Positive Psychology

Patricia Raskin welcomes James Pawelski, Ph.D., Director of Education and Senior Scholar at the Positive Psychology Center and founding Executive Director of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). He will discusses positive psychology and the meaning of word "positive", Seligman's Authentic Happiness and Peterson's Primer in Positive Psychology and various initiatives in positive psychology--in education, in neuroscience, and in health.

Episode Segments:

Understanding Positive Psychology James Pawelski explains the concept of Positive Psychology, and how it differs from traditional psychology. James also gives his thoughts on The Secret, whether he thinks it works, and the power of positive emotions.
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The Positive Portfolio James talks about some exercises you can do to bulk up your positive emotions, including a process called the Positive Portfolio.
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Assessing Your Strengths James shares some information on tests and other online resources that you can use to determine your emotional strengths and weaknesses. He also discusses how to find your signature strength, and some of common questions he gets from his students.
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Learning Positive Psychology James gives some information on his Positive Psychology courses & classes at the University of Pennsylvania, and how some of his students are applying his teachings.
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Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

James Pawelski James O. Pawelski, Ph.D. is Director of Education and Senior Scholar in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania. Having earned a Ph.D. in philosophy, he has published articles on the history of philosophy and its application to human development. He is the author of The Dynamic Individualism of William James, and is the editor of The Roots of Virtue: Philosophical Reflections on Positive Psychology (in progress). His current research interests include the philosophical underpinnings of positive psychology, the philosophy and psychology of character development, and the development, application, and assessment of interventions in positive psychology. At the Positive Psychology Center, he directs the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) Program and is a Special Advisor to the Positive Psychology Steering Committee. He is a charter member of the Board of Directors of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and the founding Executive Director of that organization. In addition to his research and administrative work, he is also a teacher and practitioner of positive psychology. He is one of the principal faculty in the MAPP program (teaching courses on positive interventions), a lecturer and workshop leader with an international reputation, and a key figure in the application of positive psychology and philosophy to life coaching. Click Here to Visit His Website