Character Strengths Interventions E-Book

Ryan M Niemiec

• Herausgeber: Hogrefe Publishing
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 746

Beschreibung

The definitive, practical handbook on positive psychology and character strengths for practitioners working in coaching, psychology, education, and business – start using strengths today! This book is the epitome of positive psychology: it takes the "backbone" of positive psychology – character strengths – and builds a substantive bridge between the science and practice. Working with client's (and our own) character strengths boosts well-being, fosters resilience, improves relationships, and creates strong, supportive cultures in our practices, classrooms, and organizations. This unique guide brings together the vast experience of the author with the science and the practice of positive psychology in such a way that both new and experienced practitioners will benefit. New practitioners will learn about the core concepts of character and signature strengths and how to fine-tune their approach and troubleshoot. Experienced practitioners will deepen their knowledge about advanced topics such as strengths overuse and collisions, hot button issues, morality, and integrating strengths with savoring, flow, and mindfulness. Hands-on practitioner tips throughout the book provide valuable hints on how to take a truly strengths-based approach. The 24 summary sheets spotlighting each of the universal character strengths are an indispensable resource for client sessions, succinctly summarizing the core features of and research on each strength. 70 evidence-based step-by-step activity handouts can be given to clients to help them develop character strengths awareness and use, increase resilience, set and meet goals, develop positive relationships, and find meaning and engagement in their daily lives. No matter what kind of practitioner you are, this one-of-a-kind field-guide is a goldmine in science-based applications. You'll be able to immediately bring the science of well-being into action!

Leseprobe

Character Strengths Interventions

A Field Guide for Practitioners

Ryan M. Niemiec

About the Author

Dr. Ryan M. Niemiec, is Education Director of the VIA Institute on Character, a nonprofit organization in Cincinnati, Ohio that is viewed as the global leader in advancing the science and practice of character strengths. Ryan is author of several books, including Mindfulness and Character Strengths: A Practical Guide to Flourishing, and coauthor of Positive Psychology at the Movies and Movies and Mental Illness. Ryan is an award-winning psychologist, certified coach, international workshop leader, and is adjunct professor at Xavier University, University of Pennsylvania, and a visiting lecturer at several other institutions.

Ryan develops (or codevelops) VIA’s courses, reports, and programs and applies strengths as the centerpiece of Character Strengths Coaching. At VIA, he helps professionals in counseling, coaching, business, disability, and education around the world apply character strengths, personally and professionally in their work. He has published over 60 peer-reviewed or invited articles/chapters on character strengths, mindfulness, and related topics. He has been an associate editor or consulting editor for four scholarly journals, including the APA journal PsycCRITIQUES since its inception in 2004. He is especially interested in the intersection of character strengths with mindfulness, savoring, resilience, intellectual/developmental disability, and health promotion.

In 2014, Ryan reached a feat of delivering over 100 presentations on character strengths within 1 year. In 2015, he presented a national workshop tour across Australia, at universities in Iceland and Spain, and gave the Rex J. Lipman Fellow address at St. Peter’s College in Adelaide, Australia. He’s been an invited presenter or keynote at five leading positive psychology conferences. He was awarded Fellow of the International Positive Psychology Association in 2017.

Over the last 15 years, Ryan has been a leader in the mindfulness community, leading hundreds of mindfulness groups for various audiences and has delivered keynotes, retreats, and workshops on character strengths and mindfulness. He’s the creator of the evidence-based mindfulness-based strengths practice (MBSP) program, the first structured program for building character strengths. Ryan adapted MBSP as a track on the web/app-based platform Happify, called “Awaken Your Potential.”

On a personal level, Ryan’s signature strengths are hope, love, curiosity, fairness, honesty, perspective, and appreciation of beauty. He enjoys spending quality time with his wife and three children, traveling, playing basketball, watching positive psychology movies (and The Walking Dead), following Michigan State University athletics, playing online chess, and collecting Pez dispensers and komodo dragon and stingray figures.

Follow Ryan through social media:

• Ryan’s blog on Psychology Today is called “What Matters Most?”

• LinkedIn: ryanVIA

• Twitter: @ryanVIA

• TEDx talk: Search “Ryan Niemiec” and “TEDx”

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication information for the print version of this book is available via the Library of Congress Marc Database under the Library of Congress Control Number 2017941142

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Niemiec, Ryan M., author

Character strengths interventions : a field guide for practitioners

/ Ryan M. Niemiec.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Issued in print and electronic formats.

ISBN 978-0-88937-492-8 (softcover).--ISBN 978-1-61676-492-0 (pdf).--

ISBN 978-1-61334-492-7 (epub)

1. Positive psychology. 2. Character. I. Title.

BF204.6.N54 2017

150.19'88

C2017-901547-8

C2017-901548-6

The authors and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this text is in accord with the current state of scientific knowledge, recommendations, and practice at the time of publication. In spite of this diligence, errors cannot be completely excluded. Also, due to changing regulations and continuing research, information may become outdated at any point. The authors and publisher disclaim any responsibility for any consequences which may follow from the use of information presented in this book.

Registered trademarks are not noted specifically in this publication. The omission of any such notice by no means implies that any trade names mentioned are free and unregistered.

Copyright of VIA Classification of 24 Character Strengths: © 2017 VIA Institute on Character

(https://www.viacharacter.org/www/). All rights reserved.

Copyright of graphic displays for each strength in Chapter 6 and on the cover: © 2017 Children, Inc.

(http://www.childreninc.org/). Used with permission. All rights reserved.

© 2018 by Hogrefe Publishing

http://www.hogrefe.com

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Format: EPUB

ISBN 978-0-88937-492-8 (print) • ISBN 978-1-61676-492-0 (PDF) • ISBN 978-1-61334-492-7 (EPUB)

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Dedication

For

R4 x M

Rachelle

Rhys

Ryland

Maya

I treasure the uniqueness of each of you which has an exponential effect

on me and our family synergy.

|V|Praise for the Book

The GO-TO book for building character.

Martin E. P. Seligman, PhD, Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology, and Director of Positive Psychology Center at University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

As inspiring as it is practical. The practical applications of this holistic approach to human behavior are dizzying. This guide to positive psychology is tailor-made for leaders, and is a must-have book that will inspire any leader!

Marshall Goldsmith, PhD, The Thinkers 50 #1 Leadership Thinker in the World, and international bestselling author and editor of 35 books including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There and Triggers.

Ryan Niemiec takes one of the most important scientific tools in modern psychology for improving our well-being and makes that research come to life in a practical way for practitioners, parents, and coaches. In challenging times, we each desperately need to know, hone, and utilize our unique strengths to tip this world toward hope, health and happiness.

