Resilience is something we all want, but how do we get it? In this episode, Valeria interviews Dr. Den Houter who offers a fresh perspective of the inner-workings of resilience.
Dr. Den Houter was puzzled why one individual would surmount unbelievable challenges to lead a happy life, while another was stuck with just half the worries. From her successful clients, seven resilient qualities emerged and she became passionate about sharing this powerful message.
Valeria interviews Dr. Kathryn Den Houter.
Kathryn’s early years were spent on a hobby farm in southwest Minnesota. Living on the prairie in the heart of the Midwest taught her many lessons about resilience, the blessings of simple faith, compassion for one’s neighbors, and the value of honesty as the bedrock for good relationships.
She attended Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan where she received her teaching credentials. Her first years of teaching were in the Wisconsin public school system. But, the fresh beauty of Michigan and the state’s aspiring people wooed her back to the area. After training in a Montessori Method in Chicago, she became a Directress at Marywood Montessori School in Grand Rapids. There she met her late husband, Len Den Houter. They raised four children on a small hobby farm near Lowell, a small burg east of Grand Rapids.
Kathryn pursued a doctorate in psychology at Michigan State University and began her private practice in 1989. For twenty-five years she had an immensely fulfilling career as a psychologist. It was from treating hundreds of clients that she formulated her theory of resilience. Also, after becoming a widow in 2006, her own resilience was extremely challenged. From all the years of helping others through tortuous waters, she was able to help herself. Today, she will be sharing her insights about resilience.
Dr. Den Houter is the author of four books—two of them are nonfiction (Van: A Memoir of My Father and Resilience: A Workbook). The most recent books are two historical fiction books (Abigail’s Exchange and Cobalt Chronicles). These books articulate the struggles of women, who, by the end of the novel, prove themselves to be both resilient and compassionate.
