Strength Cards®

Strength cards in career counselling

‘The Strength Cards help students identify their own strengths and those needed for different jobs. We sometimes use role play, such as asking what strengths are needed to handle a difficult customer. The cards also encourage reflection—students compare strengths they had in Year 7 with those they have now, explore what helped them develop, and consider how these strengths can be applied in the workplace.’

Strength Cards in staff development

‘I used Strength Cards in an introductory workshop on Emotionally Intelligent Leadership at Leeds Metropolitan University’s staff development festival. Participants identified five talents and shared them in small groups, sparking discussion about why it’s hard to talk about our strengths and how this affects management style. Later, Picture This cards helped participants explore self-control creatively, moving beyond word brainstorming. The cards were visually appealing and highly praised—people even wanted to take them home! Thank you for creating such great resources; I’ll be recommending them in future programs to generate more interest in the UK.’

Psychotherapy with Strength Cards

‘I love using Strength Cards in simple yet powerful ways. In psychotherapy, clients select strengths they see in themselves—usually more than expected. When asked how often they think of themselves this way, the answer is often “never.” It’s a transformative exercise, and I give them a poster and a laminated card of their strengths to keep. In couple therapy, partners choose five strengths of their relationship, which become resources to strengthen their bond and refocus on the positives.’