Shawn Achor, PhD, New York Times bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage

Dr. Niemiec – the world authority on character strengths – has masterfully married science with practice in this book which provides practitioners with a comprehensive field guide of character strengths interventions. This book guides practitioners in the importance of understanding context to ensure the right intervention is used for the right reason with the right person. It is thought-provoking and hope-promoting. The raft of character strength interventions are clearly explained and the handouts are a particularly useful resource. This is a must-have book for anyone doing work with character strengths!

Lea Waters, PhD, President of International Positive Psychology Association; Gerry Higgins Chair at Centre for Positive Psychology, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne, Australia

I’m so glad you wrote this book! Very important work. This book provides an invaluable guide for teachers and parents, consultants and managers – in fact, for anyone passionate about human flourishing.

Tal Ben-Shahar, PhD, Bestselling author of Happier and founder of Happier.TV

For the reader who seeks to understand why Harvard’s Howard Gardner once said that the science of human character strengths is the most important development in psychology over the past half century my advice is: Begin with this book. Ryan Niemiec’s brilliantly conceived “strengths interventions” brings it to life and helped me see the vast vistas ahead with character strengths psychology—for revolutionizing everything from early childhood education to leadership development in business, government, and civil society.

David L. Cooperrider, PhD, Distinguished University Professor at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

The gap between theory and practice of strengths has now been officially closed – all you need to do is read this book and you could easily apply strengths interventions and exercises |VI|for yourself, clients, or research. With the inspiring Dr. Ryan Niemiec navigating this boat of applied strengths you simply can’t go wrong – read the book and unleash the super-powers of Strengths.

Itai Ivtzan, PhD, Director of Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at University of East London, UK

Sufficient scientific research has accumulated such that it cannot be denied, recognizing, appreciating, and harnessing strengths in yourself and other people, is one of the most efficient and effective paths to a life of success and fulfillment. What has been missing is a manifesto on HOW to do this. In your hands is the most comprehensive account to date. 

Todd Kashdan, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Senior Scientist at the Center for the Advancement of Well-Being, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA; Author of The Upside of Your Dark Side

This book is a wonderful resource for clinicians or coaches who want to incorporate a strengths-based approach into their work in a variety of settings. Built around the strengths and virtues of the VIA Classification, this book is comprehensive, based on evidence when available, and remarkably practical. I think it will be essential reading for anyone interested in a strengths-based approach to intervention.

Robert McGrath, PhD, Professor at School of Psychology, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, NJ; Senior Scientist at VIA Institute.

Ryan Niemiec’s new book is an all in one place resource for those interested in theory, research, and application of character strengths. Research on character strengths and signature strengths have matured and we know that their use in interventions is effective. Therefore, it is time to disseminate the research-informed, best practices in applied areas. Being the first of its kind and written by the Education Director of the global leader in the science and practice of character, this book will have a long shelf life.

Willibald Ruch, PhD, Professor of Psychology at University of Zurich, Switzerland; Founder and President of Swiss Positive Psychology Association; Senior Scientist at VIA Institute.

I just finished reading Ryan Niemiec’s Character Strengths Interventions: A Field Guide for Practitioners and I had to stop for few minutes to take in and savor the feat he has accomplished. His book truly is a field guide. As someone who deeply knows and clearly loves the exciting territory of character strengths, Ryan expertly guides us so we can see the wonders that can be found there, shares its history, warns us about possible pitfalls, and invites us to explore and enjoy its riches. And we can even take them home with us, thanks to Ryan’s generosity in sharing so many resources that he has created and compiled.

He sees strength practitioners as gardeners who can’t – and shouldn’t try to – “mold” their clients, but rather, can create optimal conditions for growth and development. I believe that Ryan’s own strengths of love, hope, perspective and appreciation of beauty may have created the conditions for the flowering of this wonderful work, and I am grateful for it.

Margarita Tarragona, PhD, Director of PositivaMente; Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, Australia

Contents

Dedication

Praise for the Book

Foreword

Preface

A Unique Role

The Science–Practice Gap

Why Now?

There Is No Algorithm for Life

Acknowledgements

Chapter 1 Foundations of Strengths-Based Practice: Seven Core Concepts of the Science of Character

Introduction

Common Language

Dimensionality and Context

Culture: A Special Kind of Context

Plurality

All 24 Character Strengths Matter

Different Types of Strengths

Talents (What We Do Naturally Well)

Skills (What We Train Ourselves to Do)

Interests (Our Passions)

Resources (Our External Supports)

Values (What We Internally Hold Dear)

The Driving Force

Character Strengths Subsets

Character Strengths Can Be Developed

Being and Doing

Chapter 2 Signature Strengths: Research and Practice

Introduction

Why Are Signature Strengths Important?

Core Concepts

Signature Strengths Research

Signature Strengths in New Ways

Signature Strengths Across Contexts

Amplify a Top Strength or Remediate a Weakness?

Why and How Do Signature Strengths Work?

Key Issues in Working With Signature Strengths

Types of Strengths Blindness

The Strengths Paradox

Beyond Character Strengths Awareness

How to Use Signature Strengths in New Ways

Chapter 3 Practice Essentials: Six Integration Strategies for a Strengths-Based Practice

Introduction

1. Recognize, Label, and Affirm Strengths in Yourself

Self-Assessment and Self-Nomination

Self-Monitor for Strengths

The Power of Narrative

Who Sees You?

Affirming Strengths

2. Character Strengths Are Social

Why Labeling?

Why Explaining?

Why Appreciating?

Putting the Steps Together

Train Yourself to Look for Strength Behaviors

3. Align Character Strengths With Activities

4. Use the Strengths-Based Practice Model

Background: Aware-Explore-Apply Model

Using the Aware-Explore-Apply Model

5. Embed Character Strengths into your Professional Approach

Psychodynamic Orientation

Humanistic Orientation

Cognitive-Behavioral Orientations

Family Therapy

Solution-Focused Approaches

Coaching Approaches

Any Therapeutic Orientation

6. Use Your Own Strengths in Sessions and in Meetings

Chapter 4 Behavioral Traps, Misconceptions, and Strategies

Introduction

Behavioral Traps and Suggested Strategies

Just Show Up

Remediate Lower Strengths, Deficits, and Weaknesses

Jump to Action Before Understanding

Start With “What Went Wrong?”

