The secret to post-traumatic growth and resilience lies in people’s ability to not only utilize their own natural abilities for coping and healing but to know how and when to be willing to learn new skills to repair and renew. Here’s a list of some favorite resources that people can use in developing and sustaining such growth.

1. Happify.com. This is a free service but can be upgraded for a fee. I tried the upgrade for one year and found it helped me increase my meditation practice, which was a goal I had set that year. If you aren’t into meditation, there is a whole bunch of other things you can do on there — fun games, journaling, challenges. The site reports using evidence-based science on positive psychology and other approaches.
2. Greater Good Science Center. This site is dedicated to studying and sharing research on mindfulness and happiness. There are free guided meditations you can access, as well as articles and videos chock-full of info on the best ways to approach life problems.
3. Positive Psychology Center. This research center based at the University of Pennsylvania promotes training, education and dissemination of information on positive psychology (the study of strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive), resilience and grit.
4. Psychology Tools. A free site out of the UK, this has a ton of handouts on a broad range of psychological approaches. I often use these in sessions with clients, as some require introductory knowledge of the treatment. If you need help using them, contact me at the Helpline at 877-884-6227.
5. The Gottman Institute. Here you can find evidence-based help for couples and parents. The Gottmans conducted years of scientific studies on what makes relationships work and have educated thousands of therapists in these findings (I’m one of them). They have books for couples and parents and self-guided training programs as well. One of their best sellers is “The Art and Science of Love.”
6. Imago Relationship Therapy. Harville and Helen LaHunt Hendrix, Ph.D.s, are the developers of Imago Therapy and a couples dialogue I use with not only couples but with any relationship that needs careful airing and processing. I recommend two books: “Getting the Love You Want” for couples and “Keeping the Love You Find” for singles.
7. Rethinking Drinking. This National Institutes of Health (NIH) site has valuable research-based information (as well as a free hardcopy brochure available) about drinking. How do you know if you have a healthy relationship to alcohol? It emphasizes that drinking is not bad in and of itself — it depends how much you’re doing it and how it’s affecting your life.
8. National Institute of Drug Abuse/NIDA
9. Substance Abuse Treatment Locator
10. Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)
11. Disaster Distress Helpline: 800-985-5990
12. Intimate Partner Violence National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-799-7233 (SAFE)/800-787-3224 TTY
13. Pain Management Support