The ability to resist, withstand, cope with or rebound from stressful life events and find or maintain the

ability to function relatively well despite exposure to risks that tend to reduce the likelihood of social, physical, or emotional well-being or increase susceptibility to physical and mental distress

Rapp and Goscha, 2006

 Insight Independence Relationships Initiative Creativity Humour Morality

Seven attributes that develop from adversity that allow and explain a persons ability to overcome

Wolin, S.J., & Wolin, S. ( 1993). The resilient self. New York: Vilard Books

 The

literature suggests that most , if not all humans have a capacity for overcoming the harshest of experiences and most actually do. For recovery oriented work we must replace the imagery of deficits and pathology with the imagery of strengths and resilience. Assessment must include the uncovering and description of these for each individual.
Rapp and Goscha (2006)

Goldstein, 1992 children raised in harsh and punitive institutions Wolin and Wolin, 1993 - children of parents with substance abuse problems Kaufman and Zigler, 1987 - children who were abused Werner and Smith, 1982, 1992 children in poverty defined as at risk Bleuler, 1978 children with parents with psychiatric disabilities Harding, Brooks et al, 1987 the Vermont longitudinal research most people became woven into the fabric of community life i.e. people who worked well, played well, and loved well

Charles A. Rapp Richard J. Goscha Second Edition, Oxford University Press, 2006

 The

strengths model argues that all people have goals, talents, and confidence. All environments contain resources, people, and opportunities. The Strengths model is about providing a new way of looking at the person and their environment (not focusing on deficits, pathologies)

 The

Based on the goals people Desired Outcome set for themselves Decent Quality of life place to live Achievement Employment Sense of Or competency opportunity Life satisfaction to Empowerment contribute Education Friends Recreation

SM seeks to define those factors affecting a persons life and the methods for how these can be altered. Beginning with what the person wants from life desired outcomes

the environment al habitat of a person. People live in a variety of habitats home, work, education, spiritual etc They include kinds of communities, settings, in which a person is usually found, sources of income, social resources and supports typically used Two types of niche at the extremes: Entrapping and Enabling
Niches Living arrangement Recreation Work Education Social relationships

Niches Living arrangement Recreation Work Education Social relationships

Desired Outcome Quality of life Achievement Sense of competency Life satisfaction Empowerment

 Are

highly stigmatised people caught in them often treated as outcasts ostracised People caught in them tend to turn to their own kind world becomes restricted and limited People totally defined by their category aspirations, attributes not considered Few incentives to set realistic longer term goals or to work towards such goal Little reality feedback few processes that help people to recognise and correct their own unrealistic perceptions or interpretations

Aspirations

The strengths model places a premium on people as being purposeful People have desires, goals, ambitions, hopes, and dreams For many with psychiatric difficulties lives marked by pain, distress, disappointment and failure their aspirations often are few and nonspecific Lost or diminished dreams Professional interventions may further restrain goal setting and achievement beginning with exploring and defining the clients problem The SM focuses on the outcomes of quality of life, life satisfaction, achievement etc Solving problems is part of intervention but isnt sufficient (not an end in itself) SM is concerned with achievement (not just problem solving) with thriving (not just surviving), with dreaming and hoping (not just coping), with triumph (instead of trauma)

skills, abilities, aptitudes, proficiencies, knowledge, faculties, talents One strength of all people is their capacity to determine what is best for them (Weick & Pope, 1998) people have an inner wisdom about what they need and make decisions based on their own best sense of what will meet their need the SM assumes that this inner wisdom can be brought into more conscious use by helping people to recognise this capacity

 Aspirations Competencies Confidence

Interaction of Individual Strengths Aspiration x Competency x Confidence

Individual Strengths Niches Aspirations Competencies Confidence Living arrangement Recreation Work Education Social relationships

Desired Outcome Quality of life Achievement Sense of competency Life satisfaction Empowerment

Environmental Strengths Resources: services, tangibles

Individual Strengths Aspirations Competencies Confidence

Niches Living arrangement Recreation Work Education Social relationships

Social relations Opportunities

Desired Outcome Quality of life Achievement Sense of competency Life satisfaction Empowerment

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7. 8. 9.

Quality of niches people inhabit determines their achievement, quality of life, and success in living People who are successful in living have goals and dreams People who are successful in living use their strengths to attain their aspirations People who are successful in living have the confidence to take the next step toward their goal At any given time, people who are successful in living have at least one goal, one relevant talent, and confidence to take the next step. People who are successful in living have access to the resources needed to achieve their goals People who are successful in living have a meaningful relationship with at least one other person People who are successful in living have access to opportunities relevant to their goals People who are successful in living have access to resources and opportunities and meaningful relationship

 Engagement

and relationship Strengths assessment Personal planning Resource acquisition Collective continuous collaboration and graduated disengagement

 Is

key in virtually all approaches, psychotherapies, and counselling Key factors:

Purposeful

Reciprocal (an experience in mutual learning Friendly (warmth, acceptance, caring, respect, fun) Trusting Empowering

Spirit - breaking = that diminishes or extinguishes hope that he /she can move forward Hope- inducing = enhance and strengthen the hope that individuals have Spirit breaking examples:

Treating adults as children Being rude to people Attributing everything to the psychiatric disability Making decisions for the person Telling people they arent yet ready for work Insisting they take medications

Hope-Inducing examples
Communicating

I believe in you Supporting a persons decisions - by accepting them and helping to achieve them not putting down or minimising them Pointing out achievements Make sure you are working on clients goals Promote integration by using community resources

What are strengths? Personal attributes Talents and skills Environmental strengths Interests and aspirations

Seven life domains:

Daily living situation Financial / insurance Vocational / educational Social supports Health Leisure / recreational spirituality

Three temporal orderings: past, present and future

Current Status:
Whats going on today? Whats available now?

Individuals Desires, Aspirations: What do I want?

Daily living situation Financial Vocational / Educational Social Supports Health Leisure / recreational Spirituality / Culture

Resources , Personal, Social:

What have I used in the past?

Goldstein, H. (1992). Victors or victims: Contrasting views of clients in social work practice. In D. Saleebey (Ed), The Strengths perspective in social work practice (pp 27 38. New York: Longman Wolin, S.J., & Wolin, S. ( 1993). The resilient self. New York: Vilard Books Kaufman, J., & Zigler, E. (1987). Do Abused Children Become Abusive Parents? American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 57, 186 - 192 Werner, E. & Smith, R. (1982). Vulnerable but invincible. New York: Adams, Bannister, Cox Werner, E. & Smith, R. (1992). Overcoming the odds. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Bleuler, M.(1978). The schizophrenic disorders (p409). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. Harding, C., Brooks, G., Ashikage, T., Strauss, J.S., & Brier, A. (1987b) The Vermont longitudinal study of persons with severe mental illness I: Methodology, study sample and over all status 32 years later. American Journal of Psychiatry, 144 (6), 718 26 Lambert, M. (1992). Psychotherapy outcome research. In J.C. Norcross and M. R. Goldfried (Eds), Handbook of psychotherapy integration (pp. 94 129). New York: Columbia University Press.