A Strengths-Based Approach for Intervention with At-Risk Youth Paperback – July 31, 2015 by Kevin M. Powell (Author)

Kevin M. Powell, PhD, is a licensed psychologist who has been working with children, adolescents, and their families for the past three decades in a variety of settings, including outpatient, inpatient, school, and correctional facilities. Dr. Powell currently works as the clinical director and psychologist for a 103-bed youth correctional facility in Colorado. He is also an adjunct faculty member at Colorado State University in the Department of Psychology. Dr. Powell has worked with youth in Colorado, Minnesota, Nebraska, and Utah. He has conducted research in the area of juvenile delinquency and authored several book chapters that focus on strengths-based, relationship-based, holistic assessment and intervention for working effectively with youth and families. He has also authored the children s book Our Very Special Bodies, which increases children s knowledge about their bodies and promotes open communication within families to help reduce the risk of childhood sexual victimization. In addition to his publications and ongoing clinical work, Dr. Powell presents nationally and internationally on a variety of strengths-based topics related to promoting healthy youth development.

A Strengths-Based Approach for Intervention with At-Risk Youth
Overview

By focusing attention on what is right with youth rather than what is wrong with them, the strengths-based approach to intervening with youth avoids negative outcomes commonly associated with deficit- or problem-based interventions. This book provides an accessible outline of the strengths-based approach and details 41 interventions across several strengths domains.
CONTENTS

Part 1: Overview of a Strengths-Based Approach
    Chapter 1—Strengths-Based Approach: What, When, How, Where, Why?
    Chapter 2—Evidence-Based Support
    Chapter 3—Thinking Back to Childhood Experiences
    Chapter 4—Holistic Perspective: Prevention, Assessment, and Intervention
    Chapter 5—Promoting Resiliency in Youth
    Chapter 6—Motivating and Engaging Youth
    Chapter 7—Enhancing Youths’ Openness and Honesty
Part 2: Strengths-Based Interventions
    Chapter 8—Strengths-Based Interventions: An Overview
    Chapter 9—Relationship Development
    Chapter 10—Optimistic Attitude Development
    Chapter 11—Asset Development
    Chapter 12—Prosocial Development
    Chapter 13—Intellectual Development
    Chapter 14—Provider Development

Practitioners in school, clinical, and community settings will find the book’s numerous case examples, practical suggestions, and reproducible forms and handouts invaluable in the provision of day-to-day youth services.
Praise for A Strengths-Based Approach for Intervention with At-Risk Youth

“Dr. Powell’s 41 strengths-based interventions provide well-supported and practical strategies that illuminate the science and art of working with at-risk youth. This book is a ‘must read’ for new therapists, clinical supervisors, and experienced therapists who need a fresh and optimistic perspective.”

—Tom Leversee, LCSW, Colorado Division of Youth Corrections

“In a world where many times teachers and administrators are looking to label and remove a student from a classroom, the interventions detailed in this book will allow one to take a different approach with a difficult case and hopefully end up in a much better place…I must admit I was left with a positive and energized feeling about the sheer number of positive interventions that could be implemented to meet some pretty trying situations.”

—Robert J. Dixon, PhD, NCSP, Communiqué, published by The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

“Dr. Kevin Powell has used his experience with adolescent youth to write a very readable and comprehensive review of a strengths-based approach. The reader will come away with a solid perspective on this very important approach to intervention.”

—Ernest L. Chavez, PhD, Department of Psychology, Colorado State Universit