PROMOTION OF

MENTAL
HEALTH
WELLNESS
Strength-based Model
WHAT IS A STRENGTH-
BASED APPROACH?
o Focusing the attention on individuals; attributes that
promote health, instead of focusing on symptoms and
pathologies that induce sickness.
o Created around the idea that the client is the actor or
agent of change.
o Allows a person to see themselves at their best – the
value they bring by just being themselves.

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WHAT IS A STRENGTH-
BASED APPROACH?
o With its foundation in social work, the strength-based
approach is a “work practice theory” that focuses on an
individual's self- determination and strength (McCashen,
2005)
o Examines not only the individual, but also their
environment; for example, how systems are set up or
power imbalances between a system or service and the
people it is supposed to serve.

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WHAT IS A STRENGTH-
BASED APPROACH?
o Identifies constraints that might be holding back an
individual's growth. These constraints might be social,
personal, and/or cultural issues (McCashen, 2016).

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WHEN IS IT CALLED A
STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH?
o Goal orientation
o Strength assessment
o Resources for the environment
o Different methods are used first for different situations
o The relationship is hope inducing
o Meaningful choice

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9 PRINCIPLES OF STRENGTH-
BASED APPROACH
1 4
Everyone possesses a Accept change.
uniqueness.

2 5
What receives attention or focus Support others authentically as
becomes what the client strives for you can.
and eventually, a reality.

3 6
Be careful with your language. The client is the storyteller of
their own story.

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9 PRINCIPLES OF STRENGTH-
BASED APPROACH
7 9
Build upon what you know and Be collaborative.
experience to dream of the
future.

8
Capacity building has multiple
facets and organizations.

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WHY THE STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH?
o Researchers found that 24% of the people with schizophrenia scored low on self-esteem on the
Rosenberg self- esteem scale (RSES) (Link et.al., 2001)
o In consumers with low self-esteem, compromised quality of life (QoL) and poor psychosocial
functioning are often observed (Brekke JS, Kohrt B, Green MF)
o Consumers with such negative self-appraisals perform badly in the community, and are more
likely to relapse (Wright ER, Gronfein WP, Owens TJ). Deinstitutionalization, social rejection,
and the self-esteem of former mental patients. (J Health Soc Behav . 2OOO;41(1):68-90.) thus
impeding their recovery.

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WHY THE STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH?
o Instead of employing the traditional model which emphasizes on pathology, focusing on
problems and failures in people with mental illnesses; the strength-based approach allows
practitioners to acknowledge that every individual has unique strengths and abilities so that
he/she can rely on to overcome problems (Bran et. al., 2001)

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STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACH IN MENTAL
HEALTH PRACTICE
o Mental health care approaches in the community setting have moved in the direction of
encouraging people to cultivate their interests, identify and build their own strengths to pursue
their goals (Davidson et.al., 2006)
o Policies, practice methods, and strategies have been created that identify and draw upon the
strengths of individuals.
o Practitioners believe that the consumers have strengths that can be utilized for their recovery
and work with consumers to facilitate the use of these strengths.

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STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH
IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT
o Positive psychotherapy may include a strength-based
approach, where the practitioner focuses on the strengths
and resourcefulness of their client, rather than their
weaknesses, deficits, or failures.
o This helps the client build a mindset focused on positive
capacity building and helps them understand that they are
resilient, leading to more reasonable expectations of
themselves and others.

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STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH
IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT
o Strength-based therapy is a form of talk therapy where the
client is the storyteller.
o In the event of calamities or disasters, the therapist who
practices a strength-based approach will most likely try to
ask about the learnings, lessons learned and meaning
attached to why the person/family experienced such
disaster/calamity.

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EFFECTIVE OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH

o It has been suggested that people have strengths within

themselves that can contribute to recovery. Personal
factors could aid the recovery process (Deegan P, 2004)

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EFFECTIVE OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH

o Strengths have been linked to prediction of positive

outcomes, in the study, providing the multi-disciplinary
team with strength-based data resulted in better academic,
social and overall outcomes for students with emotional
and behavioral disorders as compared to traditional socio-
emotive reports that focused on the problems that
students were facing (Donovan SA, Nickerson AB.,
2007)

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EFFECTIVE OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH

o Even in the community, studies have shown the

importance of focusing on strengths rather than deficits.
Strengths assessments were associated with good
behavioral functioning and greater competencies (Cox,
2006)

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BENEFITS OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH
_______________________ _______________________
(HAMMOND, 2010)

The approach sees people as The approach respects that it

creating and rebuilding, rather takes time to build clients’
than broken or failing. capacities.

_______________________ _______________________
Distressed people are engaged Intervention tactics are client
with respect and compassion. driven and relationship minded.