Be Rigid About Top Strengths

Overplay Overuse

Take the Prescriptive/Authoritarian Approach

Misconceptions, Realities, and Tips

Misconception 1: Focusing on Strengths is Pollyannaish

Misconception 2: Working With Strengths Is Easy

Misconception 3: All Strengths Are Created Equal

Misconception 4: Character Strengths Are Static

Misconception 5: Knowing Your Strengths Is Enough

Misconception 6: Most People Already Know Their Character Strengths Well

Misconception 7: “Character” Refers to a Handful of Traits

Misconception 8: Talking About Character Strengths Is Bragging and Egotistical

Avoidance, Nonavoidance, and Culture

Chapter 5 Advanced Issues in Applying Character Strengths

Introduction

Overuse, Underuse, and the Golden Mean

Synergies and Collisions: The Four-Quadrant Model

Examine Intrapersonal Synergies

Examine Interpersonal Synergies

Experimenting With Intrapersonal Collisions

Experimenting With Interpersonal Collisions

Resolving Interpersonal Collisions

Hot Buttons

Hot Button Management – Overarching Strategies

Hot Button Management – Specific Strategies

Morality

Mindfulness, Savoring, Flow, and Hypnosis

Mindfulness

Savoring

Distinguishing Between Mindfulness and Savoring

Flow

Hypnosis Trances

An Integration of Everything?

Chapter 6 Character Strength Spotlights: 24 Practitioner-Friendly Handouts

Introduction

Core Features

Chapter 7 How to Apply Character Strengths Interventions

Introduction

Optimal Conditions for Successful CSIs

Putting It All Together: Tailoring CSIs

Research Evidence: Strengths and Limitations

A Word About Programs

Tailored Intervention Packages

Chapter 8 Research-Based Interventions for Character Strengths

Character Strengths Awareness

Introduction

Content

CSI 1: Getting Started: Introducing and Exploring Character Strengths

CSI 2: Take the VIA

CSI 3: Affirm/Value Your Strengths

CSI 4: Boost Your Motivation

CSI 5: Subtract a Signature Strength

CSI 6: Character Strengths Genogram

CSI 7: Character Strengths 360°

CSI 8: Self-Monitor Your Strengths

CSI 9: Stories and Character Strengths (Develop Strengths-Spotting)

CSI 10: Mentors/Role Models

Character Strengths Use

Introduction

Contents

CSI 11: Use a Signature Strength in a New Way

CSI 12: Acting “As If” (Acting From Strength)

CSI 13: Turn a Strength Inward

CSI 14: Create a Strengths Habit

CSI 15: Signature Strengths Across Domains

CSI 16: Holistic Strengths Use

CSI 17: Pathways to Virtue Use

CSI 18: Head, Heart, and Hands: Living a Virtuous Life

CSI 19: Boost a Lower Strength

Meaning and Engagement

Introduction

Contents

CSI 20: Strengths Alignment

CSI 21: The Deathbed Test

CSI 22: Life Summary

CSI 23: What Matters Most?

CSI 24: Cultivate Inner Self-Worth

CSI 25: Defining Moments Exercise

CSI 26: Positive Action Through Movies

Specific Character Strengths

Introduction

Contents

CSI 27: Boosting Curiosity Through Novelty

CSI 28: Imagined Conversation

CSI 29: Activate Your Zest!

CSI 30: Loving-Kindness Meditation

CSI 31: Gift of Time

CSI 32: Pay it Forward

CSI 33: Prosocial Spending

CSI 34: Enhance Teamwork Through Role Matching

CSI 35: Boosting Humility

CSI 36: Engaging With Beauty

CSI 37: Three Good Things

CSI 38: Gratitude Letter/Visit

CSI 39: Three Funny Things

CSI 40: Cultivating Sacred Moments

Positive Relationships

Introduction

Contents

CSI 41: Character Strengths Appreciation

CSI 42: Love Letter

CSI 43: Turn Your Strengths Other-Oriented

CSI 44: Mindful Listening and Speaking

CSI 45: Healthy, Fair Fighting

CSI 46: Subtract Then Add

CSI 47: Perspective-Taking

CSI 48: Compliment Review

CSI 49: Positive Reminiscence With Strengths

CSI 50: Counting the Good in Your Relationship

Resilience (Problem Management)

Introduction

Contents

CSI 51: Believing Change Is Possible

CSI 52: Resource Priming

CSI 53: Benefit-Finding With Strengths

CSI 54: Open Your Character Strength Doors

CSI 55: Positive Reappraisal With Strengths

CSI 56: Helping or Harming?

CSI 57: Overcome Stress With Humor

CSI 58: Managing Character Strengths Overuse

CSI 59: Managing Your Strength Hot Buttons

Goal-Setting/Achievement

Introduction

Contents

CSI 60: Goal-Setting With Character Strengths

CSI 61: Hope for Your Goals

CSI 62: Mental Contrasting

CSI 63: Implementation Intentions

CSI 64: Best Possible Self

Mindfulness

Introduction

Contents

CSI 65: The Mindful Pause

CSI 66: Strong Mindfulness

CSI 67: Fresh Look Meditation

CSI 68: From Mindless to Mindful

CSI 69: Meditation Targeting a Character Strength

CSI 70: Strengths Gatha

Additional Character Strengths Activities

Introduction

Chapter 9 Afterword

References

Appendices

Appendix A

VIA Classification: Background

Positive Psychology

Early Scientific Meetings

Virtues

Character Strengths

Universality

Measurability

VIA Survey

Appendix B

Appendix C

Appendix D

What is the difference between a signature strength and a character strength?

Is it better to work on signature strengths or lesser strengths?

Are the results of the VIA Survey affected by mood?

My lowest strengths are weaknesses, right?

How does the VIA Survey differ from Gallup’s StrengthsFinder 2.0?

Do the results on the VIA Survey change over time?

Are character strengths more nature-based or nurture-based?

How well does research support the mapping of the six virtues and the 24 character strengths nesting underneath them?

Is the VIA Survey recommended as a tool for helping people select their optimal career or for employee selection purposes?

Appendix E

Appendix F

Business/Organizations

Education

Disability (Intellectual/Developmental)

Psychotherapy

Career Counseling

Mindfulness

Interventions

What’s Missing?

Appendix G

Moral Goodness

Overuse of Character Strengths

Signature Strengths Exemplar and Strengths Underuse: A Contrast

Positive Interventions

The True Meaning of the Concept “Character”

Understanding Humility

Understanding Spirituality

Criteria for a Positive Psychology Movie

Overcoming Fear With Strengths

Overcoming Loneliness With Strengths

Appendix H

Present Day

History

Index

|XI|Foreword

Let’s go straight to the bottom line: Dr. Ryan Niemiec is the world’s foremost authority on the science, practice, and teaching of character strengths, and, with this book, he summarizes in clear and practical terms what practitioners need to know to put this new knowledge to work for themselves and their clients. In my opinion, this book brings to practitioners the most important insights into actualizing positive human potential since the insights of cognitive psychology! Character strength science is the backbone of a “new” psychology – one focused on the array of beautiful psychological characteristics with which all human beings have been imbued – characteristics that can be used to help each and every one of us live our lives most fully, both individually and collectively.

