Strength-Based Therapy
Focusing on your strengths could change your outlook on situations and help you achieve your goals. Strength-based therapy focuses on a person’s strengths and positive attitudes to help them overcome adversity.
When you have a negative mindset about something, there’s a good chance you won’t want to do it. Whether you’re dreading a test, an interview, introducing yourself, or asking for a raise, focusing on the worst case scenario won’t help you do what you want to do.
Focusing on your strengths and what makes you special could change your outlook and help you achieve your goals. Strength-based therapy focuses on a person’s strengths and positive attitudes to help them overcome adversity.
What is Strength-Based Therapy?
Strength-based therapy is a type of positive psychotherapy that helps people realize their strengths and use them to achieve their goals. Instead of focusing on what is wrong with you, strength-based therapy is about uplifting you and utilizing your strengths.
The core principle of strength-based therapy is that everyone has strengths and interests that, when cultivated, benefit the whole person. In other words, everyone can succeed if their efforts are focused on what makes them special.
The foundation of strength-based psychology was actually built on business psychology. It was originally used to find proper placements for employees and encourage leaders to focus on their strengths rather than minimize their weaknesses.
History
Don Clifton was the father of strength-based psychology. After his years of serving during WWII, Don dedicated the rest of his life to studying human development and strength-based development.
Most of his work is based on the question; “What would happen if we studied what was right with people versus what’s wrong with people?”. That question led him and his colleagues to study what characteristics make people successful and how other people can be successful. They developed a way for companies to find individuals who would be successful employees.
Helping companies find quality talent was not enough for Don Clifton. He worked on applying what he learned to improve mental health by focusing people on what makes them special and unique. He also developed ways for people to find their strengths and what to do with the strengths they have.
The Clifton Strengthsfinder
Developed alongside strength-based psychology, the Clifton Strengthsfinder is a tool you can use to discover your strengths or reinforce what you already know.
This is an assessment that can be taken online. It uses simple questions to find your strengths using 34 Clifton Strengths Themes. The results of the test can be used to find areas you could cultivate and give insight into what makes you special.
“What would happen if we studied what was right with people versus what’s wrong with people?”
Similar Kinds of Treatment
Strength-based therapy is not a completely unique approach to therapy. Other forms of therapy use positive psychology as a foundation, such as:
Each of these approaches will help you reframe your experiences and move toward a solution rather than focusing on the cause of your concerns. They’re helpful for people who are ready to move on, but they don’t know how to.
What Does Strength-Based Therapy Look Like?
Strength-based therapy is a patient-led talk therapy. In this approach, the client is seen as the expert. They lead the conversations and the therapist is there to guide and encourage them.
During sessions, therapists encourage you to think of yourself as a survivor and not a victim. They’ll also focus the conversation on your strengths and what makes you unique. Unlike other therapeutic approaches, you’ll be talking about what your strengths are, not what you’re deficient in.
Learning About Your Strengths
During the first couple of sessions, your therapist will be gathering information about who you are. They’ll ask questions about:
- Your achievements
- Things you enjoy
- Ways you want to grow
- Times you’ve felt fulfilled
These questions will help you and your therapist to find what you are good at and what you should be cultivating.
Finding A Way Forward
While talking with your therapist you may identify a couple of goals you want to achieve. Your goals can be anything you want it to be. Some examples of personal growth goals include:
- Letting go of the past
- Better stress management skills
- Increasing emotional intelligence
- Overcoming fear of meeting new people
Once you’ve identified some of your goals you and your therapist will work together to develop a plan for incremental growth. This plan will utilize your strengths and help you move toward your life goals.
Techniques Used in Strength-Based Therapy
There are several tools therapists can use during strength-based therapy to help you better understand your growth. Here are some tools and techniques used by strength-based therapists:
- Identify your strengths: To help you find your strengths, your therapist might provide a list of strengths with definitions. Having a list to choose from could help you understand your strengths better.
- Ask thoughtful questions: Your therapist will ask you questions to better understand your strengths as well as possible. They’ll also ask specific questions about your goals to help you better understand what you want most.
- Unearth unknown strengths: Negative thinking can get the best of you. When it does, it usually means you don’t have a proper view of how good you’re doing. Your therapist will help you identify strengths you may be unaware of.
- Re-frame: Your therapist will encourage you to re-frame how you think about your weaknesses and find ways to see them as strengths. Even if an attribute is a “negative,” you’ll be asked to think of ways to create an advantage with it.
- Journaling: Your therapist might ask you to keep a running journal detailing your reflection on your strengths.
- Clifton Strengthsfinder: Your therapist may want you to take a strengthsfinder test to find strengths.
What tools and the approach your therapist takes should be based on your unique needs.
Who is Strength-Based Therapy for?
Strength-based therapy has been especially helpful for people with self-esteem issues as well as those with emotional scars from abusive relationships.
It is also a good option for couples therapy because it focuses people on the positives of the relationships and the strengths of each other. People with an aversion to talking about their flaws may also find strength-based therapy helpful.
Your therapist will encourage you to re-frame how you think about your weaknesses and find ways to see them as strengths.
Criticisms of Strengths-based Therapy
Although strength-based therapy is promoted by the Institute of Medicine and has been proven helpful, there are criticisms of this approach. Not everyone will be an ideal fit for this form of therapy. At Sequoia Behavioral Health we’ll help you find a treatment approach that is best for your needs and your preferences.
Ignoring the Negative
The most common criticism of strength-based psychology is that it can dismiss the client’s difficult feelings and promote toxic positivity.
Toxic positivity is forcing a positive mindset no matter how difficult a situation is. This mindset forces people to bottle emotions, dismiss other people’s difficult emotions, and even experience guilt when experiencing perceived negative emotions. Toxic positivity can cause harm to yourself, and others.
Negative thoughts and emotions are not always developed from cognitive distortions or an incorrect view of reality. Often, negative emotions are actually helpful for personal growth.
A balanced approach to strength-based therapy won’t dismiss negative thoughts and weaknesses. Instead, strengths are emphasized.
Strength-Based Therapy as Sequoia Behavioral Health
Reframing your weaknesses, cultivating your strengths, and pursuing your goals are all parts of strength-based therapy. For some, this approach is an exciting way to talk about their mental health struggles.
We recognize that different forms of therapy are for different people. At Sequoia Behavioral Health, we aim to treat the whole person with a holistic and individual treatment plan. Contact us today to start your journey toward achieving your goals.