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BENEFITS OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH
_______________________ _______________________
(HAMMOND, 2010)

Resilience is the goal, which The strength-based approach

offers the client a theoretical offers a shared language and
map to follow for prevention philosophy.
and evaluation.

_______________________ _______________________
The client’s resilience and Focusing on strengths rather
overall function in their family than problems offers the client
and community are improved. control and a new mindset.

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BENEFITS OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH
_______________________ _______________________
(HAMMOND, 2010)

The approach encourages clients Clients are better able to support

to connect to social support like others, giving time to those that
family or community to nurture they care about.
their growth.

_______________________
Clients better understand what
can and cannot be controlled.
_______________________
Clients learn effective
interpersonal skills in order to
look for assistance and support
when needed.

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BENEFITS OF THE
STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH
_______________________ _______________________
(HAMMOND, 2010)

The approach builds self-esteem The approach doesn’t ignore

and competence. vulnerabilities and weaknesses.

_______________________
Clients learn how to set goals
and expectations, cope in a
healthy way that fosters growth,
and confront rather that avoid
challenges.
_______________________
With improved resilience cone
additional benefits, including
feeling special, valued, and
optimistic, and understanding
that life is a journey.

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STRENGTHS-BASED HEALTH AND
WELLNESS

DO WHAT YOU BUILD UP HOPES & BUILD UPON YOUR

ENJOY ASPIRATIONS STRENGHTS

BUILD UPON YOUR

EMPHASIZE THE
FAMILY & COMMUNITY’S
POSITIVE
STRENGTHS

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CHALLENGES
Practitioners are often Lack of mental health
comfortable and resources coupled with
confident in their role as large case-loads poses a
expert. major challenge to
creating individualized
strengths-based plans
(Xie, 2013)
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Many consumers may
not seek services
voluntarily and are often
viewd as resistant or
non-compliant.
21
PRINCIPLES (SALEEBEY, 2006)

1
Everyone possesses strengths that can be utilized to
improve the quality of their life.

2
The consumer's motivation to have a
better life stems from the focus on their strengths.

3
All environments contain resources that help consumers
develop their strengths.

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PRINCIPLES (SALEEBEY, 2006)

4
People with mental health conditions can use activities that they
perceive as meaningful to aid their recovery (Deegan, 2004).
Meetings, educational sessions and social interventional
gatherings between consumers, their family members and
practitioners can be part of the formalized structure.

5 The focus on strengths moves the practitioner away from the

tendency to blame consumers, but towards discovering how
people have strived despite adverse circumstances such as
relapse of mental illnesses.

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PRINCIPLES (SALEEBEY, 2006)

6 In such therapeutic relationships, practitioners and

consumers are equal partners. The consumers' autonomy
is recognized.

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EXAMPLES OF THE STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH IN PRACTICE
SOLUTION-FOCUSED STRENGTHS-BASED CASE
THERAPY (SFT) MANAGEMENT
o SFT focuses on solutions rather than o Like all applications of the strength-
problems. SFT and solution-focused based approach, strength-based case
brief therapy have been used in a variety management focuses on the individual's
of settings, including family service, strengths.
mental health, public social services,
child welfare, prison, residential
treatment centers, schools, and hospitals
(Miller et al., 1996).

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EXAMPLES OF THE STRENGTH-BASED
APPROACH IN PRACTICE
NARRATIVE
o Practitioners can use narrative to get the
client to tell a story, teasing apart the
client’s strengths and resilience skills.
The basis of this method is that we each
live our lives based on our experiences
or our story. However, we often forget
that we are the main actor and that we
have many strengths.
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FAMILY SUPPORT SERVICES
o Family support services aim to support
the family when there are dangerous
issues that can affect the child's welfare.
Family support services work to
empower and connect the family as a
team or unit so that they have the same
end goal: being together (Green et al.,
2004).
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HOW ABOUT US? THE CAREGIVER
Caring for a loved one, victim, client and consumer strains even
the most resilient people. If you're a caregiver, take steps to
preserve your own health and well-being.

o FOCUS ON WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE

o SET PERSONAL GOALS
o ACCEPT HELP/SEEK HELP
o SEEK SOCIAL SUPPORT
o GET CONNECTED WITH YOURSELF AND
RECHARGE
o BREATH & PAUSE

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CONCLUSION
o The practice of mental health has been shaped largely by the medical model where the
focus has been on solving problems and controlling the symptoms of mental illnesses.
The strengths-based approach focuses on the positive aspect on consumers.
o Identification and utilization of the strength, consumers could put them on the road to
recovery
o Creation of partnership among consumers, clinicians and other community agencies as
well as implementing certain policies and practices may minimize or overcome potential
challenges associated with strengths-based approach.

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THANK YOU!