Strength-based approaches have their origins in social work practice and emphasise people's self-determination and strengths rather than focusing on disability, deficits or weakness. It is a philosophy and a way of viewing people as resourceful and resilient in the face of adversity.

The strengths-based approach starts with the premise that all of us have something to offer, even if we also need support in some areas in order to participate fully in the community. It is a client led approach which focuses on affecting change and building-up a future that draws on the client’s strengths, experiences and knowledge. It is particularly valuable within the context of trauma where people often describe the feeling that their strengths and resources were taken from them. Here we can help people get back in touch with their values, strengths, power and their survival resources in order to bring about change.

Strength-based approach not only examines the individual but also their environment and context. This enables us to recognise the way that systems and power operates and that there may be important constraints which need to be identified and thought about in order allow growth.

American psychotherapist Donald Clifton has been described as the “father of strength-based therapy” because of his many contributions to the field, but the practice evolved from the work of people in various disciplines, including social work, counselling psychology, positive psychology, solution focused therapy and narrative therapy (psychologytoday.com).