From the Therapist's Chair: Ben Kinsey on Strengths-Based Therapy
At Ensemble Therapy, we care deeply about the “why” behind our practice of counseling. We believe there is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach to counseling; each therapist views the counseling process and their clients through a unique lens formed from years of education and experience.
This means that as a client, you can choose the counselor who is the best fit for you or your child. While this freedom to choose the best-fit may sound nice at first, it can be difficult to know how to choose when there seem to be so many ways to do therapy. Not only are there lots of theories on how to practice counseling, often the language behind counseling theories is difficult to understand and apply without any previous background knowledge.
As the client or the caregiver of a child client, you deserve to know and understand how your counselor practices therapy. Counseling exists for the growth and well-being of you, your family, and your community; therefore, counseling should be accessible and easy to understand for the greater public. In an effort to make our counseling practice more accessible and easy-to-understand for our clients, we want to introduce you to our counselors and their respective approaches to counseling.
Throughout the next several months, we’re going to take you through interviews with each of our therapists so you can learn the “why” behind their practice of counseling. This week, you’ll get to know a little more about Ben Kinsey, Senior Therapist at Ensemble Therapy. We hope you enjoy getting to sit a moment in the therapist’s chair and learn a little bit about counseling from our eyes.
About Ben
Ben is a Senior Therapist at Ensemble Therapy and has been on the team as a therapist since spring 2020. He received his master's degree from the social work department at the University of Texas. His education in social work informs his systemic perspective and his drive to remove any barriers that prevent children and teens from actualizing their strengths.
Ben works from an eclectic approach, combining the best of child-centered and strengths-based counseling orientations. He believes that the trust and rapport between him and his clients is the most important aspect of what he does and that the most powerful motivator for growth and change is through relationships. For Ben, the best part of being a Clinical Social Worker is building unique relationships with so many different people and empowering them to seek their own purpose.
What is your theory/approach to therapy?
I employ a Strengths-Based framework when working with my clients. Strengths-Based therapy centers on both therapist and client understanding the client’s unique skills and capabilities. Once the client is aware of their strengths, they are empowered to use them to create the sense of agency, confidence, and self-efficacy they need to navigate their individual challenges. When a child first comes to therapy they are often not aware of their strengths. They may feel a sense of powerlessness when faced with life’s transitions and troubles. Recognition of their innate strengths lets them use those strengths as tools to help navigate those transitions. When they are successful in utilizing these strengths, it makes them feel confident to face any problem they encounter!
How did you come to practice from that theory? What drew you to it?
At the risk of sounding cliche, people are so complex and different. The way people view themselves and the world, the way they get things done, and the way they relate with others varies vastly based on so many factors.
My fascination with these differences is one reason I knew I wanted to work with people for a living. Strengths-Based therapy always struck me as a powerfully optimistic approach with a focus on the individual value of each person and what they bring to bear. Recognizing what is unique and fantastic about each person feels to me like a wonderful way to empower them to reach their potential and live the greatest, deepest life they can.
What is your favorite thing about this theory?
There are some theories that don’t take our differences into account, and they have always seemed rigid to me. What helps one person may not help another; there are more examples of this than anyone can count. In addition, where other modalities focus intently on problems or weaknesses, this one does the opposite. What I enjoy so much about Strengths-Based therapy is that it not only takes differences into account but it helps leverage those differences to overcome challenges and reach goals.
How does your theory view people and their capacity for change and growth?
Strengths-Based therapy approaches each person as an individual. Instead of how they can better “fit in” with societal norms, this theory is more about personal progress that look different for everyone. People are able to achieve a happier, more fulfilling life by recognizing, developing, and utilizing what they excel at in a positive manner. For example, someone may have a gift for self-awareness. This can easily work against them if it is coupled with internalized guilt and self-doubt following any small mistake or setback. However, if this person was able to use this self-awareness constructively by responding to their mistakes without judgment and giving themselves credit for their progress, their capacity for self-awareness becomes a strength. By using our strengths as vehicles for progress, we are able to affect change in ourselves and the world around us.
What client is your theory best suited for?
I believe this modality has a little something for everyone. After all, if you know what you are good at and how to use it, a whole host of possibilities can open up to you. Specifically though, I believe this is a great therapeutic perspective when working with adolescents and younger teens. This time in a person’s life represents a significant transition; no small part of that transition is the teen or ‘tween discovering who they are. If they doubt or undermine their strengths, or don’t discover their strengths at all, they may feel that they don’t have value. I feel that having someone help you recognize and develop your strengths during a time that you are defining yourself to yourself is absolutely invaluable.
Finally, I think Strengths-Based therapy is especially effective for anyone who has trouble with self-esteem or self-doubt. Anyone who is unaware of the value and potential they can bring to the world can benefit from this positive and empowering perspective.
References:
Character Strengths Interventions: A Field Guide for Practitioners by Ryan Niemiec
https://positivepsychology.com/strengths-based-interventions/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/strength-based-therapy
Interested in booking a session with Ben?
WRITTEN BY BEN KINSEY, LCSW (HE/HIM/HIS)
Ben has worked with children and families in many different contexts: Summer camps, schools, foster care and children's shelters, hospitals, medical clinics, and private therapy. He’s worked with teens, toddlers, and everyone in between. He can tell you one thing for certain: there is no handbook for the challenges and hardship you and your child are facing, both in and outside your relationship with one another. The goal in his room is to give your child the tools to cope with and navigate through any troubles they may be wrestling with, and with the family's support, empower them to use those same tools in the future.
