Compared to current approaches that emphasize diagnosing symptoms and mental health issues, the strengths-based approach helps identify survivors' abilities, such as perseverance and overcoming, and how those skills can be used in their present-day lives.
"What are normally regarded as negative traits in survivors of family violence might actually be their survival strengths," Anderson said. "Traits that practitioners often try to change may be extremely important to maintain and can help survivors thrive in environments where there isn't violence."
The strengths-based approach trains social workers, mental health practitioners, educators and students to uncover the positive in survivors' life stories—the skills gained by enduring and coping with immense adversity. This facilitates a more collaborative process, where the professional and the survivor each utilize their individual expertise to develop solutions.
The unique intervention of digital storytelling is presented as a means for survivors to process and share their narratives of trauma, resilience and recovery. The example of a digital story was created by an MU student.
(Photo Credit: MU News Bureau; Digital story by MU student)
"Victims of family violence find it difficult to see their own strengths and self-worth because it's often colored by shame and blame," Anderson said. "Similarly, practitioners find it difficult because they tend to focus only on victims' problems. Instead, they need to cast a light on survivors' abilities to cope and overcome the adversity brought on by family violence. This reveals hope that they won't always be victims of violence and they can achieve what they want in their lives, whatever their dreams are."
Kim Anderson is an associate professor in the School of Social Work in the College of Human Environmental Sciences.
(Photo Credit: MU News Bureau)
Anderson?s book, "Enhancing Resilience in Survivors of Family Violence," presents a strengths-based approach to working with family violence survivors.
(Photo Credit: Springer Publishing)
Source: University of Missouri-Columbia