In 1999, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, then 1 year post-President of the American Psychological Association, began writing about the need for the science of psychology to augment its efforts to understand and remediate psychological suffering with developing scientific knowledge about “the plus side” of the human experience – how we can construct lives with positive emotions, relationships, and achievements along with high degrees of engagement and meaning. In other words, he made a call to the profession of psychology to learn about the processes that lead to human flourishing. He envisioned efforts to understand positive emotions, positive psychological characteristics, and positive organizations, with positive characteristics being “the backbone” of this new “positive psychology.” As a clinical psychologist and president of a philanthropic foundation, I responded to his call to the field. To make a long story short, Dr. Seligman and I worked together to conceive of a 3-year project to create the two basic tools any new scientific effort requires – an intellectual framework and language of what we want to understand, and tools of measurement. When asked to identify the most qualified person in the world to colead this effort, Dr. Seligman identified, without hesitation, Dr. Christopher Peterson of the University of Michigan. We fortunately were able to recruit Dr. Peterson for a full, 3-year hiatus from his university responsibilities to focus 100% on this project.

As it is said, the rest is history! Drs. Seligman and Peterson, with input from 55 noted scholars and positive youth development practitioners, embarked on the most comprehensive and robust effort ever to understand what’s best about human beings and how we build full and flourishing lives for ourselves and others. The work was presented in a groundbreaking publication in 2004 entitled Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification. That book describes the intellectual foundation for the VIA Classification – a classification of 24 universal psychological characteristics – along with introducing the strategies for measuring these characteristics in adults and youth. At the same time, the VIA Institute on Character made theVIA Surveys available for free on its website, and, without any marketing promotions, after about a year over 1 million people from around the world had found and taken a VIA Survey! During the period of the next few years, people continued flocking to the site to discover their character strengths, positive psychology journals and associations took form, and it became apparent that the new subdiscipline of positive psychology had taken root and was here to stay. Fast-forward to today and over 5 million people from every country in the world have taken a VIA Survey which is currently translated into 37 languages, and there are over 300 scientific publications relating to the Survey in professional journals.

Dr. Niemiec was the one of the first psychologists to jump into this work with both feet. He coauthored a book on movies and character strengths in 2008 with Danny Wedding, and then became the first employee of the VIA Institute after the hiring of an executive director. When I first interviewed Dr. Niemiec, he was moving to Cincinnati, Ohio where the VIA Institute resides, and was looking for employment. VIA did not yet have the capacity to hire him. When I asked how long he could wait for a position to open I recall his answer: “Working for VIA would be a dream job, and for that, I would wait forever!” Unbelievably, his enthusiasm for the work has only |XII|grown and he has been the major teacher of this work across the globe. Additionally, he has continued to merge his personal interests with the science, having published Mindfulness and Character Strengths in 2014, and creating the related mindfulness-based strengths practice (MBSP) program. As a central figure with the VIA Institute, Dr. Niemiec has been deeply involved with the Institute’s ever evolving thinking about the potential of this important work for helping to tip humanity towards its better nature. With this book, he shares the most current thinking and research-to-date on such topics as signature strengths, situational (phasic) strengths, dynamics between strengths, overuse and underuse, and strengths blindness, among others.

So, what’s the big deal about character strengths? As a psychotherapist who has spent thousands of hours across 15+ years sitting with people trying to help them move their lives forward, I can say that I wish I had the advantage of this knowledge when I was doing that work. Practitioners are always needing tools. When Skinner uncovered the processes by which contingency schedules of reinforcement affect human behavior, it provided tools for practitioners wanting to help clients change behaviors. When Ellis, Beck, and Seligman – the giants of cognitive psychology – uncovered processes by which different thought forms affect emotions and behavior, it provided practitioners with strategies for modifying thinking in order to modify unwanted feelings and associated maladaptive behaviors. In this vein, the uncovering of the corner of the human psyche where the 24 strengths of character reside provides practitioners with levers that can be pulled to activate achievement, enhance well-being, and elevate others towards becoming their best.

Let me be more specific. If a couple presents at a practice with relationship problems, now a therapist can ask them to take the VIA Survey, discuss their use of strengths with each other, and structure a relationship enhancing process for recognizing and appreciating the strengths in their partner on a regular basis. If a person wants to improve their engagement and satisfaction at work, now a manager or counselor can create a program by which they have the client deliberately apply their top strengths of character in their jobs on an ongoing basis and to select roles at work that match best with who they are. Now, when a parent or teacher wants to help a child flourish, they can focus on recognizing the character strengths in their child as they are revealed, nurture those strengths, and help the child develop their self-concept – their personal narrative - around their strengths of character. Now, psychotherapists can build their relationships with clients from the point of assessing what’s strong vs what’s wrong. The emerging applications of character strengths seems to be nearly endless, and it is only a very young field!

In this book, Dr. Niemiec organizes and describes dozens of specific applications that have various amounts of supporting evidence. Unlike any other book of its kind, this book distinguishes itself by clarifying vs. obfuscating what kind of evidence actually exists at the time of publication for each of the specified applications. While some applications have replicated evidence from double-blind, placebo-controlled studies, others have more anecdotal evidence. Practitioners can select applications with full knowledge of what the level of evidentiary support is and, of course, what seems relevant to their client. And, as with any field of practice, it is part-art and part-science. So, astute practitioners can use the content of the book to stimulate their own adaptations to tailor interventions as they see fit.

This book opens up the practice field of character strength psychology. The genius of the VIA work of Peterson and Seligman is not so much that it is a listing of important psychological characteristics, but more so that it uncovers a psychological system that has dynamics that are only beginning to become understood. Dr. Niemiec brings us up to date on what we know about that system, and I am confident that he will remain our leading guide into the future as more and more becomes discovered about how we all can actualize our highest potentials together through the application of our character strengths!

Neal H. Mayerson, PhD

Chairman of VIA Institute on Character

|XIII|Preface

In 2004, something groundbreaking took place in the field of social sciences. For the first time in history, a cross-cultural, common language describing the best qualities in human beings was born – the VIA classification of strengths and virtues. A new science of human character had arrived. Along with it, a measure (test) of positive traits was being dispersed freely around the globe. The practical ramifications of this emerging work have been substantial. It has been regarded as the most or one of the most wide-reaching efforts in positive psychology, and, by Harvard scientist and multiple intelligences theorist Howard Gardner, as one of the most important initiatives in psychology in the last century.

