Positive PsychologyPositive psychology is a relatively new practice in the counseling world. For its founder, Martin Seligman, when his five-year-old daughter schooled him in their rose garden. As the story goes, he had barked at her for disturbing his reading in the garden. In response, she asked him if he could recall how whiny she was when she was younger. When she turned five, she told him, she decided she would whine no more. She then suggested that if she was able to stop whining, then he was able to stop being a grouch. She summoned her ability to make meaningful change and indicated he could do the same. Talk about out of the mouths of babes. Instead of focusing on what ails us, or even the absence of what ails us, positive psychology seeks to help us identify and use our strengths to achieve happiness and fulfillment. For those in vocational rehabilitation, the approach will feel very familiar. Our focus on one's strengths, abilities, and well-being existed well before Dr. Seligman's epiphany in his rose garden. Nevertheless, his research of various cultures to identify highly valued character strengths (e.g., wisdom/knowledge, courage, transcendence, justice, humanity, and temperance) that lead to a meaningful life has helped us to behold the rose, not just the thorns. For more information on positive psychology, go to this link.
Why Use Positive Psychology for Group? Researchers have explored positive psychology constructs that predict life satisfaction in adolescents with and without disabilities. This research highlighted the necessity of building on adolescents' strengths to achieve well-being and life satisfaction. In one study, adolescents identified engagement in meaningful work and supportive accommodations as key to life satisfaction (Moore et al., 2011). In various studies of those with intellectual disabilities, quality of life and well-being were found to be correlated with a variety of attributes, including:
None of these findings should surprise vocational rehabilitation professionals. Since 1973, VR professionals have been cultivating the seeds of inclusion, support, and informed choice. See the bottom of this page for a strengths-based training offer. Shifting Perspective Psychologist Carol Kauffman, director of the Coaching and Positive Psychology Initiative at Harvard's McLean Hospital, suggests four ways counselors can shift perspective by incorporating positive psychology into group work. Reverse the focus from negative to positive.It's easy to dwell on the negative. The medical model of disability focuses on the negative and still has a grip on how people with disabilities are treated in their communities, job sites, and educational environments. We can reverse this trend by shifting attention to more positive aspects of life. An example of this practice is taking mental snapshots of daily events, scanning through them each night, and focusing specifically on what went right. Develop a language of strength.We often talk about pain, conflict, resistance, and anger. These are part of life and can make it difficult toidentify our strengths. Kauffman and other positive psychology practitioners often use strength coaching while advising patients. Just as an athlete exercises specific muscles to strengthen, the theory is that people who identify, affirm (i.e., say them aloud to themselves), and use their strengths regularly will function better. For example, individuals can identify and affirm one top strength and use it at least once daily. Balance the positive and negative.It's also vital for people to balance the negative with the positive and foster the same habit in others. For example, a business executive may mix praise with constructive criticism when evaluating employees to nurture their growth. Build strategies that foster hope.Finding ways to foster hope in someone may increase that person's ability to deal with adversity and overcome a challenge. Counselors can build hope by helping clients:
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