No Two Days the Same

Twice a week, Rebecca Murphy, BS, MS, Silver Hill Hospital Community Resilience Campaign Coach, goes to Pivot Ministries in Bridgeport. A group of gentlemen eagerly await her hour-long class. The men, enrolled in Pivot’s rigorous nine-month academic program, learn skills from Rebecca that will help them understand, cope, and thrive in situations that may challenge their commitment to sobriety and faith.

The energy in the room is thoughtful and supportive. There are plenty of laughs and camaraderie too.  The men are students by choice and, according to Reverend Richard T. Williams, Executive Director, Rebecca’s class is one of their favorites. It’s one of her favorites too.

“This is a remarkable group of men who have been through any number of traumatic experiences and have been dependent, in some ways, on substances for coping. When they first come to class, they’re a little apprehensive and question the purpose of the class, why it’s important to work on building self-awareness skills, and how self-regulation leads to better resilience skills. As time passes, they come out of their shells and see how building these skills helps them manage their stress, take control of their choices, and start making better choices based on their values and goals. They’re happier, they have improved their communication with peers and families, and they can see how their lives can be more positively impacted.”

The CRC workshops at Pivot Ministries – like all Community Resilience Campaign (CRC) programs – offer techniques and strategies to cultivate resilience and teach the skills needed to manage emotions, build positive relationships, and adapt to change effectively. At Pivot, Rebecca tailors her instruction to the men she’s speaking to, relating to their unique needs and situations. She does the same when she visits other organizations too — police departments, schools, health care institutions, newcomers’ clubs, and more. The locations, organizations, and audiences change, but the core message stays the same. 

“No two CRC groups, no two visits, no two lessons are exactly the same,” says Terra Reed, MSN, BSN, RN, Community Resilience Campaign Operations Manager. “That’s both the beauty and the challenge! Our team is small, but incredibly nimble and driven by the work we do and the impact we have.” 

Launched in April 2020 in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the Community Resilience Campaign began by offering virtual training to healthcare workers to manage the effects of the profound stress they were under.  Since then, the program has expanded, reaching over 6000 participants across the country annually, through over 300 programs, in-person, virtual, and hybrid. 

Interest continues to grow.   “Resilience training was introduced because of COVID,” says Murphy, “but the core concepts we teach will never go out of style.” 

The Community Resilience Campaign is supported by philanthropic gifts. Silver Hill Hospital is particularly grateful to the John and Ethel Kashulon Foundation for their generous commitment to the program.

Rebecca Murphy, BS, MS 

Resilience Coach

Background and path to your current role with CRC:

Connecticut-certified Teacher with 20 years of experience. I began my wellness journey about 15 years ago, and I’m thrilled to be able to merge my love of teaching with wellness and resiliency.

What do you love about your role? I love the flexibility with time as well as the diverse populations I speak to. Walking into schools, hospitals, outreach centers, and other community organizations has been a real joy, as has meeting them where they are emotionally. Many people are REALLY stressed and have no clue how to assess their current situation. Many shut down. It’s been great to see them respond so positively to our material and take away real-world strategies they can utilize to help them manage stressful situations.

What you’ve learned along the way: Every group is different, and yet we’re all struggling with similar stressors. Everyone wants to be heard and understood, and most of us are looking for positive connections, both at home and in our workplaces. Our group has managed to hear the diverse communities we’re serving and bring content that works specifically for their organization.

Sarah Heines, MBA

Curriculum Development Specialist

Background and path to your current role: Bachelor’s in psychology, Bachelor’s in Sociology, MBA in healthcare administration. Worked as a psychiatric technician, residential counselor as well as in human resources and education events at silver hill. This well-rounded perspective of community, staff and leadership needs has shaped her perspective when creating new materials. 

What do you love about your role? I love researching new techniques to teach evidence-based practices to reach different groups. I also really love analyzing participant survey data. Not only does their feedback guide my revisions for developing new workshops but the best part is seeing what they’re excited to practice and how much they appreciate the discussion and activities.

What you’ve learned along the way: There are so many people who are seeking help and don’t know where to start. People just want a safe space to talk about their needs and learn what resources are available and time to actually practice these skills. Some of these skills seem so basic, but people just need the time to put them into routine.