Strength Beyond Survival

Life is a labyrinth of misery. It brings us rainbows and rainstorms alike. But author Neena Verma, a scholarly practitioner and educator and an ICF-credentialed PCC-level coach, helps readers recognise, kindle, cultivate, embody and nourish a resilience mindset and deep resilience through her latest book, Rise: The ‘Deep Resilience’ Way, published by Rupa Publications.

Through her extensive applied research, professional practice and lived wisdom, she brings relatable models to readers. In Rise: The ‘Deep Resilience’ Way, Verma has divided the book into three parts, starting with Strength in Storm, which comprises sub-chapters like When Thunder Strikes, Own Weather and Navigate the Storm, and Invoke Resilience Mindset. The second part, titled A Call to Rise: The Deep Resilience Way, has sub-chapters on resilience, restorative adaptation, imaginal growth, supple strength, and expansive emergence. In the last part of the book, titled Nourish the Wellspring: Every Day... Every Way, the author takes readers on a deep resilience journey in life every day and in every way.

Dr Devi Shetty, who wrote the foreword, said Verma offers a fresh perspective on resilience that goes beyond its common meaning of bouncing back. Dr Shetty praises her PRISM framework and her concept of deep resilience.

Throughout the book, the author presents various incidents from her life, such as the one in 1982 in Delhi when she was hospitalised with dengue or how she went to an exam centre with a blood-soaked, bandaged hand. Having weathered many life storms, she says that owning and honouring vulnerability is the way forward.

One of her interesting sub-chapters is Mindset Matters, where Verma mentions how our response to and coping with various challenges are determined by our mindset. The PRISM framework of resilience mindset is sure to engage readers.

Another moving sub-chapter describes how Verma, a prize-winning alumna of the University of Delhi, learnt a new perspective on resilience from her elder son, Utkarsh, in 2004. She called him her “Little Shakespeare,” and the boy weathered multiple adversities and trauma but emerged stronger and kinder each time. In fact, Verma recalls how he wrote an essay on resilience at the age of just 12. But destiny had other plans, and Utkarsh passed away in 2014. To Verma, he was an inspiring teacher of resilience who gave her purpose. Her younger son, Pratyush, gave her strength during the writing of the book.

Dr Verma is a lifelong seeker, practitioner, and facilitator of deep resilience. She also runs an independent library endeavour in the service of children from underserved backgrounds. Her last book was ‘Grief… Growth… Grace: A Sacred Pilgrimage’.