Positive Psychology in Practice – Serie

There has been an abundance of research carried out relating to the use of positive psychology, but a focus on staff working in care settings has been lacking. Positive Psychology for Healthcare Professionals presents applied positive psychology specifically for health and care staff, showcasing eleven different interventions that have proven to be effective in improving wellbeing.Positive Psychology Interventions are validated techniques, developed to include wellbeing enhancing activities, building effective user-friendly, cost-effective self-help strategies. This toolkit for improving wellbeing provides a more holistic roadmap to increase self-awareness of staff abilities, potential talents, and positive characteristics, through a strengths-based approach.

In addiction recovery, fostering a positive life that enhances satisfaction, well-being, and personal capability is crucial for long-term success. By staying motivated and actively engaging in their recovery, individuals can significantly elevate their quality of life. This groundbreaking work unveils the transformative potential of positive psychology in addiction recovery, highlighting how cultivating positivity and resilience can lead to profound and lasting improvements.Exploring the theoretical foundations of positive psychology and its application to mental health, Ogilvie and Carson focus particularly on how overcoming adversity can lead to positive outcomes. They delve into second wave positive psychology's perspective on resilience and third wave's pluralistic approach, integrating insights from the recovery model of mental health, well-being studies, the process of change, and asset-based recovery frameworks. With detailed examples of recent studies and practical guidance for practitioners, Positive Psychology for Addiction offers a comprehensive and holistic view of addiction recovery and challenges traditional deficit-focused approaches by advocating for strengths-based recovery methods.Demonstrating the synergy between positive psychology and effective addiction recovery, Positive Psychology for Addiction provides a valuable resource that promotes a positive lifestyle choice and contributes to reducing the stigma surrounding addiction. This important work is essential for anyone involved in addiction recovery, from clinical practitioners to academics and individuals in recovery.

Positive Psychology is a swiftly expanding field, attracting academics who commit their careers to its advancement. Although happiness was initially a focal point in Positive Psychology research, some academic circles now prefer the more precise concept of flourishing. Without doubt, the primary goal of Positive Psychology is to enhance flourishing, even though the term happiness holds broader significance through history and across cultures.This work is the first to look at happiness as a crucial aspect of Positive Psychology. Authors Sandie McHugh and Jerome Carson begin by introducing definitions of happiness and Positive Psychology, followed by a discussion on the measurement of happiness. The study then navigates through the historical evolution of these concepts, exploring the transition from Humanistic Psychology to Positive Psychology and the shift from happiness to flourishing. Chapters explore the global perspective on happiness, focusing on enhancing happiness through individual and external interventions. It concludes by contemplating the future of happiness and Positive Psychology, summarizing self-help interventions and reflecting on the lessons learned throughout the exploration.Happiness and Positive Psychology is essential reading for academic professionals in Positive Psychology seeking theoretical insights and for students in Positive Psychology programs looking for foundational knowledge and practical insights. Psychologists specializing in well-being and flourishing, researchers in humanistic psychology, and practitioners in applied positive psychology, such as therapists and counsellors, benefit from real-world case studies presented throughout the work.

Positive education has grown and evolved, first as a discipline and then a perspective. Since its first wave of development as an application of positive psychology within education, where the focus was primarily on students, the second wave brought with it recognition of the importance of wellbeing for all those involved in education too. Now entering the third wave, with this comes positive education not as a discipline but as a perspective. In particular, a perspective which embraces the challenges of culture and diversity alongside already positively oriented programs, structures and frameworks within education that, with continued refinements, can bring out the best of what could be (Kern & Wehmeyer, 2021).With this third wave still in its infancy, therefore, Positive Education at all Levels brings the reader to where we are today, showcasing positive education across all three levels of UK education: primary, secondary, and tertiary. With chapters for parents as well as for educators, this book will be of interest for all those involved in positive education, including those who may be learners of positive education too.

Humour is officially recognized in positive psychology as one of the 24 ‘character strengths’. However, laughter has an uneasy relationship with positive psychology, despite being key to communicating joy and happiness.The Positive Psychology of Laughter and Humour corrects this disconnect by combining academic insight with real-world experience. Drawing on the authors’ diverse backgrounds and expertise, this is the first academic volume dedicated to the rarely discussed topic of laughter and humour in positive psychology.Freda Gonot-Schoupinsky, Merv Neal and Jerome Carson demonstrate how laughter and humour differ, and how both can be applied within positive psychology to boost mood and maintain positive outcomes.The Positive Psychology of Laughter and Humour includes case studies and real-world insight as well as providing a methodological and theoretical background to the topic, giving rigorous theoretical and methodological insight for researchers, and including pedagogical sections in each chapter useful for teachers and researchers.