Resilient Wisconsin

Resilience is the ability to adapt and bounce back from adversity. We build it in ourselves, our relationships, and in our communities. It gives us the strength to overcome problems. It also helps us deal with large-scale events, like public health emergencies. The mission of Resilient Wisconsin is to give everyone in our state the opportunity to live their best lives.

Opioids, Stimulants, and Trauma Summit - May 16-18, 2023
Register by May 11, 2023

Pursuing health equity through upstream prevention

Many people must deal with a “broken bridge” in their life or community. That’s because health challenges can be like a strong current. They can quickly sweep us toward negative outcomes. When that happens, our ability to sink or swim can depend on our environment and experiences.

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Influences of conditions and experiences

Take a closer look at some of the factors that can shape our well-being. They can affect our families and communities, too.

Learn what impacts our well-being

Explore Resilient Wisconsin

Learn about resilience, how to build it in your life and your community, and resources available to help people and communities be connected, stronger, and thriving.

Build strength and resilience

Locate help and support

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Stories of resiliency

We are collecting and sharing stories of resiliency from Wisconsin residents. The first phase of this effort focuses on people in recovery from a substance use disorder who are now helpers in their communities. We want everyone to know that there is hope and help for people living with a substance use disorder.

"It doesn't matter if you're purple, brown, orange, yellow. It doesn't matter if you have money, or if you have no money. It doesn't matter where you live. It [substance use disorders] is affecting everybody."

"That changed my life around knowing that someone cared about me. I'm trying to clean our communities up and show our children that even though we went through that path [substance use] that they don't have to."

"When you lack the coping skills to deal with life as a whole, then you turn to whatever makes you feel good. A lot of people in the community don't know how to deal with the trauma and the pain they've been suffering with probably since the day they were born."

"My own substance use began at an early age in trying to deal with the things I was experiencing in the household. People don't understand that. They think that it is a choice. They think that I chose to ruin my life on a daily basis for a long time and I didn't because I didn't know how to stop it,. I didn't know how to live differently because nobody taught me. I was lost as a child and I didn't really have a lot of support growing up."

Watch "Show Support" with Spanish captions
Watch "Show Support" with Hmong captions

MORE VIDEOS: The Resilient Wisconsin video library features more than 50 videos accessible in multiple languages. View all the videos.

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Sign up to receive the monthly "Resilient Wisconsin: Trauma-Informed News and Notes" bulletin that features articles, funding opportunities, research, and training opportunities related to adverse childhood experiences, trauma, toxic stress, and more.

Connect with us

Tell us what you need to build resilience in your life and your community. Your feedback lets us know how we're doing and where we can improve. Send us an email.