SGS Scholar's Toolkit: Resilience in Practice

Psychologist Dr. Sidney Turner, founder of the non-profit organization Resilient Retreat, will share insights from both research and real-world experience on cultivating resilience in demanding professional careers. She will briefly discuss her journey starting Resilient Retreat, including the challenges and rewarding moments involved in building a mission-driven organization.

Drawing on the strength-based resilience framework developed by Dr. Sherry Hamby and Dr. Victoria Banyard, the presentation will explore four core domains that research has identified as central to resilience:

• Interpersonal Strengths
• Regulatory Strengths
• Meaning-Making Strengths
• Environmental Strengths

The session will also address common challenges faced by professionals across fields, including burnout, compassion fatigue, and moral injury, and how these experiences can affect both personal well-being and professional sustainability.

Participants will leave with practical strategies for strengthening their own resilience as they transition into professional careers, leadership roles, or entrepreneurial ventures.

Presenter Bio: 

Dr. Sidney Turner is a psychologist and researcher specializing in trauma and resilience. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Justice Studies from the University of New Hampshire. She has dedicated more than a decade to studying evidence-based strategies for preventing and intervening in situations involving trauma.

Dr. Turner is the founder of Resilient Retreat, a nonprofit organization that provides free evidence-based programs to help survivors of abuse, first responders, and helping professionals heal and build resilience. The organization’s retreat center in Florida offers support to over 4,000 people a year. Her work is guided by the belief that people should not be defined by their trauma and that there are many strengths that can come after adversity.