Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
SNAP-T: Strengths, Needs, Attitudes, Preferences & Temperament
Dr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSM, LMHC, NCC
Executive Director, AllCEUs
Host, Counselor Toolbox
President, Recovery and Resilience International
CEs can be earned for this presentation at: https://allceus.com/member/cart/index/product/id/574/c/
Objectives
– Explore the concept of SNAP-T
– Review the different learning styles
– Identify the characteristics of each dimension of temperament
– Discuss the levels of Maslow’s heirarchy
– Identify other characteristics which may yield specialized needs.
SNAP
– Strengths
– Needs (Accommodations)
– Attitudes
– Preferences (learning style, temperament)
Strengths
– Things the client is good at… (transferability)
– How the client…
– Learns best
– Has coped in the past
– What gives the client hope
– What the client already knows about
– The condition
– Recovery methods
– What does and does not work for him/her
Needs
– Emotional
– Happiness
– Contentment/Efficacy
– Mental/Cognitive
– Learning preferences
– Learning needs to understand the condition and interventions
– Physical
– Assistive devices
– Frequent breaks
– Medications
Needs
– Social
– Friendships
– Understanding of healthy relationships
– Environmental
– Safety
– Temperature
– Comfort
– Time of Day
– Transportation
– Child Care
Learning Styles Review
– How you best take in information
– Auditory
– Kinesthetic
– Visual
– How you process information
– Active
– Reflective
– Conceptualization
– Sequential
– Global
Attitudes
– Self
– Others
– The Condition/Target Issue
– Willingness to learn and try new things
– Interventions/Recovery
I will not call myself an addict every day
I will not go to “those meetings”
Everybody relapses
I have to have Suboxone to achieve recovery
Decisional Balance
Preferences
– People’s temperament impacts their Strengths, Needs, Attitudes and Preferences
– Temperament is:
– Comprised of 4 dimensions
– Environment and Energy
– Mental Conceptualization
– Motivation and Meaning
– Time Management and Structure
– An overarching concept that is on a continuum.
– One end of the continuum is not better than the other, it is just different.
– Most people are somewhere in the middle, having characteristics of both “ends”
Application
– Improving Communication
– Increasing Motivation
– Effective Interventions
– Relapse Prevention Planning
Temperament
Extrovert
– Are expansive and less passionate
– Are generally easy to get to know
– Like meeting new people, have many close friends
– Would rather figure things out while they are talking
– Often enjoy background noise such as TV or radio
– Know what is going on around them rather than inside them
– Often do not mind interruptions
– Are often considered good talkers
Introvert
– Are intense and passionate
– Generally more difficult to get to know
– Exert effort to meet new people
– Have only a few close friends
– Figure things out before they talk
– Prefer peace and quiet
– Are more likely to know what is going on inside them than what is going on around them
– Dislike being interrupted
– Are often good listeners
Temperament
Sensing
– Are practical and realistic
– Prefer facts and live in the real world
– Content in general
– Would rather do than think
– Focus on practical, concrete problems
– See the details and may ignore the big picture
– Want specifics and tend to be very literal
– May think that those preferring intuition are impractical
– Believe “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”
iNtuitive
– Are imaginative dreamers
– Prefer abstraction, inspiration, insights
– Live in the world of possibilities
– Would rather think than do
– Focus on complicated abstract problems
– See the big picture but miss the details
– Love word games
– May think that those preferring the practical lack vision
– Believe anything can be improved
– Focus on the future and possibilities
Temperament
Thinking
– Like words such as principles, justice, standards or analysis
– Respond most easily to people’s thoughts
– Want to apply objective principles
– Value objectivity above sentiment
– Can assess logical consequences
– Believe it is more important to be just than merciful
– Assess reality with a true/false lens
– May think that those who are sentimental take things too personally
– May argue both sides of an issue for mental stimulation
Feeling
– Like words such as care, compassion, mercy, intimacy, harmony, devotion
– Respond most easily to people’s values
– Want to apply values and ethics from multiple perspectives
– Value sentiment above objectivity
– Good at assessing the human impact
– Believe it is more important to be caring/merciful
– Assess reality with a good/bad lens
– Think that those preferring objectivity are insensitive
– Prefer a to agree with those around them
Temperament
Judging
– Plan ahead
– Self disciplined and purposeful
– Thrive on order
– Get things done early. Plan ahead & work steadily.
– Define and work within limits
– Maybe hasty in making decisions
– Time and deadline oriented
– Thinks those preferring spontaneity are too unpredictable
– Excellent planners. May not appreciate or make use of things which are not planned or expected
Perceiving
– Adapt as they go
– Flexible and tolerant
– Thrive on spontaneity
– Get things done at the last minute depending on spurt of energy
– Want more information
– May fail to make decisions
– Always think there’s plenty of time
– Think that those who are not spontaneous are too rigid
– Good at handling unplanned events, but may not make affective choices among the possibilities.
Apply It
Client with depression and a history of addiction wants to “stay in recovery”
– What do you need to know about his:
– Strengths?
– Needs
– Attitudes
– Preferences
Summary
– Treatment involves helping people learn what is causing their distress and tools to manage it.
– Effective change involves helping people
– Maximize their strengths
– Consider their needs and motivations
– Address their attitudes
– Work in harmony with their own preferences
– As a coach or clinician, it is important to pay attention to the potential pitfalls of your treatment or discharge plan based on the person’s SNAP-T