Author Dr. June Rousso’s thought-provoking book, Building Resilience and Finding Meaning in Life is an interactive guide for teenagers looking to find meaning in their life experiences. This self-help book is intended to be gone through like a workbook. You read a section and sometimes there are exercises included for the reader to do to grasp the concept better. Not all sections have exercises but it is still meant to be an area for reflection. The overall concept is based on the teaching of Dr. Viktor Frankl and the Values In Action (VIA) Institute on Character, this book aims to equip teenagers with practical tips that they can apply to their lives.

Dr. June Rousso goes into the teaching of Dr. Frankl, particularly around how to find meaning and happiness even in the face of adversity. One of the key points in Dr. Fankl’s philosophy is that there are three things we all go through in life – guilt, suffering, and death. More importantly, it teaches teenagers how to cope with them, even as they struggle with the ups and downs that come with puberty. There is a strong emphasis on the importance of accepting your feelings, even the negative ones like envy.

The section that I like most, is the part that talks about virtues. The author explains how you can help yourself in the pursuit of finding meaning in your life and understanding how to identify happiness. Each section includes questions about the topic for reflection. I also liked that the author included quotes from a variety of sources that are scattered through the pages. At the end are worksheets with different scenarios that allow for reflection and putting the skills talked about to use.

Building Resilience and Finding Meaning in Life is written in a simple and direct style that is non-judgemental. This setup is ideal for teenagers looking for a self-help book, or something to help make sense of things at this point in their life.

Pages: 83 | ASIN : B09N321H64