Current conceptualizations of mental illness focus on assessing psychopathology. A balanced approach would assess strengths that individuals bring to coping with illness. This study measures psychological strengths in individuals with recurrent depression, their coping strategies, and their perceptions of the usefulness of strengths assessment as a component of psychological assessment. Individuals (N =112) with recurrent depression completed an online questionnaire measuring strengths. A subset (n =10) completed a follow-up telephone interview. Higher levels of gratitude, self-forgiveness, hope, and spirituality and lower levels of optimism were indicative of higher life satisfaction. The predictors of happiness on the depression/ happiness scale were self-forgiveness, spirituality, and gratitude. Higher levels of hope and self-forgiveness predicted positive affect while lower levels of self-forgiveness predicted negative affect. Participants used a range of coping resources and they valued strengths assessment, seeing the two-continua model of mental health assessment as empowering. The researcher discusses implications for clinical practice.Keywords: recurrent depression; psychological strengths; life satisfaction; happiness; coping strategies; positive psychology Depression, coping and character strengths Current conceptualizations of mental health focus predominantly on the absence of psychopathology and the associated reduction in suffering. Although this approach has been fruitful in developing our understanding and treatment of psychological conditions, little attention has focused on fostering positive mental health (Seligman, 2005). Positive psychologists now argue that mental health is not just the absence of psychopathology but includes positive feelings of well-being ((Maddux, 2005;Maddux, Snyder, & Lopez, 2004;Keyes, 2002Keyes, , 2005Wright, 2002). This two continua model of mental health asserts that individuals can experience positive well-being concurrently with psychopathology (Keyes, Shmotkin, & Ryff, 2000;Westerhof & Keyes, 2010). The challenge for psychology is how to develop ways of improving well-being especially for those living with chronic psychological conditions. Researchers suggest that psychological strengths that the person brings to dealing with their condition should be assessed (Maddux, 2002;Maddux, Snyder, & Lopez, 2004;Wright, 2002). This would provide a more balanced approach to mental health assessment than the current pathology models but it could be difficult for patients to accept given their current socialization into the pathology model (Maddux, 2005). Strengthsfinder in an applied occupational or educational context conceptualizes strengths as talents, "as naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior that can be productively applied" (Hodges & Clifton, 2004, p. 257). The Gallup researchers used an inductive approach to develop the Strengthsfinder, conducting thousands of semi-structured personal interviews with top performers to identify the ta...