From “Pond Scum” to Empowered
Emma Smiles Again
An Inspirational Case Study
Emma was severely depressed and suicidal. Abused in every possible way since she was born, her life was wrought with trauma and hardship. Thankfully, she was open to therapy and worked with one of the very best: Martin Seligman.
You may have heard me mention Seligman before, but he’s basically the father of modern Positive Psychology and is renowned for his work on well-being theory (creating PERMA) and character strengths (Values in Action, or VIA). Emma was obviously in good hands.
They had been working together for six years, save one year of absence. But when she came to back to work with him after the death of one of her friends, he began to try out some different positive psychology interventions (or exercises) with her.
He started her with the “VIA Signature Strengths test in an effort to help her see the truth of who she is at her core, rather than who she has believed she is (no better than ‘pond scum’).”
(Seligman, p. 72, 2011)
From there, they began building a clearer reflection of herself. In their sessions, he would have her imagine her strengths as a clear image being reflected back from a clear mirror held up before her. They would slowly talk about each of those strengths, finding the truth in them. They’d even go over the strengths that would get her into trouble.
Mainly, though, they would discuss how these strengths have been used (and could be used) to benefit herself and others. They also figured out how her signature strengths could even help build up the lesser strengths she needed to further develop.
Only three days later, Emma came into her session with Dr. Seligman with two pages listing seven items and steps she was willing to take to improve. Seligman himself cried through reading those pages, witnessing the massive breakthrough of one of his longstanding clients.
Emma smiled the entire time… and she was a woman who rarely, if ever, smiled!
And not only was she smiling, she was “leaping over some of the most salient and challenging ‘stuck places’ having to do with learned helplessness and all her other personal issues that [had] been a part of her work in therapy,” (Seligman, p. 72, 2011).
You see, starting Emma with her strengths was not a random decision by any means. Seligman was well aware of the growing scientific evidence that suggests knowing and using your strengths, particularly your signature strengths, can lead to increased resilience, optimism, happiness, confidence, self-esteem, enhanced sense of vitality, and decreased stress. Using signature strengths in a new way has also been proven to markedly lower depression and increase happiness 3 and even 6 months after the exercise.
Through learning her strengths, Emma was able to create a clearer picture of herself, exchanging the muddled, foggy image her life of hardship and abuse rendered her for a truer version that believed she could overcome her obstacles with newfound ease.
She found hope and joy again. She became empowered by her strengths rather than defeated by life’s circumstances. For her, this was no small feat.
But, what about you?
If you resonated with Emma’s story on any level, you’re not alone. So many people struggle to see their own worth and capability, leading to self-doubt, stress, and even feeling stuck in life. Life knocks you down. Old habits can sometimes feel like they die hard. But the truth is — your strengths are already within you. You can access the magic of flow state. You just need the right knowledge and tools to unlock them.
That’s exactly what my Superpower of Strengths Mini Course is designed to do.
In just 25 minutes, you’ll discover:
Your unique strengths & how to use them to build confidence
How to tap into Flow State and find enjoyment in productivity
Practical exercises to help you feel more empowered every day
If you’re ready to stop second-guessing yourself and start accomplishing those goals you’ve been sitting on since New Years, there’s no better time than NOW.
Your future self will thank you.