Meanwhile, in 2004, I was busy practicing as a clinical psychologist in St. Louis, working every day in clinical pain management, a psychology and religion program, and a general outpatient clinic, assisting people in relieving their suffering and trying to help them find mental, physical, social, and spiritual health along the way. I came across this VIA classification by Peterson and Seligman. I was lured in, enamored by its holistic nature. After a short courtship, I was in love. I began planning my future. This was to begin by using the classification to study movies with a positive lens (Niemiec & Wedding, 2014) as my colleague and I had already done this from a psychopathology lens (see Wedding & Niemiec, 2014). My study led me to practice with the VIA classification with my clients – to experiment, to question, to wonder, to appreciate. A couple short years later my wife and I decided to move to Cincinnati, which would be closer to our families of origin. As we engaged in the process, I came to realize that the VIA Institute on Character (formerly referred to as Values in Action Institute), the nonprofit that championed the entire project that culminated in this common language and measurement tool, had its headquarters in the city I was moving to. Do you believe in synchronicity?

A Unique Role

Neal Mayerson recalls that when I met with him and Donna Mayerson over breakfast discussing a potential job at the VIA Institute, he asked me how long I was willing to wait for a position at VIA. Even though my wife and I were already in the process of moving to Cincinnati and crunched for work, I spoke from the heart, “For that job, I’d be willing to wait forever.”

Fortunately, I did not have to wait that long and I formally started as Education Director at the VIA Institute in March 2009. My task, according to Neal, was simple: aggregate and disseminate. He and the VIA Institute wanted me to: (a) gather all the latest research and best practices on character strengths or relating to character strengths – connect with scientists and pioneering practitioners in positive psychology/character strengths across disciplines to further gather knowledge; (b) give it all back to the positive psychology community – find channels and create outlets to share the research and practice of character strengths to coaches, counselors, managers, educators, and consumers. And so, that has been my work the last 8 years. One could argue that that’s when the writing of this book started.

I would describe my work in accordance with what positive psychology researchers refer to as a “calling,” which means the work is an extension of who you are, a meaningful purpose. And, how could it not be a calling for me? I study and teach on those core qualities that help us understand the human condition – that make us more humane, help us improve ourselves, build up and support others, and contribute to goodness. What could be a better focal point than the focal point that lies deep within us? I’ve gotten spoiled with my work because I talk with others who are either barely getting by in their work, focusing solely on retirement down |XIV|the road, or are, at best, content with what they do. I leave such conversations surprised by the lack of meaning people find in their work, but also grateful for the work I am honored to do each day.

Many times I’m asked (by established professionals and by students), “How do I get a job like yours?” I tell them “I have no idea.” There’s no job like it and few points of comparison. I’m not solely a practitioner or a pure academic. Rather, I’m part-practitioner, part-researcher, part-educator, part-consultant, part-scholar, part-blogger, part-innovator. I tell people I’m an educator-writer-networker-practitioner and, first and foremost, a core VIA staff member on a team of five that takes action each week that is global in scope.

I’ve had my ear to the ground for over a decade in the field of positive psychology, working closely with thought leaders, researchers, and practitioners. I listen to stories of suffering and stories of success. I am privileged to hear the challenges coaches, psychologists, teachers, and managers face when working without character strengths. In discussing how this science of character strengths might be integrated, a mutual learning effect and virtuous circle unfold that helps me, and hopefully them.

The Science–Practice Gap

Science is slow moving, whereas practice is rapidly moving. This creates a large gap, and the field of positive psychology is particularly vulnerable to this. Graduate and certificate programs in positive psychology are collectively churning out thousands of students in the world each year. Most of these students are practitioners of some kind and therefore want the best practices to offer clients, students, and employees … and to offer those practices right now! It is striking to contrast this with the pace of science: a typical researcher could be faced with the following scenario:

In September 2017, a researcher attends a conference and a new idea is catalyzed for an intervention they would like to conduct to boost well-being.

He/she reflects on this idea for 1 month, and examines the resources they have, resources they need and 6 months later determines the project is feasible.

He/she proposes the idea to their institution, supervisors, a granting agency, or other decision-makers. 6 months later, he/she gets the green light to pursue the project.

Luckily, the timing is right and they can begin recruiting subjects in 2 months.

He/she recruits participants for the study over a 2-month period.

He/she randomizes the participants into groups and runs a 6-month intervention study and completes it.

He/she takes 1 month to analyze the data.

Upon having encouraging and interesting results, he/she takes 6 months to collaboratively write up the data into a paper that could be publishable.

He/she submits the paper to a journal, following the steps and requirements of the journal being pursued (1 month).

One month later, the journal’s editor sends the paper out to peer reviewers instructing them to review the paper and offer feedback within 4 months.

The editor receives the feedback at that deadline and takes 1 month to review the paper and this feedback. He/she sends all this feedback to the researcher. It is a rejection with encouragement to resubmit.

The researcher discusses this feedback with colleagues and they decide to make the changes and resubmit the paper. They do this within 3 months.

A month later, the editor sends the revised paper back out to the peer-reviewers.

|XV|These reviewers send feedback back to the editor within 3 months and 1 month later the editor sends this information back to the researcher. It is an acceptance, with revision.

The research team happily makes the final, additional changes and get the again-revised manuscript back to the editor within 1 month. Two months later it is accepted.

The paper is now officially in-press and it is placed in the journal’s queue. It will be published in 12 months.

The journal releases the paper (electronically) on schedule. The recipients of the journal can now read the paper. It has come out 60 months following the original idea. The date is now September 2022.

Sadly, the paper has no support from the press or the researcher’s institution in terms of marketing, and only a small percentage of people actually read the article, despite the positive results for this new intervention. It is, however, archived in several online databases.

Five years! These numbers vary – more or less – based on the individual researcher, the institution, their home country, and the journal submitted to. Many additional obstacles and steps will be at play for some researchers such as a lack of good results, a lack or loss of funding, flaws in the design that cause the study to cease, continued rejection from journals, etc.

As a point of comparison, here’s the typical scenario for the everyday practitioner:

In September 2017, a practitioner takes a new workshop on character strengths.

The next day, they look at their schedule and see that eight clients, all of whom are suffering in life, need their help. With the first client they see, they weave a character strengths intervention into their existing approach to help them.

The contrast here – 5 years versus 1 day – is stark. The numbers may shift on either side – for example, some journals have a much quicker turnaround process especially those that are online, and some practitioners will discern, reflect, read, and discuss new ideas for a considerable amount of time before applying. But the contrast remains.

Considering this gap, a bridge is needed in the field of character science. This book intends to contribute to that bridge – true to VIA’s namesake – as a bridge to support and inform both the science and practice.

Why Now?

