Positive Psychology
Our current mental health model tends to focus more on what is wrong with us vs what is right with us. Quick to prescribe a psychiatric medicine, we lose focus on addressing the root cause of a problem. Rather than pathologize, what if we are taking the wrong approach to solving mental health concerns? These are the kind of questions that led psychologist Martin Seligman, Ph.D. to developing Positive Psychology. The reframe of difficulties as adaptive was a direct response to western medicines focus on illness according to Seligman theory. Positive Psychology helps us see emotional and mental suffering through a lens of adaptation and strength rather than disease and weakness.
Positive psychology is a field of psychology that focuses on the scientific study of human strengths, well-being, and flourishing. Unlike traditional psychology, which often focused on identifying and treating mental illness and dysfunction, positive psychology seeks to understand the factors that contribute to a fulfilling and meaningful life.
Here are some key aspects of positive psychology:
Focus on Strengths and Virtues: Positive psychology emphasizes the identification and cultivation of individual strengths, talents, and virtues. Rather than focusing solely on pathology and deficits, positive psychologists seek to understand what makes life worth living and how individuals can thrive and flourish.
Promotion of Well-being: Central to positive psychology is the concept of well-being, which encompasses various dimensions of life satisfaction, happiness, and fulfillment. Positive psychologists study factors that contribute to well-being, such as positive emotions, engagement in meaningful activities, positive relationships, a sense of purpose and meaning, and accomplishments and achievements.
Scientific Approach: Positive psychology is grounded in empirical research and scientific methods. Researchers use a variety of quantitative and qualitative research methods to study positive emotions, strengths, virtues, and interventions aimed at enhancing well-being.
Resilience and Adaptation: Positive psychology examines how individuals can bounce back from adversity and develop resilience in the face of challenges. Researchers explore factors that contribute to resilience, such as optimism, self-efficacy, social support, coping skills, and post-traumatic growth.
Cultivation of Positive Emotions: Positive psychology emphasizes the importance of cultivating positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, compassion, and awe. Practicing activities such as mindfulness meditation, gratitude journaling, acts of kindness, and savoring positive experiences can promote positive emotions and well-being.
Meaning and Purpose: Positive psychology explores the role of meaning and purpose in life and how it contributes to overall well-being. Research suggests that having a sense of purpose and direction in life is associated with greater resilience, happiness, and life satisfaction.
Applications in Various Contexts: Positive psychology has applications in a wide range of domains, including education, healthcare, workplace settings, relationships, and personal development. Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) are evidence-based practices aimed at promoting well-being and enhancing positive outcomes in diverse populations.
Critiques and Controversies: While positive psychology has gained widespread popularity, it has also faced criticism and controversy. Some critics argue that it may oversimplify complex human experiences and ignore the importance of negative emotions and experiences in personal growth and development.
Positive psychology offers a refreshing and optimistic perspective on human nature, focusing on what makes life meaningful, fulfilling, and worth living. By studying the factors that contribute to well-being and resilience, positive psychology aims to enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities around the world.
About Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness Manhattan
Kimberly Seelbrede, LCSW is a New York State licensed Psychotherapist, EMDR Practitioner and Couple Therapist with a private practice in New York City, Montana and virtually. As a wellness psychotherapist and holistic consultant, she has receive advanced, extensive training in Trauma Therapy, Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Somatic Experiencing (SE), and Nutrition & Integrative Medicine For Mental Health. She is passionate about honoring the exquisite interplay of the mind-body connection. Kimberly Seelbrede specializes in anxiety & mood disorders, trauma and women’s mental health. She brings over 20 years of counseling, coaching, and healing experience to her holistic practice and transformational work.
In addition to online therapy for anxiety, depression, trauma and relationship struggles, Holistic Psychotherapy & Wellness offers a wide variety of online services to fit the needs of busy professionals. New Yorkers often lead fast-paced and complex lives, which makes work-life balance and managing career, family and social obligations a challenge. Psychotherapy and wellness practices provides the support to help clients cultivate resources, resilience and enhanced emotional health, as well as uncover conflicts and obstacles that may interfere with having the life they desire.