Episode 22 - Michael Ungar - Change Your World

Dr. Michael Ungar, is a Professor of Social Work at Dalhousie University and Canada Research Chair in Child, Family and Community Resilience, as well as a family therapist. We talk about his new book, Change Your World: The Science of Resilience and The Path to Success (Sutherland House Book, 2019). Michael dispels the myths of the self-help industry with its victim-blaming messages which has emulated the rugged individual and by espousing a cruel optimism that success, wellbeing and happiness can all be attained by simply pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps and changing yourself.

Based on his years of research on children, families and communities, Michael sets the record straight, telling us that resilience has more to do with the resourced individual – and changing the environment. Whether that means being supported by nurturing spouses and families, supportive employers, and effective institutions -- these are the real differences between success and failure in our lives. The good news is that it is easier to change your world than it is to change yourself, or simply to be more mindful of daily affairs. Our conversation touches on how the current Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the fragility of neoliberalism, and how resilient systems are even more important to our collective health and wellbeing.