Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery

SNAP-T: Strengths, Needs,

Attitudes, Preferences &

TemperamentDr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSM, LMHC, NCC

Executive Director, AllCEUs

Host, Counselor Toolbox

President, Recovery and Resilience International

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.

Objectives

Strengths

Needs (Accommodations)

Attitudes

Preferences (learning style, temperament)

SNAP

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

How you best take in information

Auditory

Kinesthetic

Visual

How you process information

Active

Reflective

Conceptualization

Sequential

Global

Learning Styles Review

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

The Old Way The New Way/Change

Benefits Reasons I want to stay the same

Positive attitudes about the old

way

Reasons I want to change

Positive attitudes about change

What I hope will be different

Drawbacks Things that I don’t like about

the old way/staying the same.

Reasons why I need to change.

Concerns I have about changing

Fears or negative attitudes

about change

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”

Improving Communication

Increasing Motivation

Effective Interventions

Relapse Prevention Planning

Application

Temperament

Extrovert Introvert

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

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 iNtuitive

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”

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 Feeling

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

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 Perceiving

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

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

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

Summary