Too many times I would offer a practical workshop or lecture on character strengths and people came up to me afterward and said – this was great, how do I apply it? I would look at the individual dumbfounded as if either: a.) they walked in at the last 5 minutes of the workshop; b.) I was an awful workshop leader; or c.) they could not make the leap from practical exercises for themselves to helping their clients/students. This, along with the encouragement of many, strengthened my interest in writing this book as a “field-guide” for practitioners.

The Character Strengths and Virtues text (Peterson & Seligman, 2004) on the VIA classification is 13 years old. That is also when practitioners began applying this work. In the field of positive psychology, there has been no book for practitioners that squarely targets the richness of concepts surrounding the VIA character strengths and lays out what is known about best practices with character strengths. This book for you, the helper, has been a long-time coming.

Positive psychology’s backbone has exploded in this time amounting to hundreds of scientific and scholarly publications. While there is much to learn about the application of character strengths, core concepts and strong practices are emerging. When applied, character strengths have strong potential to boost well-being, foster resilience, improve relationships, and create |XVI|strong, supportive “cultures” in families, classrooms, and organizations. To this end, character strengths lubricate and catalyze the good life while managing hardships and life challenges.

But, are character strengths best taught through words on a page? Probably not. Nothing replaces the experience and connection that flows from receiving genuine love from another or expressing profound curiosity to another. However, words on a page set the stage, offer depth, provoke new ideas, and reflect examples and exercises – all to then be put into action by the reader, for themselves or for others.

Throughout the book, I frequently use these two words:

Practitioner: I am referring to any helping professional, such as a psychologist, counselor, social worker, mentor, coach, manager, teacher, physician, nurse, health technician, mediator, or professor. In many cases, the word might be stretched to a parent helping a child, a spouse helping a spouse, or a consumer acting as the practitioner for themselves. My approach here is no doubt most strongly reflective of my work as a psychologist/coach/educator, therefore, those in a similar professional will likely find the most alignment with the suggestions and exercises throughout the book.

Client: I am referring to any person being helped or supported, such as a patient, counseling client, coachee, student, employee, or even oneself.

It is assumed that any practitioner picking up this book at least values a strength-based approach to working with clients. This book is purposefully written with that reality in mind. Any manager, counselor, coach, or teacher can pick up the book and learn the core concepts of character strengths and signature strengths (Chapters 1 and 2), the most crucial applied considerations (Chapter 3), ways to troubleshoot and fine-tune an approach to character strengths (Chapter 4), and advanced topics relating to character such as overuse, strengths collisions, morality, and the integration with savoring, flow, and mindfulness (Chapter 5). Practitioners and clients can then review detailed information on each of the 24 strengths in one-page handouts (Chapter 6), and work with user-friendly, research-based practices (Chapters 7 and 8) and a number of additional resources (Appendices).

There Is No Algorithm for Life

In his text on virtues, Fowers (2005) offers this adage which is also true for character strengths. Despite the hundreds of studies referenced in this book, over 100 research-based character strengths activities, and numerous core concepts involved in applying this work, there remains, and perhaps always will remain, a subjectivity, a demand for understanding the myriad of individual and context-based factors. Hence, there is no algorithm for completely understanding and applying character strengths. Therefore, this book is not “a 10-week program” or “6-steps to apply the science of strengths” approach. Not that such programs shouldn’t be done – because they should, and are. But, such programs are always an extension of the individual practitioner who is creating and leading it. There is not one way.

May something in this book help you clearly see the wisdom that lies beneath, express the goodness that is you, and help others find their way.

Ryan Niemiec

May 2017

Cincinnati, Ohio

|XVII|Acknowledgements

The part of my books that I reread the most are the acknowledgements sections. I enjoy relishing in gratitude and humility about all the people that have had an impact on me and/or offered support and wisdom.

My full-fledged gratitude to the core VIA Institute team, where there are five of us: VIA Chairman, Neal Mayerson, one of the unsung founding fathers of positive psychology, who displays an almost inhuman level of creativity, judgment/critical thinking, and perspective, meaning that he comes up with ideas and pathways on the smallest of scales and the largest of scales, both hammering through the nuances and visioning the long-term future, sometimes in the same sentence. Neal occasionally talks about VIA’s 50th anniversary and where it will be in that year of 2050; he says he won’t be there for it, but, considering his perseverance, I think he might. In either case, he will surely be honored for this unparalleled organization and the many great decisions, made by him and others, that got VIA to where it is today.

In every good team, there is a relationship-oriented person – someone to offer support, handle conflicts, and express emotion clearly and directly in a tone of everyday conversation … someone to do the little things that after a while are taken for granted … someone who goes out of their way to help just to help (and thereby proving altruism can indeed be unselfish) … someone who is brilliant but would never say it, magnanimous but focuses more on walking the talk. I am, of course, speaking of the inimitable Donna Mayerson, VIA Practice Director.

And there is Breta Cooper, VIA Business Director, who is remembered by each person she meets. She is remembered because she is impressive. She uses her razor-sharp mind to wield a planful “what’s-next” prudence, an always-appropriate social intelligence, and a politely challenging judgment/critical thinking. It can take people by surprise as she surveys the situation, gathers where people are coming from, slices and dices ideas/thoughts/responses in her mind, and then shares. No doubt this combination of strengths brings her to successfully lead our VIA team meetings and so many happenings at VIA in so many ways, I won’t even dare to count.

Finally, Kelly Aluise, VIA Communications Specialist, e-mails and talks with hundreds of people each month, helping them with a research code to study the VIA Survey, navigating the terrain of their inquiry and proposal, and a myriad of other tasks that help professionals and consumers use their own strengths or help others to do so. In what amounts to thousands upon thousands of people, I would be willing to bet there are zero or almost zero who have had a negative experience with Kelly. The exact opposite of a negative response is actually the norm. Kelly is an exemplar for teamwork; she could be interviewed and studied around how she brings forth this strength so strongly and for the benefit of others, especially the VIA team.

All in all, the VIA team is a collaborative one. There’s isn’t a day that goes by that it doesn’t build a bridge and offer support/advice/hope for another. That’s the kind of nonprofit organization I want to be part of. It’s a team that pushes and challenges, and, especially, it leads. On a bad day, this team is on fire with ideas and critical thinking. Imagine what it’s like on a good day.

