1. Northeast Texas Counseling Association
Positive
Psychology
October 5, 2012
Northeast Texas Counseling Association
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed.D.

2. What We Will Talk About Today
Positive Psychology Beginning
Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
Well-Being Leading to Flourishing
Elements of Well-Being
Well-Being Exercises
Gratitude Visit or Letter
What Went Well
Application in therapeutically, in schools, the Army . . .
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed.D.

3. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Positive Psychology
Newest branch of psychology and recognized by American Psychological Association
In 1989, Seligman urged the field of psychology (APA) to include the following as a part of its goal:
Exploring what makes life worth living and building the enabling conditions of a life worth living.
This was a change from the goal with only emphasis on sickness, disease, and disorders. and undoing these conditions of life.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

4. The Timeline of Positive Psychology
As president of APA in 1997, Seligman led the way to increased interest and emphasis in positive psychology.
Funding began to support research into the elements of positive psychology
National Institute of Mental Health, the National Science Foundation,
The Templeton Foundation,
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation,
Atlantic Philanthropies, and the
MacArthur Foundation
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

5. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
Father of Positive Psychology
Worked as a Clinical Researcher before he became interested in HELPLESSNESS and the emotions connected with it.
He became interested in human conditions that benefitted and because researching and writing about:
LEARNED OPTIMISM *
AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS*
POSITIVITY VS. NEGATIVITY
WELL-BEING
FLOURISHING*
* Published Books by same name
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

6. Research Has Shown Positive Psychology Makes People Happier
Teaching positive psychology
Researching positive psychology,
Using positive psychology in practice as a coach or therapist
Giving positive psychology exercises to tenth graders in a classroom,
Parenting little kids with positive psychology,
Teaching drill sergeants how to teach about post-traumatic growth,
Meeting with other positive psychologist
Reading about positive psychology
ALL ACTIVITIES MAKE PEOPLE HAPPIER
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

7. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
He is the Zellerbach Family Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and lives near Philadelphia with his family.
His latest work has been to develop and research the Theory of Well-Being so that if developed, we Flourish.
His latest publication is FLOURISH (2011) which is the topic for today.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

8. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
FLOURISH
By Martin Seligman, Ph.D.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

9. Flourish A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being
Flourish builds on Dr. Seligman’s work on optimism, motivation, happiness, and character to show how to get the most out of life, unveiling an electrifying new theory of what makes a good life—for individuals, for communities, and for nations. Flourish refines what Positive Psychology is all about. Well-being must be addressed to Flourish.
Seligman, M. (2011). Flourish. New York: Free press.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

10. ELEMENTS OF WELL-BEING
Well-being is a construct so it cannot be directly measured. It is like “weather,” or “freedom” in that elements of these constructs make it what it means to us.
To be included as an element in well-being:
It must contribute to well-being
Many people pursue it for its own sake, not merely to get any of the other elements.
It is defined and measured independently of the other elements (exclusivity).
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

11. The Five Elements of Well-Being
Positive Emotion
Engagement
Meaning
Positive Relationships
Accomplishments
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

12. Elements and Goal of Well-Being
AUTHENTIC HAPPINESS Theory
WELL-BEING Theory
Topic: Happiness
Topic: Well-Being
Measure:
Life Satisfaction
Measure: Positive Emotion, Engagement, Meaning, Positive Relationships, Accomplishments
Goal: Increase Life Satisfaction
Goal: Increase flourishing by increasing positive emotion, engagement, meaning, positive relationships, and accomplishment.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

13. THE ELEMENTS OF WELL-BEING
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
POSITIVE
EMOTIONS
POSITIVE
RELATIONSHIPS
ENGAGEMENT
MEANING
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

14. Two Elements of Well-Being Subjectively Measured
POSITIVE EMOTION
Happiness
Life Satisfaction
Positive emotion can be measured while in the emotion.
ENGAGEMENT
Flow or “Did time stop for you?”
“Were you complete absorbed by the task?”
“Did you lose self-consciousness?”
Engagement or FLOW is measured retroactively.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

15. Independently Measured
Three More Elements of
Well-Being
Independently Measured
MEANING
Belonging to and serving something that you believe is bigger than the self.
Objective judgment of history, logic, and coherence can contradict a subjective judgment Measured independently of all other elements.
ACCOMPLISHMENT
Achievement; Often pursued for its own sake; life-goal; choosing to go the 2nd mile, reaching new heights, etc.
Measured independently of other elements
POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Other people-centered; indescribable joy; profound meaning and purpose with other people; other positive emotions with OTHERS. Kindness to others, striving with others, accomplishing with others.
Measured independently of other elements.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

16. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Well-Being Exercises
Kindness Exercise (Stamp Give-Away)
Find one wholly unexpected kind thing to do tomorrow and just do it. Notice what happens to your mood.
The Gratitude Visit or Letter
Someone who means a lot to you who you have not thanked or shown gratitude.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

17. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Well-Being Exercises
What Went Well Exercise? Name three things that went well yesterday .
Positive Responding
Three Good Things
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

18. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
Well-Being Exercise
Signature Strengths Exercise - The purpose of this exercise is to encourage you to own your signature strengths by finding new and more frequent uses for them. A signature strength has the following hallmarks:
A sense of ownership and authenticity
A feeling of excitement while displaying it, particularly at first.
A rapid learning curve as the strength is first practiced
A sense of yearning to find new ways to use it
A feeling of inevitability in using the strength (Try to stop me.”
Invigoration rather than exhaustion while using the strength
The creation and pursuit of personal projects that revolve around it
Joy, zest, enthusiasm, even ecstasy while using it.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

19. Teaching Well-being to Young People
Penn Resiliency Program: A way to teach well-being in schools
Resilience (Temporary – Controllable – Momentary) Learning Optimism
Three Good Things
Using Signature Strengths in New Ways
Geelong Grammar School Project
Australian Private School
Total Immersion and Merge of Well-Being into Curriculum.
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

20. Ways to Flourish? GRIT, Character and Achievement
Success and Intelligence
What is Intelligence?
Speed
Slowness- a Virtue
Self-Control and GRIT
Self-Discipline and GRIT
GRIT’s Benefits
Building Elements of Success Include GRIT
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

21. Army Strong: Comprehensive Soldier Fitness
Psychologically Fit Army
Global Assessment Tool
Online Courses
Emotional Fitness Module
Family Fitness Module
Spiritual Fitness Module
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

22. Turning Trauma into Growth
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Growth Course
PTSG Inventory
Master Resilience Training
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

23. Positive Physical Health: The Biology of Optimism
Cardiovascular Disease
Infectious Illness
Cancer and All-Cause Mortality
Positive Health
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.

24. Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.
In Conclusion
Do you want the best that life has to offer?
Do you want to be deeply happy?
Do you want to succeed?
Do you want to be healthy?
Do you want your children and students to be resilient, optimistic, happy, and successful?
Teach them to Flourish . . .
Everything that is known supports the benefits of Flourishing!
9/16/2018
Prepared by Elaine Beason, Ed. D.