When I say that I practice Positive Psychology, what exactly does that mean? It’s a term that has grown in popularity in the last 20 years or so, but it is often misused and somehow confused with the idea of positive thinking. The term Positive Psychology was coined by the renowned psychologist Abraham Maslow, Ph.D., in 1964, but it didn’t begin to gain popularity until 1988 when Martin Seligman, Ph.D., another famous psychologist, began to champion it.
A psychologist has many tools to use to be effective in therapy. My approach has always been that people are different, and they bring issues to the table that vary in the impact they have on them. They need to be worked with in different ways depending on the individual, the issue(s) they have, and the impact those issues have on their personal lives.
All too often psychologists slip into a “problem” focused therapeutic model. What is the “problem?” What “bad” things
happened to cause the “problem?” How have an individual’s “negative” actions and thinking impacted the “problem?” The approach tends to be entirely negative in its orientation and it can be difficult for someone not to feel that somehow they created the problem. Also, focusing only on disorder and problem can be a very one-sided view of an individual’s life.
Someone may lead a largely happy and productive life and just have an issue or two to deal with.
Positive Psychology is the study of what makes life worth living. Those things that are good in life are every bit as important and genuine as what is bad. What is good isn’t simply the absence of problems, but is something that exists in its own right. Good isn’t the reverse or reciprocal of disorder. It stands on its own and requires its own explanation.
Positive Psychology is concerned with three aspects of the individual. First, positive emotions, which is being happy with the past, the present, and having hope for the future. Second, positive individual traits, which are the strengths and virtues that everyone has. Third, positive institutions, which are those strengths that lead to a better overall community of people.
Related to the field of Positive Psychology and growing in popularity is Compassionate Therapy. You have probably heard the phrase “be kind to yourself.” Often if the focus is problem-centered, an individual can develop self-criticism and shame and can find it difficult to follow that advice. Such an individual may know intellectually that they are not the cause of a problem, but feeling certainty about that on an emotional level is difficult. Compassionate Therapy helps an individual to develop feelings of contentment, safeness and warmth in their relationships both with themselves and others. It is another way to focus on and accentuate the positive.
Mindfulness is another related technique. As with most psychological terms there are different definitions of mindfulness. What this implies is focusing one’s attention on the present, being aware of thoughts, feelings, and
sensations that exist in the present moment. The idea is to notice these but to be non-judgmental about them.
Mindfulness has proven useful in helping with anxiety and mood issues.
None of this suggests that the problems people have should be ignored or dismissed. The problems that bring people to therapy are very real. All of the tools that a psychologist has need to be brought to bear on the issues and problems people want to address. But the focus does not need to be entirely negative. We can look at the positive aspects of life and help an individual develop a balanced view of their circumstances and how they plan to address the issue(s) they are facing.
A psychologist has many tools to use to be effective in therapy. My approach has always been that people are different, and they bring issues to the table that vary in the impact they have on them. They need to be worked with in different ways depending on the individual, the issue(s) they have, and the impact those issues have on their personal lives.
All too often psychologists slip into a “problem” focused therapeutic model. What is the “problem?” What “bad” things
happened to cause the “problem?” How have an individual’s “negative” actions and thinking impacted the “problem?” The approach tends to be entirely negative in its orientation and it can be difficult for someone not to feel that somehow they created the problem. Also, focusing only on disorder and problem can be a very one-sided view of an individual’s life.
Someone may lead a largely happy and productive life and just have an issue or two to deal with.
Positive Psychology is the study of what makes life worth living. Those things that are good in life are every bit as important and genuine as what is bad. What is good isn’t simply the absence of problems, but is something that exists in its own right. Good isn’t the reverse or reciprocal of disorder. It stands on its own and requires its own explanation.
Positive Psychology is concerned with three aspects of the individual. First, positive emotions, which is being happy with the past, the present, and having hope for the future. Second, positive individual traits, which are the strengths and virtues that everyone has. Third, positive institutions, which are those strengths that lead to a better overall community of people.
Related to the field of Positive Psychology and growing in popularity is Compassionate Therapy. You have probably heard the phrase “be kind to yourself.” Often if the focus is problem-centered, an individual can develop self-criticism and shame and can find it difficult to follow that advice. Such an individual may know intellectually that they are not the cause of a problem, but feeling certainty about that on an emotional level is difficult. Compassionate Therapy helps an individual to develop feelings of contentment, safeness and warmth in their relationships both with themselves and others. It is another way to focus on and accentuate the positive.
Mindfulness is another related technique. As with most psychological terms there are different definitions of mindfulness. What this implies is focusing one’s attention on the present, being aware of thoughts, feelings, and
sensations that exist in the present moment. The idea is to notice these but to be non-judgmental about them.
Mindfulness has proven useful in helping with anxiety and mood issues.
None of this suggests that the problems people have should be ignored or dismissed. The problems that bring people to therapy are very real. All of the tools that a psychologist has need to be brought to bear on the issues and problems people want to address. But the focus does not need to be entirely negative. We can look at the positive aspects of life and help an individual develop a balanced view of their circumstances and how they plan to address the issue(s) they are facing.