Positive psychology prompt cards

Summary

• Incorporate positive psychology prompt cards into your therapy sessions as an effective icebreaker to immediately shift your client's focus toward their inner strengths and well-being.

• Download the free positive psychology worksheet to easily save and use these versatile tools within your electronic health record.

• Boost client engagement between sessions by assigning these structured reflection questions for independent journaling or group therapy discussions.

• Empower clients to cultivate lasting gratitude, optimism, and self-compassion by replacing deficit-based thinking with actionable, strengths-based prompt cards.

Positive psychology prompt cards can be a helpful tool for clients to focus on their strengths and cultivate a positive mindset. 

This article provides an overview of positive psychology prompts and sample questions to use with clients. 

We’ve included a free downloadable positive psychology worksheet (including prompt cards) to save to your electronic health record (EHR) and use in your practice. 

What are positive psychology prompt cards?

Positive psychology prompt cards are a type of flashcard that includes questions designed to help clients explore or reflect on specific topics, such as meaning, values, positive emotions, and areas for growth. The goal of these prompts is to shift their awareness from deficit or problem-based situations to a strengths-based approach.

This question prompt practice is rooted in positive psychology, which centers around the study of well-being and a flourishing life. Positive psychology promotes positive emotional states by harnessing inner strengths and cultivating fulfillment through gratitude and by connecting with others rather than focusing on materialistic achievements. 

Research indicates that positive health assets, such as optimism and positive emotions, are positively linked with good health. Additionally, being aware of your strengths is associated with greater happiness, self-compassion, hope, gratitude, and forgiveness.

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Examples of positive psychology questions 

We’ve included a range of positive psychology questions, grouped into different categories. These are suitable for use with adults and adolescents. 

Strengths-based prompts

• What is your greatest strength?

• When do you feel most confident?

• What is something you’ve overcome?

• Name three values or strengths that others compliment you on.

• What strengths do you most admire in people you look up to?

• Describe a time when you helped someone in a difficult situation.

• Name your top three accomplishments.

Gratitude-based prompts

• Name one thing you’re grateful for today.

• What do you appreciate most about your family?

• Describe two things that made you smile this week.

• Name something that someone has done for you that you are incredibly grateful for.

• What about your life gives you the most satisfaction?

• Describe something about your body that you’re grateful for and why.

• What is something you do every day that brings you joy?

Values and meaning prompts

• What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?

• How do you motivate yourself to keep going on hard days?

• Describe something you do that is meaningful to you.

• How do you want to have a positive impact on the world?

• What traits or qualities feel most important to you in your professional or educational life?

• What is most important to you regarding your physical and mental well-being, and how do these values guide your choices?

Growth-based question prompts

• What do you need more of in your life?

• In what ways could you act more in alignment with your values?

• If you weren’t afraid, what would you do differently in your life? 

• As you look to the future, what kind of life do you see for yourself? 

• What skill or skills would you like to strengthen?

• In what ways will you grow this year, emotionally, personally, and professionally?

How to use the positive psychology prompt cards 

Our free positive psychology worksheet includes sample positive psychology flashcards and positive psychology questions. 

You can use this worksheet in your practice in several ways:

• Use the prompt cards in session as an icebreaker to focus the client’s attention on their strengths or what they are grateful for. 

• Ask the client to journal with the prompt cards between sessions and report their findings at their next therapy appointment. 

• Suggest that the client uses the prompt cards with their partner to get to know each other better. 

• Use the positive psychology prompt cards in group therapy sessions to encourage clients to share more about themselves with other participants.

• Combine this worksheet with other positive psychology resources, such as our positive traits worksheet and positive experiences worksheet.

Sources

• Booker, J. A., & Perlin, J. D. (2020). Using multiple character strengths to inform young adults’ self-compassion: The potential of hope and forgiveness. The Journal of Positive Psychology. 

• Chérif, L., Wood, V. M., & Watier, C. (2020). Testing the Effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Intervention Targeting All 24 Strengths: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychological Reports. 

• Gander, F., Wagner, L., Amann, L., & Ruch, W. (2021). What are character strengths good for? A daily diary study on character strengths enactment. The Journal of Positive Psychology. 

• Harvard Health Publishing. (2023). Positive psychology.

• Park, N., Peterson, C., Szvarca, D., Vander Molen, R. J., Kim, E. S., & Collon, K. (2014). Positive Psychology and Physical Health: Research and Applications. American journal of lifestyle medicine. 

• Positive Psychology Center. (n.d.). Frequently asked questions about positive psychology. Penn Arts & Sciences.

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