by Sarah Monk | November, 2023 | Positive Psychology, Sarah Monk
Evolutionary Psycho-Neurophysiology and Positive Psychology: How our evolved brain can impact wellbeing. I am not a neuropsychologist. However, as a clinical and coaching psychologist, I share a number of insights with clients on the way the evolved brain can impact wellbeing. These can be extremely helpful in normalising the challenges we face in everyday life, understanding how problems with mental health can arise and providing routes to address them. In this blog I highlight the key issues as I see them, noting that neuroscience is really complex, we don’t have the full picture yet and what is presented here is a huge simplification intended to be helpful but “held lightly”. I draw on the work of Paul Gilbert (2014), Ryan and Deci (2000) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. The legacy of evolution As humans evolved, a number of characteristics became embedded in the way our brain and body worked because these made it more likely that the individual would survive and reproduce. These characteristics were relevant to the context of man in a hunter-gatherer, survival based world. They persist as part of our biological inheritance because change at this level takes a long time to happen so there is a significant lag. Indeed our context in modern society changes so fast I wonder if our biology will ever catch up! The point is that some of the design adaptations of the human brain and body don’t work as well in the 21st century as the environment they were developed to work in. Plus some of our “newer” human abilities such as verbal behaviour and higher level cognitive functioning can...
by Sarah Monk | October, 2023 | Positive Psychology, Sarah Monk
Introduction In this blog I look at the role of control in our wellbeing and talk about my model of the things we can control with a practical example of how this might be used to support mental health. Is control good for us? Most of us like to feel in control. It helps us feel safe and ordered. Ryan and Deci (2000) highlight autonomy as a key psychological need (along with competence and relatedness, see my previous blog on Self Determination Theory for more detail). The fulfilment of this need for autonomy is associated with good mental health and improved motivation, whereas when it is blocked, motivation and wellbeing decrease. Autonomy involves the idea that we are in control of our actions, we are free from pressure from others and we have the ability to make our own choices. When we have this sense of this control, we feel authentic which boosts eudaimonic wellbeing. Many types of psychopathology stem from people seeking control in maladaptive ways when it is blocked in important areas of their lives. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and eating disorders can be extreme examples of this. How much control do we really have? So a sense of autonomy is good for us. But how realistic is this in everyday life? Often external circumstances can’t easily be changed and we certainly can’t control other people’s attitudes and behaviour, although we can sometimes influence them by how we act. Actually even our own thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations are also not as much under our control as we might like to think. For example, if I tell...
by Sarah Monk | July, 2023 | Positive Psychology, Sarah Monk
Introduction: In this blog I talk about one way in which Positive Psychology (PP) Coaching can be applied to help people live flourishing lives. I aim to explain what this might involve and when it might be helpful. An applied science PP has always been an applied science aimed at providing evidence-based practical approaches to help improve wellbeing for individuals, organisations and societies. Perhaps the most well-known application is through Positive Psychology Interventions (PPIs). These are “self-help” type packages aimed at individuals without mental illness which; “enhance well-being through pathways consistent with positive psychology theory” (Carr et al. 2023 p1). This includes key PPIs such as promoting gratitude in various forms, using your strengths, pursuing intrinsically motivated goals and cultivating savouring, mindfulness, optimism, kindness and forgiveness to name a selection! There is an inevitable debate about exactly which interventions should be included in this definition and the veracity of the evidence base (Boiler et al. 2013, Carr et al, 2021, Carr et al. 2023, White et al. 2019). However, there appears to be some consensus that many PPIs show evidence of having a small to medium positive effect on well-being indicators and a reduction in markers of mental ill health and stress and that these improvements are maintained over time (Carr et al. 2023). What is not really clear is; who is most helped, by which interventions, under what conditions and context, and through what mechanisms. We know that “person-activity fit” or finding the right intervention for the individual and addressing internal and external barriers to implementation, is important. We also know that sustaining the effects of interventions through...
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 James McIntyre-Ure | March, 2023 | James McIntyre-Ure, Positive Psychology
First of all, let’s clarify what positive psychology is not, as it’s commonly misunderstood. Smile, think happy thoughts, be positive and never give up. While there are benefits to those suggestions, we must be cautious of toxic positivity as it’s much more complex than that. Ultimately, Positive Psychology is a field of study that explores how people can live their best lives. While some people like to distinguish it from traditional Psychology, it actually encompasses all of the differing schools of thought. It has helped me see my past and future through a different lens, which has helped me to grow in endless ways. Since taking the time to reflect, I’ve felt less regretful when looking back on my life and much more hopeful when looking forward. I’d like to share some valuable lessons I’ve learned. Learning changes people One of the most memorable moments of my childhood was when my dad told me ‘You never stop learning’. I’ve always been a curious individual and one of the many questions I dwelled on during childhood was what makes people change? There are some people who seem like they never change, perhaps those who live with their parents for large parts of their lives or rarely venture outside of their hometown. On the other hand, there were people who I aspired to in school because they competed in national competitions and ventured abroad. While of course, some opportunities aren’t necessarily available to all, we not only learn from our own experiences but from other people’s too. People don’t need solutions Another thing I wondered about when growing up was...
by Lesley Lyle | March, 2023 | Lesley Lyle, Positive Psychology
I’d like to introduce you to Jo Sunshine, a very aptly named artist. In my opinion, she is a role model for what the theory of positive psychology looks like when applied to the everyday life of a person. Her spirit shines through her artwork and in her attitude to life, despite the challenges she has had to face and overcome. She demonstrates optimism, resilience, creativity, kindness and gratitude in almost everything she says and does. In 2006, Jo experienced a serious motorway accident that caused her to suffer a brain injury. Several operations saved her life but unfortunately, she lost her eyesight. Becoming blind was a traumatic event especially as prior to the accident she had enjoyed drawing and painting. After a long and slow recovery process, she was unable to drive or work and was forced to move from her rural location to Glasgow city where she could more easily access public transport and other services. To begin with, she was homeless, but she received a lot of support from The Big Issue organisation and became one of The Big Issue magazine vendors. Some years later Jo experimented by creating large murals on the walls of her flat and found it enjoyable to be reacquainted with her artistic skills. She soon ran out of wall space and then bought some good-quality wax crayons and started to draw on paper. Despite being totally blind in one eye, with only a misty blur in the other, Jo found that by using bold colours and big designs she could make out the shapes and she has been creating pictures daily...
