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The Power of Hope to Support Choices, Spur Action, Address Conflict and More

By Lynn Evansohn, L.C.S.W., The Counseling Center

July 10, 2024: We live today in turbulent and rapidly changing times.  It can be difficult to feel secure and grounded in a world divided, when we’re often confused and fearful. 

How do we find the motivation and resilience to address the many conflicts that face us?  How do we continue to process tragedies reported on the front page and in our newsfeeds every day?  How do we keep from falling into cynicism and despair, throwing up our hands in resignation when confronted with the juggernaut of technological change and problems both personal and public that seem to defy solutions?

One way is with the power of hope. Hope can be a formidable force.  But what does hope actually mean? 

Vaclav Havel, the Soviet dissident who became the president of a democratic Czech Republic, says, “Hope isn’t optimism which expects things to turn out well, but the belief that there is still good worth working for.”

Hope does not provide assurances, but it does help us find strength and direction in adversity.

Whether we are challenged with conflict in a relationship or workplace or considering the social or political conflicts of our times, hope rejects cynicism and despair.  Hope allows for possibility; it imagines a better outcome.  Hope opens an opportunity for vital new ways of growth and resolution.  Hope believes that good exists and is worth pursuing.

Hope may exist where you don’t expect it.  It can take the form of a child challenging parental authority, with the potential to gain independence and maturity.  It may involve a nation unsupportive of one’s values, with the opportunity to look harder for a tribe of like-minded people with whom to build meaningful bonds.

To be human is to experience conflict.  How we handle conflict, loss and disappointment informs the changes we make in our lives, in our communities, and in the world.

The historical Howard Zinn comments, “Human history is a history not only of cruelty but also of compassion, courage and kindness.”  What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will shape our lives.  If we embrace inclusivity, we will be included.  If we promote wellbeing, we are more likely to find our own wellbeing.  If we care for others, we may be cared for when we need it most.

Our individual hope not only supports our personal choices, but also engages the people around us.  By acting from a wellspring of hope, we can inspire hope in a group or a community, and initiate change that gains momentum. 

Hope can spur us to action—in fact, it’s fair to say that hope by its very definition inevitably leads us to do something.  Together, we can collaborate in work that reflects our shared values and desire to care for the world. With hope we can start to create the world we want to live in.

Addressing conflict can feel overwhelming.  As individuals, we can start with small steps.  Every step has value and meaning.  Whether we choose to reach out to an estranged relative, engage in environmental activism, work with refugees, or devote time to understanding a particular conflict, we are making the choice to improve not only our own lives, but also those of others.

Along the way, it can be helpful to seek and share inspiration from those who have gone before us. Daily meditations, lines from our favorite poets, the music of beloved songs, and art of any form that stirs us can offer comfort, consolation, and give us courage.

Perhaps you’ll find meaning in this excerpt from, “For Love in a Time of Conflict” by Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue: “When no true word can be said, or heard,/ And you mirror each other in the script of hurt,/ When even the silence has become raw and torn,/ May you hear again an echo of your first music.”

Even a faint echo can be enough to get us through a time of conflict when we have hope.

 

The Counseling Center in Bronxville, a nonprofit organization, offers therapy for individuals, couples, and families, through video platforms, telephonically, and in person.  Please feel free to reach out if we can help, by calling Dr. Jennifer Klein, 914 793 3388. 

To keep abreast of ongoing information and activities at The Counseling Center, or to make a donation, please visit our website at https://counselingcenter.org/.

 

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The Maxwell Institute also offers community education services through its programs in drug and alcohol prevention in the schools. For persons wishing to become credentialed alcoholism and substance abuse counselors (CASACS) in New York State, the "Maxtrain" program provides the 350 classroom education hours that are an important part of the credentialing requirements.

The Maxwell Institute is grateful for the support of The Community Fund of Bronxville-Eastchester-Tuckahoe.

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Eastchester, NY 10709
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Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-1157


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Jenny A.  Kanganis, D.D.S.

Guy N. Minoli, D.D.S.

Since 1994, Dr. Kanganis and Dr. Minoli of Bronxville Dental Care have been leaders in the dental community, providing exceptional dentistry to generations of Bronxville families. They have a long history of excellence and have earned a reputation built on trust, compassion, and dedication. Drs. Kanganis and Minoli believe in a conservative, holistic, and minimally invasive approach to dentistry. Bronxville Dental Care welcomes patients of all ages and offers a comprehensive range of services, including cosmetic and restorative dentistry, implants, and pediatric dentistry. Dr. Kanganis especially loves treating children. As a mother herself of two recent Bronxville High School grads, she understands the importance of helping children to feel comfortable during their visits, while earning their trust and teaching them to become active participants in their oral health.

20 Studio Arcade

Bronxville, New York 10708

(914) 337-6536 
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44 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-3863


Dr. Quentin M. Murphy

77 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-1004


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777 Post Rd.
Scarsdale, NY 10583-5000 
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Dr. Michael J. Vitale

1 Pondfield Road
Bronxville, New York 10708
914-337-8430

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Dr. Lesa Kelly

77 Quaker Ridge Road
New Rochelle, New York
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77 Pondfield Road Ste 2
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Dr. Mark Fox

ENT and Allergy Associates
1 Elm Street
Tuckahoe, New York 10707

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670 White Plains Road
Scarsdale, NY 10707
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670 White Plains Road
Scarsdale, New York 10583
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NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester

NewYork-Presbyterian Westchester provides access to primary care physicians and specialists from ColumbiaDoctors, the faculty practice Columbia University Irving Medical Center and NewYork-Presbyterian Medical Group Westchester.

The hospital includes a cancer center, maternity center, breast health center, two cardiac catheterization labs, and a state-designated Stroke Center. 

55 Palmer Avenue in Bronxville

914-787-1000 Main

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Dr. Anne Galloway

77 Pondfield Road
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914-337-4986


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14 Studio Arcade
914-779-9066


Dr. Raymond Chow

700 White Plains Road
Scarsdale, New York

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Dr. Polly Kanganis

4 Studio Arcade, Bronxville, NY 10708
Bronxville, New York 10708
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Bronxville Women's Care, Pllc
One Pondfield Road, Suite 302
Bronxville, NY 10708

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55 Park Avenue
Bronxville, New York 10708
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1 Pondfield Road
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77 Pondfield Road
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Westchester Health Pediatrics (formerly Children’s Medical Practice of Bronxville)
1 Elm Street
Tuckahoe, New York 10707
914-337-7474


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2 Overhill Road Suite 220
Scarsdale, New York 10580
914-725-0800


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495 Central Avenue
Scarsdale, New York

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