Thanks Mike. This helps a lot. Is Positive Psychology the area from which Life Coaches are emerging? Laura
>Laura Valvatne, Ph.D. > Psychology > Shasta College > Redding, California 96049 > > (530) 225-4954 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: Michael Caruso [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 7:57 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences Subject: Re: Positive Psychology Laura, This is from http://psych.upenn.edu/seligman/teachingoverview.htm A General Overview of Positive Psychology Definitions and Explanations: The Goal The purpose of Positive Psychology is to understand and promote the human strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The Rationale During its first century, psychology justifiably focused most of its attention on understanding and alleviating human suffering. Great progress has been made in the successful treatment of numerous mental illnesses - depression, anxiety, and phobias, to name a few. While healing what is worst in life, however, psychology has neglected the positive side of life - what makes life most worth living. Western civilization has achieved unprecedented technological and economic advances, yet our understanding of how to lead fulfilling lives has not kept pace with material prosperity. Times of relative peace and prosperity have enabled cultures of the past to promote the highest qualities of life. Fifth century Athens cultivated philosophy and democracy. Fifteenth century Florence nurtured great art. Victorian England enshrined honor, duty, and valor. We are creating a more positive psychology - a psychology that not only heals psychological damage but also builds strengths and virtues to enable people to achieve the best things in life. Positive Psychology is founded on the belief that people want more than an end to suffering. Individuals want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within ourselves, to enhance our experiences of love and work. The Strengths and Virtues There are three pillars of the strengths and virtues - positive experiences, the positive individual, and positive institutions. The positive experiences pillar is about positive subjective experiences - contentment with the past, happiness in the present, and hope for the future. At the individual level, the strengths include the capacity for love and work, courage, compassion, resilience, hope, creativity, curiosity, social skills, integrity, self-knowledge, moderation, impulse control, and wisdom. At the level of community, it is about the civic virtues that cultivate better communities, such as responsibility, justice, civility, parenting, nurturance, work ethic, leadership, teamwork, purpose, volunteerism, and tolerance. See also: http://psych.upenn.edu/seligman/pospsy.htm and http://www.apa.org/releases/positivepsy.html Michael J. Caruso Associate Professor Department of Psychology University of Toledo Voice: (419) 530-2896 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] WWW: http://www.utoledo.edu/~mcaruso/ ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laura Valvatne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 10:09 PM Subject: RE: Positive Psychology > Could someone give me a synopsis of positive psychology. I keep hearing > about it. I haven't heard what "it" is. Thanks, Laura > > Laura Valvatne, Ph.D. > Psychology > Shasta College > Redding, California 96049 > > (530) 225-4954 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Michael LAVIN [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 8:47 AM > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences > Cc: Michael LAVIN > Subject: Positive Psychology > > ** High Priority ** > > Positive Psychology represents a new and unique view of psychology, one that > I think could have elements which could be judgmental and value-based and > maybe value-biased. . Can anyone address their feelings about Positive > Psychology? Mike > > > =============================== > Michael J. Lavin | 716-375-2488 > Department of Psychology > St. Bonaventure University 14778 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] | Fax: 716-375-7618 > http://web.sbu.edu/psychology/lavin/ > Listen to: http://www.pagoo.com/signature/mlavin > =============================== > > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
