Positive psychology techniques: positive case conceptualisation

This short techniques article is part of a series of papers and builds on the initial outline paper which explored the potential of positive psychology approaches within coaching (Passmore, J. & Oades, 2014). This paper focuses on the skill of positive case conceptualisation, which allows coach and coachee to work collaboratively on building a shared understanding of the positive issues under discussion

Positive psychology techniques: three good things

This short article is the last in a series of six papers exploring positive psychology coaching techniques. The previous papers have explored the concept of positive coaching psychology and how it may be applied. The focus of this paper is a technique that encourages the mind to pay more attention to good things and develop a mind more observant of the positive in life

Positive psychology coaching: a model for coaching practice

This is the first in a series of papers to look at positive psychology coaching (PPC) as an approach suitable for use with coaching clients. This paper presents a brief overview of PPC for readers who are less familiar with the approach and highlights other sources for a fuller account of PPC. The paper sets the scene for a subsequent series of papers in this and future issues within the Coaching Psychology Techniques Section. Each of these subsequent techniques papers presents a short description of a technique grounded in PPC and which are suitable for use with coachees

Positive psychology techniques: gratitude

This article builds on a descriptive paper on positive psychology coaching and several previous techniques papers. This paper explores the application of gratitude, and its associated benefits, as a part of positive psychology coaching practice

Positive psychology techniques: active constructive responding

This short article focuses on the skill of active constructive responding, a technique used when working within a positive psychology coaching framework. The paper offers a table that describes the behaviours, cognitions and emotions at six levels of listening. It offers a way to combine active listening with positive feedback responses to help demonstrate empathy and foster positive self-regard

Recovery:an international perspective

SUMMARY. Aims To review developments in recovery-focussed mental health services internationally. Methods Two forms of recovery which have been used in the literature are considered, and international examples of recovery-focussed initiatives reviews. A litmus test for a recovery-focussed service is proposed. Results Clinical recovery has emerged from professional literature, focuses on sustained remission and restoration of functioning, is invariant across individuals, and has been used to establish rates of recovery. Personal recovery has emerged from consumer narratives, focuses on living a satisfying, hopeful and contributing life even with limitations caused by the illness, varies across individuals, and the empirical evidence base relates to stages of change more than overall prevalence rates. Clinical and personal recovery are different. Two innovative, generalisable and empirically investigated examples are given of implementing a focus on personal recovery: the Collaborative Recovery Model in Australia, and Trialogues in German-speaking Europe. The role of medication is an indicator: services in which all service users are prescribed medication, in which the term compliance is used, in which the reasoning bias is present of attributing improvement to medication and deterioration to the person, and in which contact with and discussion about the service user revolves around medication issues, are not personal recovery-focussed services. Conclusions The term Recovery has been used in different ways, so conceptual clarity is important. Developing a focus on personal recovery is more than a cosmetic change it will entailfundamental shifts in the values of mental health services

Australian mental health consumers' contributions to the evaluation and improvement of recovery-oriented service provision

Background: one key component of recovery-oriented mental health services, typically overlooked, involves genuine collaboration between researchers and consumers to evaluate and improve services delivered within a recovery framework. Method: Eighteen mental health consumers working with staff who had received training in the Collaborative recovery Model (CrM) took part in in-depth focus group meetings, of approximately 2.5 hours each, to generate feedback to guide improvement of the CrM and its use in mental health services. Results: Consumers identified clear avenues for improvement for the CrM both specific to the model and broadly applicable to recovery-oriented service provision. Findings suggest consumers want to be more engaged and empowered in the use of the CrM from the outset. Limitations: improved sampling procedures may have led to the identification of additional dissatisfied consumers. Conclusions: Collaboration with mental health consumers in the evaluation and improvement of recovery-oriented practice is crucial with an emphasis on rebuilding mental health services that are genuinely oriented to support recovery

Positive psychology techniques: random acts of kindness and consistent acts of kindness and empathy

In this techniques paper we explain how using random acts of kindness can be built into consistent acts of kindness and empathy, helping clients build, hope, self regard as well as long term physical health