Working with your strengths and encouraging clients to identify and utilise their strengths well lies at the heart of positive psychology coaching. The last two years have been tough years for most people, and I have felt my personal resilience slip a little as continued uncertainty regarding personal and community safety, and the ability to […]
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My story of the Pandemic: A Positive Psychology Workbook
As the world is starting to open up to some normalcy post Covid-19 pandemic, are we ready for it? Covid-19 has certainly taken a toll on our mental wellbeing. In fact, for many people, it can be hard to feel optimistic about the future. Enduring the long-term stress of the pandemic has left many of […]
Ethical Guidelines for Positive Psychology Practice
As a coach or positive psychology practitioner, how often do you ask yourself the following questions? What is my perspective on the topic of “professional ethics?” How well do I know the guidelines or code of ethics that informs my practice? How frequently do I receive training in ethics? What is my view on the […]
Making positive emotions happen
Nothing conjures up pictures of yellow smiley faces like “positive emotions”, the first pillar in the PERMA model. A lot can be said for positive emotions and their benefits for our wellbeing beyond the present moment. While we all intuitively think to recognise positive emotions when we sense them, they actually come in many shapes, […]
Five Ways to L.E.A.R.N and Build on Your Strengths for Success
1. Learn the language Why even bother building a dialogue around strengths? Surely the words ‘strength’ or ‘strong’ is enough to get the feeling and the benefits across? Not so fast… The L from L.E.A.R.N is to Learn the language of strengths and can be an important part of developing your own unique blend of […]
“But it isn’t fair!”
To want to be respected and treated fairly is understandable. Morals and ethics based upon this expectation form a major part of our social system and inform our social construction of justice. As such, a person who breaks the law can be held morally responsible for their actions. My sense of moral responsibility legitimises me […]
To Be or Not to Be OPTIMISTIC?
The story of optimism is just like the story of eggs. Anyone aged 40+ remembers the days where eggs were on every family’s breakfast menu. Then suddenly, doctors, scientists, and the media told us to stop eating all these eggs if we did not want to die prematurely! Nowadays, it is ok to eat some […]
How Anger can be a Positive Emotion
The first wave of positive psychology focused on defining what constitutes a good life, with the formation of various models of wellbeing and the development of positive psychology interventions. The second wave, however, switched the focus to the dynamics between positive and negative emotions, uncovering some of the downsides of positive emotions. One of these […]
Understanding the Role of Mindfulness in a Coaching Practice
In recent decades, ‘mindfulness’ has become a ubiquitous concept throughout our society. Originating as a method of self-awareness and transformation in ancient India, in our contemporary society mindfulness has evolved into one of the more effective interventions for numerous medical and emotional conditions. But the influence of mindfulness has far extended beyond the clinical sphere […]
Happiness is a Process, not a Destination
Given the challenges we face today where COVID-19 continues to influence our lives, one way to help our clients enhance their wellbeing is by engaging in practices that increase their levels of happiness. The Foundations of Wellbeing Research The science of happiness has been studied throughout history, with many definitions evolving over time. Two concepts […]