Introduction to This Workbook

Abstract

Abstract: Positive psychotherapy (PPT) is a therapeutic approach that attempts to counteract symptoms with strengths, weaknesses with virtues, and deficits with skills. The human brain pays more attention and responds more strongly to negatives than to positives, and PPT helps by teaching us to build our positives. PPT practices help to assess our strengths from multiple perspectives, followed by a series of practices that help to develop “practical wisdom.” PPT is divided into three phases: (a) focuses on helping us come up with a balanced narrative by exploring our strengths from multiple perspectives; (b) focuses on building positive emotions and dealing with negative memories, experiences, and feelings; and (c) focuses on exploring positive relationships and strengthening the processes that nurture these relationships.