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How to Spot Hidden Strengths in Every Client

Male counsellor talking to male client

John is a 23-year-old client who has faced many challenges in his life, including being unhoused and struggling with substance use. John recently spoke to a support worker to help him navigate some of the concerns he’s been facing. He is feeling pretty hopeless about the possibility of change. He has many strengths he either doesn’t recognize or has forgotten about. His support worker identifies these strengths throughout their conversation by affirming him. Which of the following would have the biggest impact on John’s confidence? 

Shows that the support worker believes in John and also speaks about how other clients have been able to do the same thing. Although well-intended, it doesn’t help John recognize his own strength

Is very common and was seen by John’s support worker as a way of cheering him on. However, John left with the thought, “My worker thinks I can do this.” It didn’t increase John’s ability to see it as something he was capable of.

Is the option that can most likely lead to John reflecting on times when he did not give up when things got hard in the past. John may respond with “I have no choice” which gives his worker space to ask, “What keeps you going?”, or “What makes you want to strive for better?” Affirmations are not praise but a way of shining a light on a client’s existing efforts, values, and skills. When done well, affirmations shift the client’s thought from “My worker believes in me” to “I believe I can do this”.

Practical Steps for Identifying Strengths

Think of a time when you saw a client who had confided in you about all the difficult things that had happened to them throughout their life. Maybe this happened during an intake, or check-in. Were you able to identify their strengths then? It can be very difficult to identify strengths when a client isn’t directly expressing them. Affirming is a core skill used in Motivational Interviewing, a way of talking to people to help draw out their reasons for change. 

 Here are some practical steps for learning to genuinely recognize a client’s strengths. 

  1. Listen for strengths beneath the struggles– When clients talk about challenges, listen to what it reveals about them, including their values, courage, or persistence.  For example, a client tells you that they have relapsed many times over the years, and they want to get sober again someday. A helper could affirm the client by saying, “Even after all those setbacks, you are still determined to have a better future”.  
  1. Be Specific- Identify something specific about what the client is doing or something that is important to them. For example, if a client opens up to you about past and recent traumatic events that have negatively impacted them helper could say, “You’ve been really open with me today, even about the hard stuff that shows courage.”  
  1. Tie Efforts to Values- Understanding what matters most to your clients is a key component in affirming them. Values can be an important part of clients feeling empowered to change. You can find out clients’ values by asking them directly what matters most to them or by listening to their why. For example, you may hear a client say, “I want to cut back on my drinking because I don’t want to lose my kids”. This client likely values family or being a good parent.  An affirmation could look like, “Your commitment to recovery really shows how important your kids are to you”. The client is more likely to continue the conversation about why they need to make a change after this affirmation. 

Case Study: Sarah

Sarah is seeking support for employment. She has struggled to keep past jobs due to conflicts with co-workers and feeling judged and misunderstood by supervisors. Sarah is hesitant about getting back into the job market and fears that the work environment may not be for her since it’s so overwhelming and stressful. Her employment support worker listens carefully as Sarah shares her experiences and what she values in her workplace. Here are some ways her support worker affirms Sarah and identifies her strengths.  

  1. Ask about values – Sarah’s support worker, Jane, inquired about what an ideal job would look like to her by asking her a hypothetical question. “If a miracle happened and things were different at work, what would you notice?” “What would you be doing differently?. Sarah mentions several things that she would like in her ideal work environment. Jane and Sarah collaboratively outline the things that are within Sarah’s control. For example, Sarah mentions that she would have stronger boundaries with her coworkers, try to communicate in a way that reduces escalation, and try to focus on her art projects instead of work. 
  1. Provide Affirmations- Jane validates Sarah’s efforts and values by affirming her “You have a really clear sense of what matters to you at work and what would make your days there better; that shows a lot of self-awareness and thoughtfulness about creating a work environment that would work for you”. Jane avoids using the words “I think you are…” since using I statements for affirmations becomes more about what the helper thinks. At the end of this conversation, Sarah leaves feeling hopeful that there are some things she can do to make her future work experience better. 
  1. Discuss Next Steps- Sarah is feeling hopeful of a possible future where she can feel less stressed at work and better able to deal with conflicts. During her check-in, Jane asks her, “What does a possible half step look like for you that would lead you a bit closer to your ideal workplace?” Sarah explores several possibilities, such as learning about effective ways to communicate and exploring what healthy boundaries at work can look like. 

Reflective Exercise

Think of a client you’ve had a recent conversation with, where they shared a difficult part of their lives with you. This could be a time when they had a major setback or challenge. Think about a recent conversation you had with a client who shared a tough part of their life, maybe a setback or challenge they faced. 

  1. Reflect on any strengths this client may have had that you overlooked. This could include being caring, showing courage, or being persistent. Now, take a moment to reflect: what strengths might this client have that you didn’t notice before? Maybe they showed kindness, courage, or persistence. 
  1. Try looking at the client through a different lens as you reflect. Think of the efforts they have made to be where they are even if it hasn’t worked out so far. Try to see the client from a fresh perspective. Consider the efforts they’ve made to get where they are—even if things haven’t worked out perfectly yet. Ask yourself: 
  • What do these efforts tell you about what matters most to them? 
  • How have they shown courage in what they’ve been through? 
  1. Create a new affirmation that you could express to this client. Now, imagine a new affirmation you could share with this client—something that acknowledges their strengths. 

How is this different from your first impression of the client? How does this new view differ from your first impression of them? 

Identifying client strengths and affirming them is a powerful way to empower clients and highlight the possibilities for change. This approach can have a ripple effect on the helper, shifting attention away from problems and toward what truly matters to the client. By fostering a strength-focused, reflective way of listening, helpers can experience increased engagement in their work and a reduced risk of burnout.

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