Wheel of Adaptive Resources
The Wheel of Adaptive Resources is a tool to help you draw on your inner strengths, past successes, and positive experiences to navigate challenges. It allows you to connect with helpful skills, emotions, and beliefs that can support you in difficult situations. By focusing on your resources, you can build emotional resilience and confidence.
This exercise is adapted from the work of Karen Werk and R. Kiessling (2006). Their approach focuses on enhancing coping skills and extending positive resources that may not always be fully utilized.
How to Use the Wheel of Adaptive Resources
Follow these steps to create and use your own Wheel of Adaptive Resources:
1. Identify a Challenge
Start by thinking about a specific situation or challenge you’re currently facing. Write this down in the center of a circle on a piece of paper or visualize it in your mind.
2. Identify a Resource
Consider a strength, skill, or belief you have used successfully in the past to manage similar situations. This could be anything that has helped you feel grounded, confident, or capable. Write this in a smaller circle inside the larger one.
Examples of resources:
- A sense of calm or focus you’ve experienced before.
- A coping skill like deep breathing or grounding.
- A positive belief such as “I can handle this.”
3. Recall Past Successes
Think of four specific situations where you used this resource successfully. Write these around the inner circle, forming the next layer of the wheel. Be as specific as possible and take a moment to recall each experience.
4. Focus on Positive Emotions and Sensations
For each past success, recall the positive emotions and sensations you experienced. Write these around the outer rim of the circle.
Examples of emotions or sensations:
- Confidence, calm, strength, or joy.
- A sense of relief or physical relaxation.
5. Enhance the Positive Feelings
Take a moment to focus on each past success and the positive emotions or sensations it brought. Use slow, rhythmic tapping (e.g., on your knees or shoulders) to deepen these feelings. This step helps you solidify your connection to the resource.
6. Apply the Resource to Your Challenge
Visualize how this resource can help you with the current challenge. Imagine yourself using it and experiencing a positive outcome. Notice the shift in your feelings and confidence as you do this.
7. Plan for the Future
Think of a future situation where this resource might be helpful. Imagine yourself using the resource successfully, and notice how this makes you feel. This practice can help prepare you for real-life situations.
Why This Works
The Wheel of Adaptive Resources helps you focus on what you already have within you to overcome challenges. By revisiting positive past experiences and practicing these steps, you can strengthen your ability to cope with difficulties and build emotional resilience.
Acknowledgment
This exercise is adapted from the work of Karen Werk and R. Kiessling (2006), whose contributions to resource-building techniques have helped many individuals develop greater emotional strength and coping skills.