Positive Psychology

When I reflect on the meaning of positive psychology, a multitude of thoughts and ideas come to mind. Positive psychology is not simply defined and I imagine it has different meanings for different people, based on their backgrounds and unique perspectives. I am drawn to the concept of positive psychology because it places considerable emphasis on positive aspects of human life and behavior. People do however, experience legitimate problems and sufferings in life and I believe we need to be careful not to invalidate or ignore this truth. I don't think that positive psychology attempts to overlook human suffering and deficits. Rather, it highlights the significance of individuals acknowledging their innate strengths and applying them to
I believe a positive psychology approach can contribute to success in a number of life domains, including physical health, psychological health and well-being, vocational pleasure and educational achievement, parenting, interpersonal relationships and more. I also believe that a positive psychology framework can be an effective tool in the counseling of individuals and families, especially when combined with other evidence based treatments. I believe this type of approach can be beneficial in the eliciting and restoring of hope for those who have experienced traumatic life events and possibly helpful for those who suffer debilitating mental illnesses. I would like to learn more regarding outcomes associated with the utilization of positive psychology techniques when it comes to treating individuals with severe mental illness. Specifically, can this approach enhance a person with chronic mental illness' overall functioning, sense of well-being, and ability to cope with debilitating symptoms? I would also like to further explore the application of positive psychology in working with individuals in the criminal justice system, as well as the impact of this approach with people who struggle with substance abuse and addiction
Despite the on-going criticism though, I believe positive psychology will continue to prosper as new research unfolds regarding the ways this particular discipline promotes the flourishing of individuals, families, and communities. Comptom and Hoffman (2013) share that "positive psychology appears to be well on its way to gaining a permanent place for itself in general psychology (p. 21)." They go on to predict that due to the rapidly growing interest in positive psychology, this discipline will likely go on to thrive for many years to come (Compton and Hoffman,