An understanding of the commonalities of the human condition enables helping professionals to trigger motivational and healing energies of patients and clients regardless of their clinical state of health. It is clear from the academic disciplines of psychoneuroimmunology and positive psychology that people with a positive psychospiritual perspective in life seem to thrive more than those who are hopeless and helpless. The Metatheory of Resilience and Resiliency (Richardson, 2002) describes three waves of resiliency inquiry and an examination of those waves provides a framework for the helping professional to facilitate healing and rehabilitation. Most helping theories and methods are housed under the umbrella of the Metatheory of Resilience and Resiliency (MRR). Popular and efficacious theories such as Self Determination Theory (Ryan and Deci, 2000), Hardiness (Kobasa, Maddi, Kahn, 1982) , and the construct of self-efficacy in Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1989) can all find homes within the resilience and resiliency paradigms. The MRR provides justification to embrace integrative post-modern thinking designed to promote healing at a deeper, softer, yet more efficacious level.

The purposes of this paper are four fold. The first is to briefly describe the three waves of resiliency inquiry as described in the MRR and then cite how an understanding of each wave can help improve the human condition. The second purpose is to review the process of resiliency to identify appropriate nurturing and intervention points within the disruptive and reintegrative rehabilitation process. Thirdly, the paper will address common resilient forces and yearnings that serve as allies in the healing process. The concluding purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how the integrative nature of the three waves can be use to help patients optimize their health and access the resilient qualities.