Positive Psychology

A Wellness and Happiness Coach supports the patient in his/her search for happiness and meaning in life. As the world gets more complex, it is becoming more and more difficult for people to navigate through the many life choices available and find a niche where they feel comfortable, secure, productive and content. A Wellness and Happiness Coach helps people discover their inner strengths and then supports them in designing actions that will use those strengths to develop a more fulfilling life. According to Martin Seligman, Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, renowned author of “Authentic Happiness”, “raising children is more than fixing what is wrong with them. It is about identifying and nurturing their strongest qualities, what they own and are best at, and helping them find niches in which they can best live out these strengths.” This principle applies to adults as well, especially adults who are lost and struggling to find a reason to have hope and meaning in their lives.

Positive Psychology measures happiness scientifically as having three life components: the pleasant life; the engaged life; and the meaningful life. The “pleasant life” is self–explanatory — it is the experience of having positive feelings about the past, future and present encompassing a sense of satisfaction about the past, optimism about the future and the ability to savor present experiences. The “engaged life” is accomplished by using our signature strengths to become involved and absorbed in our work, our relationships and our leisure activities. The “meaningful life” is achieved by using our strengths and talents to become involved in something bigger than us, for example, family, religion, politics, or community. A true understanding of these three components of happiness can motivate a person to strive to improve their own state of well–being and as a result flourish.

A Wellness and Happiness Coach embraces Positive Psychology and will guide and motivate his/her patients to discover signature strengths enabling them to recognize ways that they can draw upon these strengths to lead happier, more fulfilling lives. In our practice, we recognize that a lack of positive emotion, character strengths and meaning in one’s life contributes to depression and a feeling of emptiness. It is our aim to help our patients find healing by integrating pleasure, engagement and meaning into their lives. We achieve this through Coaching sessions that are designed to accentuate positive strengths and remove obstacles that block personal growth. Through assessments we can determine signature strengths and then coach the patient to formulate specific, concrete goals to achieve behaviors that cultivate those strengths. Mental Field Therapy is used to eliminate any negative limiting beliefs that prevent healing and growth. Writing assignments and journaling is encouraged and learning how to savor simple pleasures is discussed. Our Coaching sessions are designed to promote a sense of hope and optimism and a concrete action plan that enables the patient to improve his/her life.