by Lesley Lyle | May, 2023 | Positive Psychology, Positive Psychology Courses
The Master of Applied Positive Psychology course, MAPP, is of interest to a wide range of individuals of all ages who are looking to learn more about positive self-development as well as professionals working in the fields of coaching, education, healthcare, and therapy. Whilst most degree courses teach the theory of the subject, positive psychology is different in that students are encouraged to explore topics by applying them to their daily lives. This provides them with a unique insight into what the theory looks like in practical terms when applied in the real world in their own personal circumstances. It could be called learning from the inside out. Positive psychology is based upon evidence-based interventions which have been shown to work well for most of the people most of the time, and MAP students have ample opportunity to try them on for size. From the outset, they are able to develop new practical skills and knowledge that can improve their own lives at home, at work and in their relationships. Positive psychology topics include the science of hope, resilience, happiness, well-being, mindset, flourishing, positive emotions, gratitude, and the journey of change, amongst others, and also includes applied research skills and positive psychology and practice. More universities around the world are adding this degree course to their syllabus, although there are still only a handful of MAPP courses available. However, the provision of online learning makes the programme accessible to students worldwide. Applications can be accepted from people without a first degree if they have relevant work or life experience. One of these universities, Buckinghamshire New University UK, introduced the...
by Lesley Lyle | February, 2023 | Positive Psychology Courses
As a coach and psychotherapist, I have had the privilege of working with folk from across the world in different cultures, who all collectively aspire to grow and develop. There is one question that appears to emerge in almost every conversation, which either sits in my mind as I listen or is spoken. How do we get in our own way? We inevitably do. In our developmental journey, we often don’t see the ‘wood for the trees’. And it seems to me, that this question is key to unlocking if and how we develop. I realise to begin it’s important to own that we often don’t know we are doing it – it appears we may have an unconscious self-saboteur? Someone who takes over almost without our knowing, and in doing so displaces or pushes away who we essentially are. This poses the question of whether the key to getting out of our own way is one of remembering who we really are, beyond and behind the person that we commonly think we are. How quickly we may mask ourselves and then forget the one who sits behind. Consider for yourself – who sits behind your mask? And don’t be surprised if it’s the person that you long to be and become, who you most naturally are, the person you would like to know better. The following short film explores the nature of development and how we play games with ourselves – which I have entitled ‘Hide and Seek’. What a remarkable conundrum we are. Getting out of our way is key to development, yet we are often...
by Lesley Lyle | February, 2023 | Positive Psychology Courses
I am a man who values his own space, partly maybe because I was born a twin. However, I am continually humbled by the realisation of a truth of development – that we develop through vital others. At key points in my life, sometimes almost magically, someone has presented who is to play a vital role in my own development. Consider with me, what are the qualities of these special others through which we grow? These are the ones who gift themselves in service of our growth. What does this mean? There are many we may meet whose goal is to direct and tell us what they think the way forward is for ourselves. Their rightness and unequivocal certainty, imposes the forward: “I think you should do this or that?”. Though telling may be vital when in times of urgency or crisis, who do we overlook when we follow the dictates of others? Your developmental journey cannot be told or be known by another and so we require ‘special others’ who in their willingness to ‘not know’- that is to not direct or tell – we can explore and discover the way forward for ourselves. Rather than being told the answer we can instead learn through their insightful questions. These are the ones – who are willing to lose their own way – to consciously ‘not know’ when they think they know – so that we may find our own way. This is a remarkable gift of humanity, when another is willing to be lost, that you in turn may be found – that we can borrow the eyes...
