All posts by jgreslick

Reflections on Resilience

IIA wrapped up it’s Power Series last week, with a presentation by IIA’s Integrative Health Chair, Suellen Nadeau entitled, The Power of Awareness: A Path to Resilience.  Following is a piece written by IIA’s Intern Lexi Hussy, as she reflected on the presentation.

Emotional Health: The power of resilience

by Lexi Hussey, IIA Intern

I think resilience is something everyone should learn and experience in their lifetime. Most of the time, resilience is unfortunately learned through something tragic or bad. In March of 2020, I lost my Dad due to complications from surgery to remove his Pancreatic cancer. He was only 60 when he passed. My whole family was extremely close, and still are. Right after his passing, the pandemic came full swing. When I got sent home from school, it was a blessing in disguise. I was able to be with my mom and older brother to heal together. We became resilient as a family. We knew that we couldn’t change that my dad was gone, but we could learn to be stronger. “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient” – Dr. Steve Maraboli

To learn more about IIA’s recently completed Power Series, please click here.  Plans are in the works to expand the Power Series.  Sign up for our weekly email newsletter so that you’ll be the first to know about all of IIA’s programming!

Meet IIA’s Newest Intern!

Hi! My name is Alexa Hussey. I am a senior psychology major with a minor in social work
promotion here at Saint Joe’s from Rochester, NH. This semester I am interning with the
Institute of Integrative Aging. As graduation approaches, I’ve been more and more focused on
what life will look like post-grad. Being in college during a pandemic, it’s hard to have set
expectations and a plan. As we all have experienced, things can change in a instance. My plan is to be a Child Life specialist after I graduate and my end goal is the work at Boston Children’s Hospital, but I need some experience before the big show. Although my dream is to work with children, being an intern for IIA is a wonderful and unexpected opportunity. I have been so hyper-focused on working with kids for so many years that it’s nice to be given something completely out of my comfort zone and be able to take a step back to make a bridge the gap between older adults and kids. Some obstacles have been thrown my way- my senior year and this internship were not what I expected or planned for, but life has a funny way of making you reflect on what life was like when you *thought* you were in control of your life. When things don’t go the way we plan, we get uncomfortable and think “well now what?” My whole I haven’t been great at asking for help with pretty much anything, but in the last year, I have learned that it is okay to admit you need help. Needing help doesn’t make you look weak or inferior, it shows you have the strength and courage to admit when you are struggling- whether it’s mentally, emotionally, physically, academically, etc. We all need help at times and we all can offer help to those in need.