Positive Psychology
Founded by renowned psychologist and author, Martin Seligman, PhD., Positive Psychology is an academic discipline that studies optimal human functioning. While ‘traditional’ psychology has typically focused on pathology and the alleviation of suffering, Positive Psychology aims to scientifically study human ‘character’ strengths, cognitions, positive feelings, and behaviors that help an individual or community to thrive and build a life ‘worth living’. Rather than fixing what’s ‘wrong’ with us, Positive Psychology seeks to strengthen what is ‘right’ in us by focusing on mental and emotional wellness and cultivating strengths such as optimism, hopefulness, empathy, persistence, and forgiveness.
Positive Psychology is well-suited to the development of character and leadership skills, social-emotional learning, as well as the building of healthy teams and institutions. Positive Psychology has also proven effective as a preventative approach to clinical depression and other mental illnesses in youth.
The scientific framework of Positive Psychology forms the basis for CorStone’s programs, services and trainings. Our unique integrative approach to emotional resiliency and character development is practical and succeeds through a collaborative effort that focuses on ‘what is’, while simultaneously accessing the virtues, strengths and resources available to achieve a preferred future. In this way, resiliency is drawn upon, goals are identified, individual, family and community assets are brought forth, and positive choices are made and reinforced.
The Character Strengths and Virtues (CSV) handbook of human strengths and virtues, by the VIA Institute on Character (VIA), attempts to identify the positive psychological traits of human beings, and provides a theoretical framework for developing practical applications for Positive Psychology. The CSV identifies six classes of core virtues and 24 character strengths, which research has found to be universally valued by the vast majority of cultures throughout history, and which lead to increased happiness when practiced. These core virtues are as follows:
- Wisdom and Knowledge (strengths that involve the acquisition and use of knowledge
- Courage (strengths that allow the accomplishment of goals in the face of opposition
- Humanity (interpersonal strengths that involve tending and befriending others)
- Justice (strengths that build healthy community)
- Temperance (strengths that protect against excess)
- Transcendence (strengths that forge connections to the larger universe and provide meaning)
More information on Character Strengths can be found here.
