Applying Positive Psychology to Treating Depression and Anxiety Identifying and Working with Strengths

Happiness “Pleasure usually comes when called, but not happiness.” Mason Cooley Happiness is a by product, trying to grasp at water Tao metaphor of a stream

Eudaimonia Aristotle – eudaimonia (being true to one’s inner self) We are who we are… True happiness comes from identifying one’s virtues and cultivating them and living in accordance with them. We are who we are with our strengths – not good and math? Maybe we shouldn’t be an accountant Socrates quote

Studying What Is Right With People Often get the message that we should be “well-rounded” Buckingham and Coffman (Gallup Research) – tens of thousands of interviews People don’t change much Don’t waste time trying to put in what was left out (deficits) Don’t focus on the weaknesses, work with the strengths Focusing on strengths helps us deal with deficits Clinical implications. Gallup research-based Message that we should be a well-rounded person. BUT if you don’t achieve success by being that way, but by capitalizing on our strengths Clinically, identifying strengths is important because the client will be able to work on problems through their strength

The Path of Most Resistance Less “you can be anything you want to be, if you just try hard enough” More “you cannot be anything you want to be – but you can be a lot more of who you already are.” Usually raised with this message – give an example You can be more of who you already are though!

Positive Deviance Looking for the (at times small instances of) success and building upon these Success comes from using strengths, not improving deficits Milton Erikson and the flower lady E.g. driver’s ed and yoga… Milton Erikson – noticed flower lady, depression improved Focusing on the bright spots – started with what was working Not ignoring problems, but asking about what is working Where focus goes, energy flows – Dr. Wade driver’s ed example – focus on where we do want to go

Searching for Strengths Bill… When ask directly, usually is difficult. Ask indirectly: How would your friends describe you? What does your partner or good friend say when he/she brags about you? What skills were you surprised to discover you had at your work? We need to ask someone about their strengths through back-door ways – difficult to come up with them if asked directly Bill – I’m the most humble person I know

Using your strengths Gallup research Over 1 million people were surveyed and only 1/3 agreed with the statement, “At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day” People who focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and three times more likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general Strengths Finder exercises/worksheets

Strengths Theory Gallup’s Strengths Theory Talent x Investment = Strength Talent – a natural way of thinking, feeling, behaving Investment – time spent of developing your skill Strength – Consistently provide superior performance 10,000 hours theory

Flow Czikszentmihalyi (1997, 1999) Flow: happiness in super focus Characteristics of a flow experience Examples? Where is the focus? Where do we most often experience flow? Postal workers? Possibly add video

Clues to Your Strengths Flow Satisfaction Desire to learn more Excellence

Peter Drucker “The task of leadership is to create an alignment of strengths, making our weaknesses irrelevant.”

Strengths Role models? For clients, for you? William James Your strengths How are you using them? How can you incorporate them more into your everyday life? Exercise. Using role models as one way of focusing on strengths William James – depressed client, had him find a person who we wanted to feel like – take on their habits

Importance of Awareness Of your weaknesses Of your blind spots Of potential problems using your strengths may cause. Sense of balance

Addressing Weaknesses Report card… Use your strengths to address weaknesses Remember how you have worked with or overcome problem areas in the past. Exercise. How did you earn the A’s? How can you use what you do in other classes to raise your lowest grade?

Questions What is one thing you can start doing today to help with the situation? What is the smallest change you can make that will likely make a difference? Reframe questions to the positive, think of more questions. Pivoting Ask about what you want, not about what you don’t want.

Planned Happenstance Intentionally priming the pump for good luck. Associated with curiosity, persistence, flexibility, optimism and risk-taking. Engagement Networking If we engage in certain activities, we can actually increase our “luck” Sometimes just asking can get you a long way Same concept with networking People most likely to find the job for you are not the people you know the bet, but more often acquaintances, etc. 80% of jobs are never advertised

Planned Happenstance Think of an instance of good luck (large or small) in the recent past. What contributed to the good luck? How have unplanned events influenced your choice of job or career? How did you enable these events to positively influence you? (What did you do to place yourself in the right place at the right time? To make a good impression on people you met?)