To Us:  

A Strength-based approach is a matter of survival

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WE DON'T THINK IT IS PERHAPS THAT UNUSUAL FOR MOST OF US TO THINK WE "UNDERSTAND" VINCENT VAN GOGH.  FOR US, WE THINK WE "UNDERSTAND" WHY SOMEONE WOULD SACRIFICE SO MUCH FOR HIS ART AS A DESPERATE ATTEMPT @ SELF PRESERVATION.
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     THIS REALLY GOES TO OUR IDEAS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTH-BASED SYSTEMS NOT JUST AS SOMETHING NICE TO DO -- BUT ESSENTIAL FOR THE SURVIVAL OF THE INDIVIDUAL.

IT IS HARD TO OVER-EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRENGTH-BASED APPROACH THROUGHOUT MENTAL HEALTH, THROUGHOUT THE SOCIETY
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Strengths-Based Approach for Mental Health Recovery

Instead of employing the traditional medical 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 a unique set of strengths and abilities so that he/she can rely on to overcome problems (9).

​Helping consumers’ recovery has become the fundamental goal for mental health practitioners (10). Mental health recovery is a personal journey of gaining increasing meaningful life despite the presence of mental illnesses (11). To recover, consumers have to be confident that they have the ability to recover from mental health conditions.

The strengths-based approach aligns itself with the notion of mental health recovery by focusing on person’s ability, helping them developing the confidence to embark on the journey of recovery and aiding them to progress towards mental health recovery.  Attention is placed on people’s abilities rather than their shortcomings, symptoms or difficulties.

Mental health issues are seen as a normal part of human life (12).   Consumers’ positive attributes including assets, aspirations, hopes and interests are elicited and cultivated.   According to Gable and Haidt (13), an understanding of strengths can help to prevent or lessen the damage of disease, stress and disorder.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3939995/
What Are You Good At?: Clinical Psychologist Tayyab Rashid at TEDxUTSC --
University of Toronto at Scarborough
​Thunderbird Partnership Foundation (2018)
A Strengths Based Approach to Indigenous Wellness


​​THE POWER OF LANGUAGE IN STRENGTHS-BASED APPROACHES


​Tondora, et al., (2007). Yale University School of Medicine Program for Recovery and Community Health.   New Haven, CT. 

Many educators are adopting a "Strength-Based" Approach
Aurora Public Schools -- Aurora, Colorado (2018)

Twice Exceptional Students -- 2e

3:08:  "The most important piece to remember is to identify their strengths and program for that first.

"That's how a student will feel valued, engaged in the classroom and that they have a piece of the community they fit into.

"Then we can plan for their area of disability."

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​Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) (2018) --- UK

The Care Act 2014 puts a strengths-based approach at the centre of someone’s assessment, care and support, highlighting 'What is strong' rather than simply 'What is wrong'. 

This means that strengths and talents are identified so that things that are important to people are taken into account. This can help to promote individual wellbeing.

​This film looks at how interventions can become holistic, person-centred and outcomes-focused to improve people's lives.

​​Strength-based interventions​

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 International Journal of Social Psychiatry (May 2016)

Uses of strength-based interventions for people with serious mental illness: A critical review

RESULTS:
Seven studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies was used to appraise the quality of the studies.

Our review found emerging evidence that the utilisation of a strength-based approach improves outcomes including hospitalisation rates, employment/educational attainment, and intrapersonal outcomes such as self-efficacy and sense of hope.

CONCLUSION:
Recent studies confirm the feasibility of implementing a high-fidelity strength-based approach in clinical settings and its relevance for practitioners in health care. More high-quality studies are needed to further examine the effectiveness of strength-based approaches.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26831826