About this intervention
This intervention provides counselors with a step-by-step guide to creating and using two card-sorting activities designed to enrich an individual’s self-esteem. The Tower of Strengths activity involves identifying existing strengths from six different dimensions of self (Social, Thinking, Health/Performance, Emotional, Motivational, and Life View), as well as selecting strengths that the individuals would like to gain. The Weekly Planner activity uses motivational quotes as a memory technique to help individuals focus during the week on positive changes they would like to make (i.e., either gaining new strengths or setting new goals). The activities can be used together or individually. Recent studies by the authors suggest that this activity has a positive effect on self-esteem, improves mood, and maintains interest throughout the activity. In addition, both activities received positive evaluations from clients and counselors in a substance abuse treatment program.
This intervention includes step-by-step directions on:
- Putting each activity together
- How to use activities
- Discussion topics for each activity
- ways to use the activities
- Background information on research that has used the activities
This intervention was developed as part of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Grant DA08608, Cognitive Enhancements for the Treatment of Probationers (CETOP).
Recommended Citation: Sia, T. L., Czuchry, M. L., Dansereau, D. F., & Blankenship, J. (1998). Preparation for change: The Tower of Strengths and The Weekly Planner. Fort Worth: Texas Christian University, Institute of Behavioral Research.
Selected References
Czuchry, M., & Dansereau, D. F. (2000). Drug abuse treatment in criminal justice settings: Enhancing community engagement and helpfulness. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 26(4), 537-552. [Abstract]
Sia, T. L., Dansereau, D. F., & Czuchry, M. L. (2000). Treatment readiness training and probationers’ evaluation of substance abuse treatment in a criminal justice setting. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 19, 459-467. [Abstract]
Blankenship, J., Dansereau, D. F., & Simpson, D. D. (1999). Cognitive enhancements of readiness for corrections-based treatment for drug abuse.
The Prison Journal, 79(4), 431-445. Â [Abstract]