Table of Contents

Dedication Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Foundations of Strengths-Based Practice: Seven Core Concepts of the Science of Character Chapter 2 Signature Strengths: Research and Practice Chapter 3 Practice Essentials: Six Integration Strategies for a Strengths-Based Practice Chapter 4 Behavioral Traps, Misconceptions, and Strategies Chapter 5 Advanced Issues in Applying Character Strengths Chapter 6 Character Strength Spotlights: 24 Practitioner-Friendly Handouts Chapter 7 How to Apply Character Strengths Interventions Chapter 8 Research-Based Interventions for Character Strengths Chapter 9 Afterword References Appendix A Background on the VIA Classification of Character Strengths and the VIA Survey Appendix B Checklist for Strengths-Based Practitioners Appendix C A Sampling of Strengths-Based Models Appendix D Frequently Asked Questions About Character Strengths Appendix E Comparison of VIA Survey with StrengthsFinder (Gallup) and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Appendix F Flagship Papers on Character Strengths Appendix G 10 Character Strengths Concepts and Applications in Specific Movies Appendix H About the VIA Institute on Character Index

Promotional Information

Dr. Niemic has created what I believe is the most comprehensive and sophisticated book on using strengths published to date. He uses the VIA assessment of character strengths as the center piece for discussing strengths intervention but this book is appropriate to people using any strengths assessment or intervention strategy. Niemic does an excellent job reviewing the relevant research. Unlike many previous publications on strengths, however, he discusses conceptual ways to translate these research findings into day-to-day therapy and coaching practice. He synthesizes the best thinking from the leading scholars in the topic and adds his own expertise and experience to create a practical guide that attends to situations, culture, language, identity, and other critical aspects of strengths. The book is primarily intended for individual practitioners and is not heavy on attention to team strengths. Despite this, the book is a must for anyone who endeavors to use strengths in their practice. ; Reviewed by Robert Biswas-Diener on amazon, September 2017; A really valuable and welcome resource … An excellent contribution to the field; The application of positive psychology and strengths is growing in organisations, education and in the clinical setting. The VIA Survey has been around for a number of years now and is one of the few academically sounds strengths diagnostics available at no charge. This book acts a “handbook” to understanding the theoretical model, the strengths themselves and contains descriptions of 70 research-based interventions – quite a lot of return for your investment in the book. ; It is extremely well written and, more importantly for me, strikes a perfect balance between academic rigor and practical guidance. It is very accessible, but still provides a robust explanation and discussion of the strengths approach. The suggested interventions provide a treasure trove of exercises to apply with yourself and with others if you have a role as a coach or development practitioner. ;Emily Hutchinson, Director of EJH Consulting, Associate Editor (Books), writing in The Psychologist (February 2018, Vol. 31)…..;

About the Author

Ryan M. Niemiec, PsyD, 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, positive psychology "fellow," and is adjunct professor at Xavier University, University of Pennsylvania, and a visiting lecturer at several other institutions. Ryan helps professionals in counseling, coaching, business, disability, and education around the world apply character strengths, personally and professionally in their work. He leads seminal character strengths courses and develops personalized reports for the VIA Institute. He has penned over 60 peer-reviewed/invited articles and hundreds of lay-friendly articles on character strengths, mindfulness, and related topics. He is especially interested in the intersection of character strengths with mindfulness, savoring, resilience, flourishing, intellectual/developmental disability, and health promotion.

Reviews

"Character Strength Interventions gives readers a fantastic in-depth tour of the science of the 24 Values-In-Action (VIA) strengths. The guide contains many immediately applicable interventions that can be used with clients.For practitioners like me, the true gems of this book are the tips, snapshots, handouts, and interventions.The guide includes 24 very useful handouts, one for each of the VIA strengths. These contain a definition, research highlights, questions for strengths building, and interventions. These handouts are fantastic resources to help practitioners and their clients understand the essence of each strength, where to learn more about it, and ways to develop and use it. Even better than the handouts are the 70 strengths interventions that make up chapter 8. Most of these interventions come with an overview, the purpose of the intervention, the specific steps involved, and the research behind it. Many of these also come with tips and even troubleshooting ideas.Character Strengths Interventions is a gold mine for practitioners. Its tips, 24 handouts, and 70 interventions are the most valuable nuggets.";Scott Crabtree, teacher of neuroscience, psychology, and the science of happiness, at Positive Psychology News, http://positivepsychologynews.com/news/author/scott-crabtree ;"Honestly, I read the entire book and appreciated all that Niemiec offered. The book itself is well-written, offers in-depth information, direction, background, appendices, practitioner snapshots and oh so much more. I will continue to suggest it to colleagues who might be interested in the content because, in my experience, if you read the book, take the time to reflect on the material, do the snapshot activities, practice the protocols yourself before client use, there's much to be gained." ;Nancy Eichhorn in International Body Psychotherapy Journal. The Art and Science of Somatic Praxis, vol. 16/3, 2017; "Character strength interventions are about getting clients in touch with their strengths and finding ways to utilize those strengths to cultivate meaning and enrich their lives. He educates the reader on the foundations of character strength interventions, relays evidence to support his claims about the usefulness of character strength interventions, and explains countless interventions step-by-step providing practitioners with a useful handbook Character Strengths Interventions is a must read for clinicians who believe in using strengths-based interventions or who are interested in learning more about positive psychology in practice." ; Monica Spafford, des. applied psychologist, New York, NY, in International Body Psychotherapy Journal. The Art and Science of Somatic Praxis, vol. 16/3, 2017;