Reconnecting With Signature Strengths: A New Approach to Relapse Prevention

(August 3, 2009)

Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D.
Education Director, VIA Institute on Character

Citation: Niemiec, R. M. (2007). Using strengths to prevent relapse. Update, Program for Psychology and Religion, Saint Louis Behavioral Medicine Institute in its Program for Psychology & Religion.

Over the last hundred years psychiatry and psychology have focused almost entirely on defining and examining illnesses, at the near exclusion of studying human strengths and resilience.

Fortunately, in the last decade a movement has emerged to study “positive psychology.”  Positive psychology attempts to define the strengths and virtues of the human character that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Through extensive research and clinical practice, leaders in the field identified six core virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, and Transcendence.  Each virtue has been further examined and 24 distinct human strengths are known (e.g. curiosity, persistence, care, teamwork, humility, and hope, to name a few).  Research has shown that when we know and use our internal resources, strengths and virtues, we can buffer ourselves against stress, and enhance and expand healthy lifestyle habits.

The tenants of positive psychology and personal strengths fit well with many of the concepts of relapse prevention.  As such, for Renewal Week clients, we offered a group therapy experience that combined exploring personal strengths with relapse prevention in mind.

One priest who had been in the weight management program realized his top strength was vitality/zest.  This led him to reflect on when he had used this strength in the past to avoid unhealthy habits.  Suddenly, it dawned on him.  He had developed a mantra when he had been in the program, “Keep your energy up.”  Using this mantra to remind himself of his strength, he had done quite well in the program.  He was able to focus and persist as he struggled through the challenges of therapy, food cravings, and community conflict.  When he had integrated back into community life, he forgot to use his strength, and found that he struggled without it.  He was determined to recapture the phrase and its meaning in his life, and resolved to keep the phrase alive in his mind on a daily basis, particularly at times of boredom, agitation, and sadness (historical triggers for his past unhealthy behaviors).

One sister was somewhat surprised when she discovered that humor was potentially her highest strength.  With a history of chronic depression, this was far from what she expected.  After some reflection, she acknowledged noticing an increase in her sense of playfulness, joke-telling, and laughter over the last months which coincided with an experience of health and well-being. Interestingly, she displayed the strength of humor several times in the remainder of the renewal groups, clearly demonstrating she was beginning to own this quality in herself.

The first step for each participant was to become aware of an internal strength.  Second, the exploration, processing, and understanding of how they’d used the strength in the past was critical in building insight. Finally, participants made concrete plans for how they would apply their top strengths in daily life and at times of stress.  Three steps to building signature strengths had emerged: awareness, understanding, and application.