Therapy with Young Adults - Part 2

Dave Verhaagen, Ph.D., ABPPSoutheast Psych

Mindfulness & Young Adults

• Young adults resonate with mindfulness.

• In clinical practice, mindfulness helps not only with depression and anxiety, but also with goal-directed behavior.

• Add an acceptance mindset.

Set Short-Term Goals

These goals are for 1-3 months.

They are in the treatment, pre-launch phase.

They are used to practice and to test out follow-

through.

Goal Setting• A good goal is stated simply and briefly.• A good goal is put in positive terms—what will be done

rather than what won’t.• A good goal is specific and measurable.• A good goal is reasonable and achievable.• A good goal relies on skills you already have or are

learning.

Adapted from Beyond Addiction: How Science and Kindness Help People Change by Foote, Wilkens, and Kosanke

Work on Identity

FormationExplore personal history

Explore current traits

Envision the future self

Exploring Personal History

• For low identity-achievement young adults, there is almost always some issue (bullying, rejection, loss of parent, issue with personal appearance, etc.) in the 11-14 year old window.

• Ask about how she saw herself in elementary school, middle school, high school, college age.

• Discuss how these issues stick emotionally.

What is Positive Psychology?

• The science of what makes people happier and have a greater sense of well-being.

• It focuses on strengths, resiliency, and how and why people do well.

Applying Positive

PsychologyThe field of positive

psychology has great research-based ideas that

can be applied to FTL work.

Benefits of Positive Mood

• People who are in a positive mood are more likely to be liked by others.

• They are also more likely to be open to new ideas and experiences.

Catching Happiness• Many behaviors or

conditions are “contagious,” like obesity or smoking.

• Happiness is contagious, but unlike these other behaviors, you must have direct contact to catch positive emotions in a social network.

• People at the center of a “happy social network” tend to be the happiest.

Catching Happiness• The amount of

influence happy people have on others:

• Close neighbor - 34%• Close friends - 25%• Close siblings - 14%

Benefits of HappinessHappy people are...

• half as likely to die over the same time period.

• half as likely to become disabled.

• more likely to have lower health complications.

Benefits of HappinessHappy people are...

• more productive on the job.

• more likely to have higher incomes.

• more likely to earn more money per year.

Happiness Set Point

• Like weight or other human traits, each person appears to have a “happiness set point.”

• This set point is genetically influenced but not entirely fixed.

Happiness Set Point

50%

10%

40%

Set Point Circumstances Intentional Activity

Intentional Activity That Leads to Happiness

SOAP

• Social Connections

• Optimism

• Appreciation

• Purpose

Thanks to Bill O’Hanlon for the model and acronym.

Social Connections• Close relationships

are the best predictor of happiness.

• Unfortunately, 1 in 4 Americans report having no one to confide in.

• The average American has only two friends.

Boosting Social Connections• Increase the number of

connections you have outside your immediate family.

• Strengthen intimate and family relationships.

• Become an active member of the community, including a faith community, community organizations, and so on.

Optimism

• Optimism is a relatively stable trait.

• Likewise, pessimism is a relatively stable trait, but it can modified--with effort.

Pessimistic Explanatory Style

• Bad stuff is permanent and will persist.

• Bad stuff is pervasive.

• Bad stuff is out of my control.

• Bad stuff shows my lack of resources.

• Bad stuff reveals my bad qualities.

Optimistic Explanatory Style

• Bad stuff is time and context limited.

• Bad stuff is compartmentalized.

• Bad stuff is under my control.

• Bad stuff produces my resourcefulness.

• Bad stuff reveals my good qualities.

Building Optimism• Naturally pessimistic people who spent one week

doing optimism-generating exercises were significantly happier 6 months later. Those exercises were:

• Writing down times in the past when they were at their best.

• Listing out their personal strengths.

• Expressing gratitude to someone they had never personally thanked.

• Writing down 3 good things that happened that day.

Benefits of Appreciation & Gratitude

• Expressing gratitude has a short-term positive effect (several weeks) on happiness level (up to 25% increase).

• 94% of severely depressed people showed improvements in depression level after gratitude exercise.

Gratitude Letters

• Write a letter of gratitude, deliver it personally if possible, ask them to read in your presence.

• Both writer and recipient had positive outcomes.

PurposeElements of a meaningful life:

• Purpose• Contribution• Engaging work or

activities• Finding meaning in

difficulty• Changing the meaning

of negative events

FTL Applications

A happier young adult will be less likely to remain

stuck.

Build social connections, optimism, appreciation,

and purpose.

Helping Parents• Self-Care

• Awareness and Acceptance

• Appropriate Limits

• Positive Communication

• Reinforcers & Consequences

• Hard Decisions