Session Thirteen: Positive Communication

In Session Thirteen, clients learn about four styles of responding to good news. These include active constructive, active destructive, passive constructive, and passive destructive responding. Of these styles, only Active Constructive Responding (ACR)—the central practice covered in this session—predicts relationship satisfaction. Self-disclosure of positive events is critical for secure bonding and for the development of intimacy. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to ACR and offers two worksheets to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes a real-life case study that illustrates ACR. Tips for using ACR are also provided.

Session Eleven: Slowness and Savoring

Clients report that despite doing many things each day, most of which are done quickly, they still feel stressed, underaccomplished, and tired. Despite speeding up almost everything, including human maturation, we are not any happier or healthier. That is why the “Slow Movement” is attracting attention. In Session Eleven, clients learn how to deliberately slow down and develop an awareness of how to savor. In so doing, they learn to attend mindfully to the positives. The central positive psychotherapy practices covered in this session are Slow and Savor. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to slowness and savoring and offers two worksheets to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes a real-life case study that illustrates how to engage in slowness and savoring.

Session Nine: Hope and Optimism

Thinking about a different and desirable future and finding paths to achieve that future are one of the most remarkable human capacities. Hope and optimism are inherent in this capacity. In Session Nine, clients learn to see the best possible, realistic outcomes. They learn that challenges are temporary and how to develop a sense of hope. The central positive psychotherapy practice covered in this session is One Door Closes, Another Door Opens. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to hope and optimism and offers a worksheet to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes a real-life case study that illustrates how to practice hope and optimism.

Session Seven: Maximizing versus Satisficing

Session Seven presents clients with the concepts of maximizing, which involves aiming to make the best possible choice, and satisficing, which involves making a “good enough” choice. Clinicians will help clients figure out whether they are maximizers or satisficers. The central positive psychotherapy practice covered in this session is Toward Satisficing. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to maximizing and satisficing and offers two worksheets to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes a real-life case study that illustrates how to move Toward Satisficing. Tips for moving Toward Satisficing are also provided.

Session Fourteen: Altruism

Altruism is helping others without being asked for it and without any financial reimbursement. In positive psychotherapy (PPT), meaning entails using one’s signature strengths to belong to and serve something that one believes is bigger than the self. One wants to make a life that matters to the world and create a difference for the better. The psychological benefits of altruism are significant. In Session Fourteen, clients learn how being altruistic helps both themselves and others. The central PPT practice covered in this session is the Gift of Time. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to the Gift of Time and offers a worksheet to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes real-life case studies that illustrate giving the gift of time.

Session Ten: Posttraumatic Growth

Following trauma, some individuals develop posttraumatic stress disorder, a serious condition requiring serious treatment. However, following trauma, most people also develop what is called posttraumatic growth (PTG). PTG entails a change of insight into the meaning of life and the importance of relationships. Session Ten invites clients to explore their deep feelings and thoughts about a traumatic experience that continues to bother them. The central positive psychotherapy practice covered in this session is Expressive Writing. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to Expressive Writing and offers a worksheet to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes a real-life case study that illustrates how to engage in Expressive Writing.

Session One: Positive Introduction and Gratitude Journal

In Session One, clients learn about the clinical environment; this chapter also clarifies client and clinician roles and responsibilities. This session teaches how to start the ongoing practice of cultivating gratitude through journaling positive experiences and appreciating the impact of gratitude on well-being. The two positive psychotherapy practices covered in this session are Positive Introduction and Gratitude Journal. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to both the Positive Introduction and the Gratitude Journal and offers a worksheet to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes two case studies to illustrate the use of Positive Introduction and the Gratitude Journal.

Conclusion

The central point of positive psychotherapy (PTT) at enhancing our strengths, along with improving our symptoms, is an effective therapeutic approach—like health is better than sickness, security is better than fear, relaxation is better than stress, cooperation is better than conflict, and hope is better than despair. The PPT practices in this workbook have hopefully helped readers direct their attention, memory, and expectations away from the negative and catastrophic and toward positive and optimistic outcomes. PPT is not a prescription; it is an approach based on scientific evidence that documents the benefits of paying attention to the positive aspects of human experience

Session Eight: Gratitude

Session Eight expands the concept of gratitude—which was first introduced in Session One in the form of the Gratitude Journal. Session Eight facilitates the client recalling and writing to someone who is alive now and who in the past did something positive but who the client has never fully thanked. The positive psychotherapy practices covered in this session are the Gratitude Letter and Gratitude Visit. The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to gratitude and offers a worksheet to practice the concepts learned in the chapter. The chapter also includes a real-life case study that illustrates how to practice gratitude.

Session Five: Open and Closed Memories

In Session Five, clients recall, write, and process their open and closed memories. They learn to develop skills for dealing with open memories through the positive psychotherapy (PPT) practice of Positive Appraisal. PPT refers to memories that are not fully understood and those that trigger negative emotional responses as “open memories.” Memories that ended somewhat conclusively with a positive outcome, even those entailing past challenges or difficulties, are referred to as “closed memories.” The chapter provides a list of readings, videos, and websites that relate to Positive Appraisal and offers a worksheet to practice the concepts learned in the chapter.