Dr. Salvatore Maddi, a licensed Clinical, Health and Forensic Psychologist, defines resilience as hardiness or the courage to grow from stress. Self-determination and the ability to choose is critical for our mental and emotional health. When tragedy strikes, illness takes a family member, an accident steals health or wholeness; we can feel manipulated by our circumstances and that things are happening around us that are out of our control. This is a horrible feeling.