The Strengths Model: A Recovery-Oriented Approach to Mental Health Services

by Charles A. Rapp, Richard J. Goscha

Presenting a compelling alternative to the traditional medical approach, The Strengths Model demonstrates an evidence-based approach to helping people with a psychiatric disability identify and achieve meaningful and important life goals. Since the first edition of this classic textbook appeared, the strengths model has matured into a robust vision of mental health services. Both a philosophy of practice and a specific set of tools and methods, the strengths model is designed to facilitate a recovery-oriented partnership between client and practitioner. This completely revised edition charts the evolution of the strengths model, reviews the empirical support behind it, and illustrates the techniques and values that guide its application.

Features new to this
- An extensive update of the strengths literature, focusing on recovery as the dominant paradigm in mental health services
- Richly drawn case vignettes demonstrating the application of methods
- Integration of empirical research and consumers' own experiences
- Completely updated strengths assessment and fidelity scales
- In-depth discussions and examples guide practitioners from theory to applied practice
- Descriptions of how to teach and successfully supervise large-scale implementations of strengths model work

For social workers and other mental health specialists working with clients to move beyond the disabling effects of mental illness to a life filled with meaning, purpose, and identity, this remains the crucial text.

Genres: Social Work

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 3, 2011

Reviews

[Daniel Seifert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This text is the best I have read on Strengths Theory/Model. The authors break the theory down in a manner that thoroughly gets to the practical issues and the intersections in order to describe a working model and resource for escaping altogether from the lingering paradigm that does not have adequate tools to free individuals with psychiatric disabilities from the caged milieus of our communities. In a way the book characterizes the history of working with people with psychiatric disabilities similar to how Dickens characterized the Industrial Revolution in HARD TIMES, people caged, oppressed, and a system that only knew how to focus on the facts--system of symptoms, deficits and treatment outcomes.

Strengths Theory/Model has been a growing emphasis in child welfare calling practitioners to help families and communities find assets and partnerships, the well parts by which recovering has a ground to grow, thus developing hope. This text builds on this idea while focusing generally working with individuals with psychiatric disabilities. It uses a metaphor of recovery, while seeing the paradigm shift as initially breaking down the "Berlin Wall of recovery." This shift is only possible with a rich recovery mindset or state of being that can develop and sustain aspiration, i.e., avoiding the spirit-breaking experiences of forced hospitalization, homelessness, and incarceration by developing creative practices that engender hopefulness, sell-efficacy, self-esteem, feelings of connection, and empowerment. Strengths Theory/Model assumes people have a capacity for resilience and with a strength's based approach can move along a path to recovery.