Why You Should Listen to This Episode
If you are a parent, grandparent, caregiver, or teacher — or anyone who cares about the emotional wellbeing of a child — this episode is essential listening. Dr. Kirk Austin brings years of experience working with complex trauma in children and youth to a conversation that is as practical as it is profound. His framework for resilience isn’t abstract theory; it’s a set of real, learnable skills that help children understand what’s happening inside them when life gets hard.
In this episode:
Dr. Kirk Austin joins Cindy Thompson on A Resilience Project to share the ideas at the heart of his book, Buoyancy: Building Resilient Kids. With deep experience in complex trauma, Dr. Austin explains why emotional literacy — the ability to understand and name what we’re feeling — is one of the most powerful tools we can give young people.
At the centre of the conversation is the BREATHE acronym: seven key elements that Dr. Austin calls the building blocks of human buoyancy. Far from a simple checklist, these elements form a framework for helping children navigate stress, build coping strategies, and develop the kind of inner resilience that serves them for life.
Dr. Austin also speaks to the role adults play in that process — how parents and caregivers model resilience in their own lives, and why the connection between a child and a trusted adult is itself one of the most powerful protective factors available to any young person.
The PULSE Community Podcasts can be found at: ThePulseCommunity.ca
Cindy Thompson’s website: cindythompsoncounselling.ca
Learn more about Dr. Kirk Austin: amazon.ca — Buoyancy: Building Resilient Kids
You’ll find all episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart Radio, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as ThePulseCommunity.ca
Episode Sponsor: Tablet Pharmacy
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