Positive Psychotherapy

For over a century the focus of psychotherapy has been on what ails us, with the therapeutic process resting upon the assumption that unearthing past traumas, correcting faulty thinking, and restoring dysfunctional relationships is curative. But something important has been overlooked: the positives. Shouldn't making us happier, better people be explicit goals of therapy?Positive Psychotherapy: Workbook guides readers through a session-by-session therapeutic approach based on the principles of positive psychology, an exciting new area of study examining the factors that enable us to flourish. This workbook, designed to be used in conjunction with the accompanying clinician's manual, first explains what exactly positive psychotherapy is, exploring the important concepts of character strengths. What follows are 15 positive psychotherapy sessions, each complete with lessons, guidelines, skills, and worksheets for practicing positive psychology skills learned in session. Those interested in improving well-being through psychotherapy will find in Positive Psychotherapy a refreshing complement to other approaches, endowing readers with a sense of purpose and meaning that many have found lacking in more traditional therapies.

Table of ContentsINTRODUCTION TO THIS WORKBOOKCHAPTER 1: SESSION ONE: Positive Introduction and Gratitude JournalCHAPTER 2: SESSION TWO: Character Strengths and Signature StrengthsCHAPTER 3: SESSION THREE: Practical WisdomCHAPTER 4: SESSION FOUR: A Better Version of MeCHAPTER 5: SESSION FIVE: Open and Closed MemoriesCHAPTER 6: SESSION SIX: ForgivenessCHAPTER 7: SESSION SEVEN: Maximizing versus SatisficingCHAPTER 8: SESSION EIGHT: GratitudeCHAPTER 9: SESSION NINE: Hope and OptimismCHAPTER 10: SESSION TEN: Post-traumatic Growth (PTG)CHAPTER 11: SESSION TEN: Slowness and SavoringCHAPTER 12: SESSION TWELVE: Positive RelationshipsCHAPTER 13: SESSION THIRTEEN: Positive CommunicationCHAPTER 14: SESSION FOURTEEN: AltruismCHAPTER 15: SESSION FIFTEEN: Meaning and PurposeCONCLUSION: The Full LifeAPPENDICESA: Relaxation & Mindfulness PracticesB: Gratitude JournalC: Positive Psychotherapy Inventory (PPTI)D: Building Your StrengthsREFERENCES