Others at work whom I frequently speak with about character strengths include the always-ready-to-fill-in, quick-to-accomplish-a-task Chris Jenkins and the Mayerson art gallery guru and grant manager, Jeff Seibert. While I appreciate many things about Chris and Jeff, perhaps most appreciated is our conversations about The Walking Dead, which help me manage my sanity, work through theories, and relish in postapocalyptic fantasy. I could fill the remaining pages describing the talent and graciousness of Clare Blankemeyer, who champions the innovative Mayerson Service Learning Program. On our company volunteer day, Clare was the |XVIII|one on top of a tall ladder, with a drill, various screws, and other tools, while balancing on one leg to put up a trellis in a low-income neighborhood, while everyone else safely watched from below (I was good at holding the ladder!). I think that I’m busy and accomplish a lot, then I see Clare and I’m brought back down to Earth – thanks Clare! The kind-hearted, good natured and character strengths-based conversations and stories that emerge when I speak with Rachel Gray and Maureen Heckmuller are also always deeply appreciated.

With appreciation for VIA’s senior scientists, Bob McGrath and Willi Ruch, both of whom function at an extraordinarily high level of sophistication, integrity, and perspective. They are lighting the path of character science with their innovative research, their nurturing of research disciples, and the deep foundation of knowledge they have laid for the decades to come. With additional appreciation to VIA consultants and my friends, including Michelle McQuaid, Jillian Darwish, Tayyab Rashid, and Fatima Doman.

There are some people in positive psychology whose enthusiasm soars and simultaneously moves me to new heights. Some might say it’s something intangible within the person; I would say it’s a certain way that they express their strengths that speaks to me. When I hear these individual’s names, I can’t help but to smile and appreciate their gifts and my connection with them. These people include Itai Ivtzan (whom I refer to as “the Roberto Benigni of positive psychology”), Dan Tomasulo, Shannon Polly, Margarita Tarragona, Tayyab Rashid, and Roger Bretherton. Each is brilliant in their work and an authentic exemplar of what it means to be in this field.

In the same way, I can’t say enough positive things about the talents, enthusiasm, and collaborative nature of my friends and colleagues, David Giwerc, James Pawelski, Scott Bautch, Lea Waters, Maria Sirois, Lucy Hone, Meriden Peters, Rene Oehlenschlaeger, Claudia Morales Cueto, Aaron Jarden, Bob Bradley, Ruth Pearce, Christina Madrid, Darren Coppin, Kristin Truempy, Eileen Henry, Ebbe Lavendt, Lotta Wallin, Katie Curran, Megan McDonough, Jane Anderson, and Mads Bab.

And a deep bow of gratitude to a few of my collaborators, associates, and/or supporters: Hadassah Littman-Ovadia, Suzy Green, Sven Roovers, Karrie Shogren, Mike Wehmeyer, Dan Lerner, Seph Fontane Pennock, Fred Bryant, Mathew White, Judy Lissing, Dave Shearon, Kate MacKinnon, Mark Linkins, Linda Rufer, Cypress Walker, Hugo Alberts, Tim Lomas, Nirb Singh, Veronika Huta, Carol Kauffman, Kelly Michael, Mary Gregerson, Mike Steger, Lisa Sansom, Greg Pejda, Paul Wong, Charles Walker, Caroline Adams Miller, Cooper Woodard, Keith Oatley, and Tal Ben-Shahar.

With appreciation for those who have gone out of their way to support my presentations, university connections, touring, and/or writing: Karl Stuckenberg, Tim Bryant at the Center for Ethical Leadership Development at Mount St. Joseph University, Jim Hudson, Mike Sontag, Leanne Hides, Tash Dean, Jan Walburg, Juan Humberto Young, Dora Gudsmundsdottir, Sajel Bellon, Jennifer Cory, Todd Finnerty, Deb Easley, Mike Holman, Jane Wundersitz, Margarita Tarragona, James Pawelski, Judith Saltzberg, Hans Henrik-Knoop, Marlena Kossakowska, Sandra Scheinbaum, Dianne Vella-Brodrick, Aaron Jarden, Kathryn Britton, Nancy Snow, Senia Maymin, and Ohio State University’s Todd Gibbs, Amy Barnes, Vicki Pitstick, and James Larcus (as a rabid Michigan State University fan/graduate, I might not root for your school but I certainly root for your character strengths integration work).

With gratefulness for VIA Institute partners, including Ofer, Tomer, and Tiffany at Happify; David Covey and Stephan Mardyks at SMCOV; the brilliant Rabbi Irwin Kula and Rabbi Rebecca Sirbu at CLAL; Megan McDonough and colleagues at the WholeBeing Institute; Craig Case and colleagues at Q Works; Paula Felps, Deb Heisz, and the staff from Live Happy magazine; the gifted Tom Lottman and Sarah Zawaly from Children Inc., a national leader in early child development and teacher training. And, of course, VIA’s innovative, central partner in |XIX|the field of education, bringing character strengths to teachers and youth in a substantive way – the Mayerson Academy. This nonprofit organization that trains the public-school teachers throughout the Cincinnati region is spearheaded with thoughtful strategy and compassionate heart by Jillian Darwish along with the supreme talents of many, including: Lynn Ochs, Karen Graves, and Lisa Scheerer. Special thanks to all those researchers who send me updates on what they are working on and forward their articles ahead of publication to keep me (and the VIA community) informed, including but not limited to Hadassah Littman-Ovadia, Willibald Ruch, Marianne van Woerkom, Bob McGrath, Todd Kashdan, Shiri Lavy, Claudia Harzer, Rene Proyer, Thomas McGovern, Marco Weber, and Kim Sperber.

On behalf of the world, I’m happy to share thankfulness to the emergence of the VIA classification, specifically the Character Strengths and Virtues text authors, directors, and advisors, which include positive psychology founder Marty Seligman, the inimitable genius that is the late Chris Peterson, along with 53 distinguished scientists. I often have Chris in mind while writing books on character strengths, hoping that he is somehow beaming with pride and feeling like justice is being done for his path-blazing work.

Locally in Cincinnati there is a movement called Strong Cincinnati, which is working to make the city of Cincinnati to be the global leader in character strengths applications in the community (see http://www.strongcincinnati.org). Indeed, if you look up the following incredible organizations, each at different levels of character strengths integration, and each with character strengths pioneers, you’ll know what I mean: Children Inc., Talbert House, Mayerson Academy, Beech Acres Parenting Center, Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati, Lindner Center of Hope, Starfire, Public Allies, Interact for Health, Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled (LADD), Mount St. Joseph University, Northern Kentucky University, Reel Abilities Film Festival, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and Xavier University.

Also in Cincinnati, with appreciation for my friends/colleagues: Teri Caudill, Tara and Brad Proano-Raps, Bob Pautke, Lou Flaspohler, Jim Mason, Tim Vogt, Susan Brownknight, Molly Lyons, Steph Weber, Dave Brewer, Jami Cabrera, Neil Tilow, Robin Arthur, Nickol Mora, Jason Harris, Jennifer Sharp, Rick Reckman (my positive psychology teaching partner at Xavier University), and the one and only, Deb Pinger.

