Positive Psychology: building happiness and flourishing

The 10 week course will cover the following and will be discussed in further detail during the first class.

Note: This is indicative of likely content and is subject to change

Week 1 Introduction: Positive Psychology, happiness and flourishing

This week will introduce the main themes of the course – What is positive psychology? What do we mean by flourishing? What is happiness? Martin Seligman’s PERMA model of flourishing will be introduced. students will be asked to think of a meaningful goal they will work on to achieve by the end of the course.

Reading : Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology: Introduction

Week 2 Accomplishment & Achievement

We will look at theories relating to how to become an expert, developing a growth mindset, SMART goals. A framework will be introduced based on these ideas to help students achieve their goals.

Core Reading (to be done before this week): Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 5 (for each week there is reading to be carried out before the class and optional supplementary reading will be suggested )

Week 3 Happiness & Positive Emotions

We will look at the psychology of happiness and positive emotions, including Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build theory and attempt to answer the important question “what makes people happier?” Empirically-supported interventions which have been shown to make people happier will be described and students will be invited to try them out for themselves.

Reading: Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapters 1 & 2

Week 4 Meaning & Purpose

We will look at the psychology of meaning and purpose, from Viktor Frankl to Martin Seligman as well as the psychology of kindness.

Reading: Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 6

Week 5 Flow

We will look at the psychology of flow – being “in the zone” and fully engaged in what you are doing, based on Csikszentmihalyi ‘s seminal work. We will also look at the connection between flow and using your strengths.

Reading: Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 7

Week 6 Positive Relationships

We will look at the psychology of positive relationships – including romantic relationships and friendships and working relationship, drawing on the theories of Sternberg & Gottman.

Reading : Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 8

Week 7 Values and Flourishing

Having looked at the 5 elements of flourishing according to Seligman’s PERMA theory earlier in the course, we will now take a step back and look at flourishing in the round. Students will have the opportunity to engage in values clarification and learn about other theories of flourishing and well-being

Reading: Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 3

Week 8 Third Wave CBT: Flourishing through ACT

Students will learn about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a third wave CBT therapy. ACT provides an evidence-based framework for learning how to actualise your values and overcome emotional obstacles to so doing.

Reading: Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 10 (part) and handout

Week 9 Resilience

Students will learn how to overcome adversities, drawing on evidence-based techniques from CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which may include problem solving and cognitive restructuring

Reading: Achieve Your Potential With Positive Psychology Chapter 9

Week 10 Conclusions

In the final week we will draw together threads from the course and discuss next steps. Students will also have the opportunity to do a short presentation relating to achieving the meaningful goal they set themselves to achieve earlier in the course.