QUALITY OF LIFE THERAPY Applying a Life Satisfaction Approach to Positive Psychology and Cognitive Therapy M I CH AE L B. F R ISCH JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. QUALITY OF LIFE THERAPY QUALITY OF LIFE THERAPY Applying a Life Satisfaction Approach to Positive Psychology and Cognitive Therapy M I CH AE L B. F R ISCH JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. This book is printed on acid-free paper. ➇ Copyright ©2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada. Quality of Life Therapy depends upon the use of the Quality of Life Inventory or QOLI®to assess clients initially, plan interventions, and chart clients’ progress during treatment/intervention. To get started using the QOLI®, order the “Hand-Scoring Starter Kit” by telephone by calling Pearson Assessments at (800) 627-7271 (8 A.M.–6 P.M.U.S. Central Standard Time) or write: Pearson Assessments Ordering Department, P.O. Box 1416, Minneapolis, MN 55440, USA. 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Note about Photocopy Rights The publisher grants purchasers permission to reproduce handouts from the back of book CD- ROM for professional use with their clients. ISBN-13 978-0-471-21351-2 ISBN-10 0-471-21351-9 Printed in the United States of America. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 To Martin E. P. Seligman, PhD founder of the Positive Psychology Movement Foreword Michael B. Frisch’s book presents state-of-the-art many counseling psychologists and humanistic psy- findings in positive psychology, brought to life with chologists have long advocated focusing on client practical exercises that make the research findings strengths and positive change, the recent upsurge of in- accessible to readers. This book presents a new, com- terest in positive psychology has expanded the number prehensive approach to positive psychology that is of supported intervention techniques in this area. equally applicable to clients with or without a psychi- This book is both science based and theory based. atric or psychological disturbance. With respect to Frisch builds on the work of cognitive behavioral clini- the latter, this is a guidebook for mental health pro- cians such as Aaron T. Beck, activity theories such as fessionals who wish to integrate positive psychology that of Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, and positive psy- theory and interventions into their practice. For the chologists such as Martin E. P. Seligman. The author past century, clinical practitioners have focused on also incorporates work on metaphor in therapy, re- helping people overcome misery. Although this is a search on relaxation and meditation, and emotion the- laudable goal, it is not enough to just remove the mis- ory. Readers can be reassured that Frisch’s book is ery; clients may need help to further build upon their research based; at the same time the author recognizes strengths and to create new strengths and personal re- the human touch and the need for a skilled practi- sources. Clinical psychologists are in an excellent po- tioner. Frisch is a Fellow in the Academy of Cognitive sition to assist people to move from negative numbers Therapy and is very involved in positive psychology ac- through zero and well into the positive range on the tivities—thus he weaves together expertise in these quality of life scale. It is this latter goal that is a major two areas to create interventions for enhancing quality focus of Dr. Frisch’s book. Dr. Frisch sets a broad and of life. ambitious goal for mental health and behavioral med- The book encourages readers to go beyond the dis- icine practitioners—improving all aspects of quality ease model of psychological disturbance. Although se- of life. He has greatly expanded the role of practition- vere problems must be dealt with, and in the case of ers in what is likely to be a revolution for the helping serious mental disorders these problems sometimes professions. must be the focus, fostering better quality of life is a Frisch’s book brings new emphasis to improving final aim of alltherapy. Fostering better quality of life clients’ total quality of life as the major goal of inter- can also help clients in adapting to chronic or short- ventions. This is important for several reasons. First, term physical illness and disability. In all of these people want rewarding lives and do not merely want to cases, the author suggests three goals for positive prac- overcome severe problems. Second, sometimes solu- tice: (1) increasing and improving “inner abundance” tions to problems need not be solely based on a direct and experience, (2) increasing the amount of “quality attack on the problem; part of the solution might come time” the client experiences, and (3) increasing the from developing strengths and resources. Third, more client’s meaning and purpose in life. To accomplish and more people are seeking a fulfilled life and turn to these goals, the therapist is given exercises that focus professionals to help them in their quest. Although on what the client does well. vii viii Foreword In addition, four principles are described that can be book. In reading this book with a clinical psychologist, applied to all clients: that is, my wife, Carol Diener, we found ourselves thinking of additional new interventions that skillful 1. Make happiness a habit. therapists might try. Therefore, it seems likely that 2. Learn forgiveness. other clinicians will find themselves generating new 3. Be optimistic. positive interventions when they read Frisch’s work, 4. Learn to find and cultivate “Expert Friends” what- and therefore they will become broader and more posi- ever your life situation. tive in their practice. Frisch’s book is filled with specific principles and In contrast with therapies that focus only on prob- exercises that can be readily adopted by practitioners. lems, Frisch emphasizes learning, helping, and creativ- The therapists and life coaches using this book can be ity. The interventions teach clients that happiness is a assured that Frisch has carefully reviewed the psycho- choice. Although happiness matters in the author’s ap- logical literature for support for his approach, and they proach, learning loving kindness also counts. That is, can adapt the many ideas to fit their own practice. the interventions do not just focus on the self, but focus This book can jump-start the work of any practi- on helping the client to grow by learning compassion tioner in terms of integrating positive approaches into and kindness. his or her practice. Not only can the exercises be inte- Clients are taught to put their time where their val- grated with the therapist’s other successful tools, but ues are. Many people spend much time on tasks they many practitioners will find themselves reorienting do not value, often for extrinsic reasons. Frisch’s ap- their practice in a strength-based direction. The book proach emphasizes the need for clients to clarify their is simultaneously both practical in giving many spe- important values, and then provides exercises to help cific principles for educating clients and exercises to them to focus their activities on these values. use with them, but also conceptual in giving practi- The exercises offered by Frisch are concrete and de- tioners a positive theoretical framework around which tailed and are built around his CASIO model. The to build quality-of-life interventions. CASIO model incorporates five concepts: life circum- I heartily recommend Dr. Frisch’s book to positive stances, attitudes, standards, the importance of values, psychology and clinical practitioners of all persua- and overall satisfaction. Within this model, 30 princi- sions—counselors, psychologists, social workers, life ples for a happy life are described. The CASIO model coaches, organizational psychologists, health psycholo- and the 30 principles give practitioners very concrete gists, and other practitioners who work with clients with ways to move their clients in positive directions. the goal of improving their quality of life and personal Accompanying the book is a Toolbox CD that pro- happiness. This book is a highly readable work for pro- vides copies and details of all of the exercises, hand- fessionals in all the human intervention disciplines. Not outs, and worksheets needed to fully implement the only is it clear and interesting, but the book is filled with material discussed in the book. This is a valuable re- scores of specific interventions that are based on schol- source on its own and will save the practitioner time in arship in positive psychology, cognitive therapy, and preparing session material and will generate additional quality of life research. This book will greatly assist ideas as the practitioner works with this material. readers in expanding their treatment tools in the direc- Frisch’s book can be used by therapists working tion of strength-based positive psychology counseling. with individual clients, as well as in workshops and ed- ucational settings. Many of the exercises are appropri- Ed Diener ate both in one-on-one therapy and in group settings. University of Illinois Distinguished There are homework exercises for some of the inter- Professor of Psychology ventions, but many of them can be completed within a Senior Research Scientist at the Gallup group setting such as in a workshop or lecture venue. International Positive Psychology Center The exercises and interventions can be easily under- Distinguished Researcher and Past stood by practitioners, and most can be easily mas- President of the International Society tered with some practice. Practitioners can add their of Quality of Life Studies own positive interventions to those presented in the