Working from Strengths
Seeds of Recovery
Learning Objectives

Describe how a strengths-based focus
increases quality of life and recovery
outcomes.

Identify strengths in six key areas.

Identify strengths of character and how to elicit
conversation about these strengths.

Conduct a strengths-based interview.
Why is a focus on strengths
important?
Mental Health and the Strengths
Perspective

Best practice in mental health stresses
the importance of working from a
person’s strengths – discovering what is
right about a person and building on it.

Let’s look first at what we mean by
“strengths”.
University Of Kansas Strengths
Assessment
 Strengths
 Personal
defined as
Characteristics
 Skills/Talents
 Environmental
 Interests and Aspirations
 Past Successes
 Culture
Family Strengths

Families strengths
can be identified by
both looking at
individual strengths
as well as the
combined strength of
the family unit.
Exercise
Identifying Strengths
Signature Strengths

Positive Psychology - A branch of
psychology that studies the positive
aspects of human nature:
Character strengths and virtues
 Resiliency
 Human potential
 Happiness and well-being

Basic Premise
 Human
goodness and
excellence are as
authentic as are human
flaws and inadequacies.
The VIA Institute

The Values in Action Institute
 Dedicated to the empirical study of
character and strengths
 Continued work in the area of positive
youth development
 Character Strengths and Virtues, by
Christopher Peterson and Martin
Seligman.
www.authentichappiness.org
Six Core Virtues
 Wisdom
and Knowledge
 Courage
 Humanity
 Justice
 Temperance
 Transcendence
Exercise

Stories of Strengths
Strengths-Based Practice






Is goal-oriented.
Utilizes a systematic assessment of strengths.
Assumes an environment rich in resources.
Has explicit methods using strengths for goal
attainment.
Creates a relationship that is hope-inducing.
Values choice as central to working together.
Exercise

Strengths-Based
Interviewing