Dr. A’s Take on Positive Psychology

In order for me to give you my take on Positive Psychology, let me first say what it’s not. It’s not a bunch of saccharin BS.  

I’ve had many conversations that require me to deconstruct people’s assumptions about Positive Psychology, because just the word “positive” elicits disgust with poor Pollyanna and suggests that all is sunshine, rainbows and lollipops. 

Positive Psychology isn’t a fad like the Secret (not bashing, love manifestation) but rather the scientific study of what makes life worth living.  

Prior to the introduction of Positive Psychology in 1998, psychological research focused on problems and consequently the field had little to say about what makes life worth living. 

The founders of Positive Psychology proposed that the same scientific rigor should be applied to the enhancement of our lives rather than just the management - or undoing - of problems. They researched character strengths, strategies for cultivating those strengths, and how all of us, even those who are doing pretty well, can draw on those strengths and use them as tools to thrive as human beings.

I shared in a previous blog the impact of Positive Psychology on my own life. How I came to terms with the reality that while I didn’t choose my natural gifts, I did have a choice to refine my talents and harness them for good. So do you. 

“Positive Psychology is about helping people move “north of neutral” and enhancing the positive aspects of their lives”.
-- Dr. Christopher Peterson 

From a professional perspective, embracing people’s strengths rather than focusing on weaknesses brought a vitality to my work and increased the meaning and purpose that I found in my daily interactions with colleagues. 

Witnessing  individuals and families overcome adversity and even thrive after a traumatic brain injury was a masterclass in the impact of optimism, positive affect, and hope on clinical outcomes. Positive Psychology offers a way to experience meaning and purpose in any context because character strengths and virtues are about who you are not what you do. This is particularly important within the traumatic brain injury (TBI) population because they are often unclear if they can return to their previous jobs or favorite hobbies.  They were faced with questions like who am I if I can’t teach, play the piano, or run a marathon?  If you look at the character strengths that were associated with these aspects of their identity, you may  find an “appreciation of love and beauty”  or “perseverance” and these character strengths and virtues are alive and well in them and can be applied immediately to activate  parts of their identity they are grieving.  

The transformative power of valuing people not just for the work they do, but who they are as individuals was undeniable.  

Taking the time to get to know yourself and others from a strength-based perspective emphasizes our capacity for resilience, thriving, and ingenuity. I love looking at the world through the Positive Psychology lens because it champions each and everyone of our aspirations to experience happiness, well-being, meaning and purpose in our lives.