trademark. It may only be

used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people
who agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a
few things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg™ electronic
works even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.
See paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with
Project Gutenberg™ electronic works if you follow the terms of this
agreement and help preserve free future access to Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below.
1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation (“the
Foundation” or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the
collection of Project Gutenberg™ electronic works. Nearly all the
individual works in the collection are in the public domain in the
United States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in
the United States and you are located in the United States, we do
not claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing,
performing, displaying or creating derivative works based on the
work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of
course, we hope that you will support the Project Gutenberg™
mission of promoting free access to electronic works by freely
sharing Project Gutenberg™ works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg™ name
associated with the work. You can easily comply with the terms of
this agreement by keeping this work in the same format with its
attached full Project Gutenberg™ License when you share it without
charge with others.

1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also
govern what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most
countries are in a constant state of change. If you are outside the
United States, check the laws of your country in addition to the terms
of this agreement before downloading, copying, displaying,
performing, distributing or creating derivative works based on this
work or any other Project Gutenberg™ work. The Foundation makes
no representations concerning the copyright status of any work in
any country other than the United States.

1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other

immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg™ License must
appear prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg™
work (any work on which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” appears, or
with which the phrase “Project Gutenberg” is associated) is
accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, copied or distributed:
 This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United
States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away
or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License
included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you
are not located in the United States, you will have to check the
laws of the country where you are located before using this
eBook.

1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is derived

from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not contain a
notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the copyright
holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in the
United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are
redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase “Project
Gutenberg” associated with or appearing on the work, you must
comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through
1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project
Gutenberg™ trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg™ electronic work is posted

with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any
additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms
will be linked to the Project Gutenberg™ License for all works posted
with the permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of
this work.

1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project

Gutenberg™ License terms from this work, or any files containing a
part of this work or any other work associated with Project
Gutenberg™.

1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this

electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg™ License.
1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form,
including any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you
provide access to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg™ work
in a format other than “Plain Vanilla ASCII” or other format used in
the official version posted on the official Project Gutenberg™ website
(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense
to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means
of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original “Plain
Vanilla ASCII” or other form. Any alternate format must include the
full Project Gutenberg™ License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,

performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg™ works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing

access to or distributing Project Gutenberg™ electronic works
provided that:

• You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
the use of Project Gutenberg™ works calculated using the
method you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The
fee is owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark,
but he has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty
payments must be paid within 60 days following each date on
which you prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your
periodic tax returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked
as such and sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation at the address specified in Section 4, “Information
about donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation.”

• You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who

notifies you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that
s/he does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg™
License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all
 copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and
discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of Project
Gutenberg™ works.

• You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of

any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in
the electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90
days of receipt of the work.

• You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
distribution of Project Gutenberg™ works.

1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg™

electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the manager of
the Project Gutenberg™ trademark. Contact the Foundation as set
forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend

considerable effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe
and proofread works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating
the Project Gutenberg™ collection. Despite these efforts, Project
Gutenberg™ electronic works, and the medium on which they may
be stored, may contain “Defects,” such as, but not limited to,
incomplete, inaccurate or corrupt data, transcription errors, a
copyright or other intellectual property infringement, a defective or
damaged disk or other medium, a computer virus, or computer
codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment.

1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except

for the “Right of Replacement or Refund” described in paragraph
1.F.3, the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner
of the Project Gutenberg™ trademark, and any other party
distributing a Project Gutenberg™ electronic work under this
agreement, disclaim all liability to you for damages, costs and
expenses, including legal fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO
REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY, BREACH OF
WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE
FOUNDATION, THE TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY
DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE LIABLE
TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL,
PUNITIVE OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE
NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you

discover a defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it,
you can receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by
sending a written explanation to the person you received the work
from. If you received the work on a physical medium, you must
return the medium with your written explanation. The person or entity
that provided you with the defective work may elect to provide a
replacement copy in lieu of a refund. If you received the work
electronically, the person or entity providing it to you may choose to
give you a second opportunity to receive the work electronically in
lieu of a refund. If the second copy is also defective, you may
demand a refund in writing without further opportunities to fix the
problem.

1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth in
paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you ‘AS-IS’, WITH NO
OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied

warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted
by the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.