For those in St. Louis that sent me on my way to VIA in Cincinnati, only wanting the best for me: With a lifelong appreciation to my writing partner Danny Wedding, my friend and former boss, Ron Margolis, and my dear friend Marilyn Wussler, as well as my buddies Bob and Renae Achter, Helen Friedman, and Rob Furey.

In an age where other publishers are decidedly uncourageous or stuck in their ways, it is Hogrefe that has stepped up as one of the leading publishers in the positive psychology movement. Their outstanding collaborative team and the incredible people that make up the team are what make this publisher outstanding to work with. For this book, I am speaking of Rob Dimbleby, who leads and juggles projects with strong social intelligence, perspective, and critical thinking, and Lisa Bennett, whose blend of mind and heart while editing helped to make my words shine. Anyone who appreciates this book should send a thank-you note to Rob and Lisa.

It might sound cliché to say that I have learned from thousands of people, but in this case, it is true. Since I joined the VIA Institute on Character, I have taught thousands of people, e-mailed thousands of people, and had hundreds of personal conversations – formal and informal – with people about this character strengths work. The people have ranged from Oprah Winfrey to a 5-year-old child; CEOs to janitors; distinguished positive psychology luminaries to young students; from disgruntled to enthusiastic VIA Survey takers; stalking naysayers to cheerleading zealots. How could I not learn from all of you? Each interaction, whether face-to-|XX|face, phone, Skype, or e-mail has played a role in informing, challenging, and supporting my understanding of this beautifully complex, universally enlightening, constantly-evolving area of character strengths. My gratitude to all of you, named and unnamed!

To my family at a distance: First off, thank you to my Mom and Dad, both of whom most strongly influenced who I have become today. And, Lisa, Joey, Bob, Gloria, Monica, J. P., Zara-zen, Danny P., Ellen, Betty, Alex, Danielle, Marley, Kelly, Jade, Hedy, Chris, Scott, Erin, Benjamin, Stacey, Austin, Alayna, Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Jerry, Julie, Danny, Kelly, Steve, Dave, Daniela, Dominic, Charlotte, Uncle JJ, Aunt Laurie, Morgan, Jacob, Aunt Gwen, Uncle Don, and the whole Juszczyk family – I’m grateful to have you in my life.

And to my family at home – Maya, Ryland, Rhys, Rachelle – it has now become commonplace for me to say “it won’t take long for me to write that book.” And then it does. Truth be told, a few months of evening and weekend writing is not a long time but any bit is too long if it takes me away from you. Thank you for your patience in allowing me to follow my passion. Thank you for teaching me work–home balance. Thank you for being R4 x M.

|1|Chapter 1Foundations of Strengths-Based Practice

Seven Core Concepts of the Science of Character

Introduction

It was 2009. I had written a book on character strengths the previous year and was one of only a couple of people who had devoted themselves to such an effort on this topic. Yet, I realized I knew very little about character strengths. I had thoroughly studied the 24 strengths, the research, the existing applications, and the extensive background on the VIA classification, but a true depth around the nature of character and versatility of the practice was not there. It would have been easy for me to think I already knew it all as I arrived at the VIA Institute, but that would have been a fixed mindset, expert-minded, fateful error. With appreciation for my strengths of curiosity and hope, I set forth on a course of being open to new ideas and views. It was not until I had conversations with Neal Mayerson (Chairman of the VIA Institute) that I expanded my thinking of what is really meant by character. With these dialogues, in addition to being challenged by the critical thinking and creative thinking of the VIA Institute team, day after day – along with solitary reflection – I began to truly understand the depths of this work. It is clear that those who work with character strengths are engaged in the work of a lifetime. These strengths are the catalysts of positive speech and action that we can use in any situation for the rest of our life.

By reading this chapter you will build a foundation of character strengths knowledge on which the practices and character strengths interventions (CSIs) offered in later chapters will rest. I outline seven core concepts that underlie the character strengths: a common language, dimensionality and context, plurality, all character strengths matter, different types of strengths, character strengths can be developed, and being and doing. While the concepts discussed are not exhaustive, they serve as a springboard for readers, and especially for practitioners working with individuals from a strength-based approach. To this end, “strengths-based practitioner tips” are offered to assist the practitioner in moving the idea into action.

As a supplement to this chapter, I recommend your reading Appendix A which offers a background on the VIA classification of character strengths and virtues and the VIA Survey measurement tool. Many practitioners will find it helpful to explain these concepts to their clients. Snapshot 1.1. lists a number of definitions of character strengths from the character strengths literature.

|2|Character strengths are positive traits/capacities that are personally fulfilling, do not diminish others, ubiquitous and valued across cultures, and aligned with numerous positive outcomes for oneself and others.

Snapshot 1.1. What Are Character Strengths?

The wellsprings or mansions of the good life – a life well-lived (Seligman, 2002).

Psychological ingredients – processes or mechanisms – that define the great virtues (e.g., wisdom, justice, temperance) … distinguishable routes to virtues (Peterson & Seligman, 2004).

Capacities for thinking, feeling, and behaving (Park, Peterson, & Seligman, 2004).

Positive traits that are core to our being/identity and our doing/behavior (Niemiec, 2014a).

Basic building blocks of a flourishing life; character strengths are the pathways to well-being, described as PERMA – Positive emotions, Engagement, positive Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment (Seligman, 2011).

The inner determinants of the full life – a life of pleasure, engagement, and meaning (Peterson, Park, & Seligman, 2005).

A family of positive traits reflected in thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (Park & Peterson, 2010).

Aspects of personality that are morally valued…the foundation of optimal life-long development and thriving (Park & Peterson, 2009).

A power to act well, a force that has or can have an effect, the will to act in a human way (“virtue” described in Comte-Sponville, 2001).

In summing up what these and other researchers across cultures are saying about the character strengths, the VIA Institute on Character explains that the VIA classification is a “common language” of personality traits that:

Reflect our personal identity;

Produce positive outcomes for ourselves and others (e.g., well-being, positive relationships, achievement); and

Contribute to the collective good.

These are also referred to as the three refractions of the VIA classification.

Common Language

The 24 character strengths, as a group, are a common language that describe what is best in human beings. This is an innovative discovery as, historically, there has never been a language of character that crosses cultures. The realities of this principle are everywhere: Coaches and counselors use this “common language” with their clients to help them identify their best qualities. Managers use the “language” to help their employees become more productive and happy at work, and teachers use it to help their students entrench themselves more deeply in learning. Families use it to create a positive culture at home and individuals use it in their self-development. Having a language readily understood by all permits each person to be “on the same page” with others when approaching a challenge, engaging in conversations, and supporting one another.