The Magic of the Normal

Through fieldwork and in-depth interviews with participants and staff at the Stine Sofie Center, Helen Kolb has identified what she calls “the ordinary magic of resilience.” Elements that provide the basis for more resilience in children.

Kolb writes that children visiting the Stine Sofie Center receive “intensive validation,” a powerful dose of recognition from both their surroundings and relationships (over an extended period). This appears to develop resilience against the experiences of violence they carry. The beauty of the surroundings, the constant attention, the smiles, the embrace of kind words, and the embodiment of safety are at the core of the “recalibration” and rebuilding of resilience for the children in the study. The normalization—which includes staff “knowing what you have been exposed to” while maintaining that “it does not define you or what we will do together”—opens the door to a new self-understanding and a new understanding of the world around them.

Kolb makes an important point, as it addresses both the “who” and the “how.” We do not need prior knowledge of the child, nor do we require specialized expertise. What is required is humanity, empathy for children’s expressions, and the ability to support them through their behavior. This provides us all with a significant opportunity to become the one adult who can care for children in our communities. By recognizing children who are struggling, encouraging them, and supporting them in their uniqueness, even epigenetic changes can be reversed or modified. Just as genes can be deactivated, they can also be activated by external factors such as diet, physical activity, and positive environments. So there is hope.

Read the full report here