Psychology should be just as interested in building the best things in life as in repairing the worst and be as concerned with making the lives of normal people fulfilling as with healing pathology. Positive psychology is a new branch of psychology which aims to understand and promote factors that allow individuals, groups and organisations to thrive. Though not denying humanity’s flaws, positive psychology has focused on studying strengths, virtues as well as happiness. To date, there have been number of definitions used in the literature to define happiness, ranging from life satisfaction and appreciation of life to momentary feelings of pleasure, or the frequent experience of positive emotions. Numerous studies demonstrate that happy individuals are successful across life domains, including marriage, friendship, income work performance and health. Positive psychology interventions not only help individuals who are suffering from depression and anxiety disorders, but also assist individuals who are well adjusted to add more meaning and purpose in their life and help prevent them from developing mental health problems. Positive psychologists strive to build a collection of positive interventions and tools that will assist people to work on character strengths such as resilience, optimism, gratitude, intrinsic motivation, and self-efficacy which have been regarded to contribute to subjective well-being and happiness. Some positive psychology interventions include savouring the moment, practicing acts of kindness, using strengths and virtues in new and innovative ways, thinking about three things that went well each day and why they went well. These interventions have been found to improve relationships and foster positive thoughts and feelings.
Peter Kyriakoulis
Director of the Positive Psychology Centre
Clinical Psychologist
Showing posts with label positive psychology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label positive psychology. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Quotes on Positive Thinking!
*The difference between can and cannot are only three letters. Three letters that determine your life's direction.
*Being positive or negative are habits of thoughts that have a very strong influence on life.
*Positive and negative are directions. Which direction do you choose?
*Positive thinking is expecting, talking and visualizing with certainty what you want to achieve, as an accomplished fact.
*The mind is the decisive factor in your life, but who decides for the mind?
*A positive attitude brings strength, energy and initiative.
*To think negatively is like taking a weakening drug.
*Positive thoughts are not enough. There have to be positive feelings and positive actions.
*Being positive or negative are habits of thoughts that have a very strong influence on life.
*Positive and negative are directions. Which direction do you choose?
*Positive thinking is expecting, talking and visualizing with certainty what you want to achieve, as an accomplished fact.
*The mind is the decisive factor in your life, but who decides for the mind?
*A positive attitude brings strength, energy and initiative.
*To think negatively is like taking a weakening drug.
*Positive thoughts are not enough. There have to be positive feelings and positive actions.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT THERAPY
Our own personal momentum towards a safe, healthy and happy life is a journey shared by all. Throughout our ‘life’ experience we challenge, experience and interact with others and our environments. Along the way we construct a rich narrative of this ‘life’ documented in our thoughts, memories and dreams.
At times we all learn to avoid some of the uncomfortable and hurtful sensations associated to our ‘life’ story to ‘get on’ with our ‘life’ story. We are all familiar with the experiences of fear, depression, anger, stress, guilt, shame and confusion, as much as we are familiar with laughter, joy, love, kindness and compassion.
But why do we at times allow these fleeting emotional responses to limit, decrease or disable our participation in meaningful activities leading to a richer, fuller and meaningful experience of life.
“Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) takes the view that most psychological suffering is caused by the avoidance of experiences, i.e. by attempting to avoid, escape or get rid of unwanted private experiences (such as unpleasant thoughts, feelings, sensations, urges & memories). Our efforts at experiential avoidance might work in the short term, but in the long term they often fail, and in the process, they often create significant psychological suffering and reduced experiences within our lives. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) assists people to change their relationship with painful thoughts and feelings, to develop an ‘aware’ sense of self, to live in the present, and to take action, guided by their deepest values, to create a rich and meaningful life” (Dr. Russ Harris).
At Positive Psychology our team of Psychologists are trained in delivering psychological support, treatment and support within the Acceptance and Commitment framework.
Written by Ari Patrikis (Psychologist)- 2011
At times we all learn to avoid some of the uncomfortable and hurtful sensations associated to our ‘life’ story to ‘get on’ with our ‘life’ story. We are all familiar with the experiences of fear, depression, anger, stress, guilt, shame and confusion, as much as we are familiar with laughter, joy, love, kindness and compassion.
But why do we at times allow these fleeting emotional responses to limit, decrease or disable our participation in meaningful activities leading to a richer, fuller and meaningful experience of life.
“Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) takes the view that most psychological suffering is caused by the avoidance of experiences, i.e. by attempting to avoid, escape or get rid of unwanted private experiences (such as unpleasant thoughts, feelings, sensations, urges & memories). Our efforts at experiential avoidance might work in the short term, but in the long term they often fail, and in the process, they often create significant psychological suffering and reduced experiences within our lives. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) assists people to change their relationship with painful thoughts and feelings, to develop an ‘aware’ sense of self, to live in the present, and to take action, guided by their deepest values, to create a rich and meaningful life” (Dr. Russ Harris).
At Positive Psychology our team of Psychologists are trained in delivering psychological support, treatment and support within the Acceptance and Commitment framework.
Written by Ari Patrikis (Psychologist)- 2011
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