Growing Your Strengths: Laurier's Resiliency Toolkit Workshop Series
The Growing Your Strengths: Resiliency Toolkit Program aims to help you move from surviving to thriving at university by helping you build resiliency. Resiliency can help you live with the stressors of university life by allowing you to develop coping skills to overcome common challenges you may face, while becoming stronger from them.
The program consists of five interactive sessions per term. Our sessions for Winter 2025 are:
- Week 1: Growing Your Strengths
- Week 2: Resilience, Optimism and Hope
- Week 3: Grit, Habit Formation and Forgiveness
- Week 4: Wellness and Sleep
- Week 5: Gratitude, Community and Thriving
Each session will consist of activities, opportunities for discussion, and tips and tricks to apply concepts to your life inside and outside of the classroom.
Food is provided, and each session will have a small giveaway item that coincides with the weekly theme. Examples include journals, vinyl stickers, and stationery. Substitutions are available for those with dietary restrictions.
Registration and Laurier Experience Record
Registration is required in advance. If you attend all 5 sessions, you will earn a Resiliency Certificate that can be added to your Laurier Experience Record.
For more information, contact Andrea Dalimonte at adalimonte@wlu.ca.
Workshop Times and Locations
Wednesday, February 26
Brantford: 11:30-12:30 p.m. in OM207-1, Waterloo: 2:30-3:30 p.m. in P224
Complete a character strength assessment and see what your strengths are. We all have areas of strength, and areas of growth! This session will help you consider how your strengths can be a tool you use to grow your own resilience and self-compassion.
- Learn while eating: build-your-own ramen bowl
- Take-home item: plant pot, soil, and seeds
Wednesday, March 5
Brantford: 11:30-12:30 p.m. in OM207-1, Waterloo: 2:30-3:30 p.m. in P224
This session is all about recognizing that you can do hard things and work through challenges. Together we will discuss how to keep perspective and stay grounded during difficult times, and how to be your biggest supporter through it all.
- Learn while eating: cereal and milk
- Take-home item: stationery set
Wednesday, March 12
Brantford: 11:30-12:30 p.m. in OM207-1, Waterloo: 2:30-3:30 p.m. in P224
So much of our day is the repetition of routines and habits – let’s use that knowledge to our advantage! In this session, you’ll learn more about building positive habits that can help you to achieve your long-term goals.
- Learn while eating: Kraft Dinner cups, fruit
- Take-home item: Study timer and habit tracker
Wednesday, March 19
Brantford: 11:30-12:30 p.m. in OM207-1, Waterloo: 2:30-3:30 p.m. in P224
Wellness, sleep and stress can all have an impact your cognitive functioning. Learn how to recognize burnout and the stress cycle – how can you break the cycle and feel healthy and well on a regular basis? You’ll find out here!
- Learn while eating: yogurt parfait
- Take-home item: tea
Wednesday, March 26
Brantford: 11:30-12:30 p.m. in OM207-1, Waterloo: 2:30-3:30 p.m. in P224
Nobody should feel like they need to go through university alone, so how can we find supportive communities on campus? In this session, we’ll discuss ways to build community, how we can show up for one another, and how we can express gratitude throughout the process.
- Learn while eating: pizza
- Take-home item: gratitude journal and pen