If you think you know what positive psychology is, think again! This book offers a new integrative vision for making life better that takes in the body and the brain, culture and society, childhood and development... A must read for students." - Stephen Joseph, University of Nottingham "Captures the best of the positive psychology initiative, and most importantly, translates it to practice. The authors bring remarkable depth and breadth to the subject matter and do so in a way that is fresh, engaging, relevant, and unusually thoughtful." - Carol Ryff, University of Wisconsin-Madison "If you want to understand what positive psychology really is, learn how it works in practice and discover its huge potential to transform our lives and our world then look no further than this superb book. I really can′t recommend it highly enough." - Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness This exciting new textbook, written by leading academics in the UK, offers the very first authored title on applied positive psychology for university courses. Consisting of the latest cutting-edge theory and research in the subject and structured around a pioneering multidimensional model of wellbeing, this book will provide you with the knowledge and tools to apply positive psychology in many areas of life. These include interventions aimed at developing mental and physical functioning, to recommendations for enhancing relationships and reshaping organisational structures. The book shows how these practices can be successfully deployed in diverse real-world settings, from the classroom to the workplace. Key features include: Learning objectives set out at the start of each chapter Practice essay questions throughout and quizzes to test your knowledge at the end of each chapter Useful measurement tools and recommendations for research Summary boxes and suggested further reading and resources Case studies and ‘Reflection’ boxes that invite you to explore topics in greater depth and relate findings to your everyday life. This book will be essential reading for all students with an interest in or studying a course in applied positive psychology, and is strongly recommended to students taking a wider course in positive psychology and the psychology of happiness and wellbeing.

Positive Psychology has experienced extraordinary growth over the past decade. Emerging research in this area is suggesting new strategies for improving everyday life, healthcare, education systems, organizations and work life, and societies across the globe. This book will be of interest to all applied psychologists, applied researchers, social and organizational psychologists, and anyone interested in applying the science of positive psychology to improvement of the human condition.

"Kate Hefferon and Ilona Boniwell have done an excellent job on this introduction to Positive Psychology! I encourage educators, students and everyone else interested in an updated, well-written and culturally balanced approach to the scientific study of human flourishing, to read this highly accessible, yet rigorously crafted text; and to get it under your skin by ways of carefully chosen tests and exercises." Hans Henrik Knoop, Aarhus University, Denmark and President, European Network for Positive Psychology "This accessible, yet comprehensive, book provides an excellent new resource in the area of positive psychology. Students, researchers and practitioners alike will benefit from the skilful and lively integration of theory, research and application. The authors are prominent members of the international positive psychology movement and as such are able to deliver a confident, practical and overarching assessment of the area, integrated into psychology more widely." Angela Clow, University of Westminster, UK "This is an exceptional book that synthesizes more than a decade of positive psychology research into chapters that are engaging, accessible, and educational. Hefferon and Boniwell demonstrate a mastery of the literature through the ways in which they have marshaled the evidence from research and practice into this invaluable resource. This book will become an essential reference guide for researchers, educators and practitioners of positive psychology around the world." Professor Alex Linley, Founding Director, Capp "This book is a valuable resource for students looking for an introduction to Positive Psychology, but also wanting to get a comprehensive and updated overview of this innovative approach to the study of human behaviour and experience. It provides a broad coverage of the most relevant theories and constructs developed within Positive Psychology, and of their relevance for intervention and application in the most diverse life domains. Hefferon and Boniwell use a rigorous though accessible and friendly style of presentation. By means of effective learning supports, they stimulate readers' active engagement in critical reflections on each topic. The authors address the several issues and open questions which still characterize Positive Psychology as a relatively recent domain through a balanced and objective approach." Antonella Delle Fave, University of Milano, Italy "Kate Hefferon and Ilona Boniwell have produced the first textbook which has set out purposefully to support students and teachers in higher education in the exciting new area of positive psychology. The authors have experience of teaching the lectures described in each chapter and the book is written in a way that students will find engaging and fun. Each chapter has clear learning objectives, mock essay questions, measurement tools, summaries and a guide to further resources. The content has been well researched and the early chapters cover the main concepts of positive psychology such as emotions, happiness, wellbeing, optimism, and resilience. The later chapters are more novel and cover interventions and applications all with a critical eye. Of particular note is the chapter on the body in positive psychology - a topic which is frequently omitted from the 'thoughts and feelings' approach of other texts in this area. I would strongly recommend this book to all students and teachers of psychology." Nanette Mutrie, Professor of Exercise and Sport Psychology, Strathclyde University, UK Discover the latest research findings and thinking on the topics of happiness, flow, optimism, motivation, character strengths, love and more! Find out how happiness levels can be increased, what stops us from flourishing and how positive psychology can be applied to many professional disciplines. This new textbook combines a breadth of information about positive psychology with reflective questions, critical commentary and up to date research. It is written in a witty, engaging and contemporary manner and includes: Personal development exercises to help you meld together research and application Mock essay questions to get essay writing going Think about it boxes to get you thinking about the concepts and theories discussed Experiments boxes giving you most influential positive psychology experiments to date Suggested resources guiding you where to go next Measurement tools presenting popular positive psychology tools Time out boxes on key issues, concepts and thinkers Chapter summaries to help you check their understanding Review questions to enhance your learning Positive Psychology is key reading for students taking modules in positive psychology and well-being, and will also be of interest to students of applied, coaching and sports psychology, as well as psychologists, coaches, counsellors and researchers interested in this burgeoning field.

In this important, entertaining book, one of the world's most celebrated psychologists, Martin Seligman, asserts that happiness can be learned and cultivated, and that everyone has the power to inject real joy into their lives. In Authentic Happiness, he describes the 24 strengths and virtues unique to the human psyche. Each of us, it seems, has at least five of these attributes, and can build on them to identify and develop to our maximum potential. By incorporating these strengths - which include kindness, originality, humour, optimism, curiosity, enthusiasm and generosity -- into our everyday lives, he tells us, we can reach new levels of optimism, happiness and productivity. Authentic Happiness provides a variety of tests and unique assessment tools to enable readers to discover and deploy those strengths at work, in love and in raising children. By accessing the very best in ourselves, we can improve the world around us and achieve new and lasting levels of authentic contentment and joy.

This book provides an accessible and balanced introduction to positive psychology scholarship and its applications, incorporating an overview of the development of positive psychology. Positive Psychology: The Basics delineates positive psychology’s journey as a discipline, takes stock of its achievements and provides an updated overview of its core topics, exploring the theory, research and interventions in each. Launched as a rebellious discipline just over two decades ago, positive psychology challenged the emphasis of applied psychology on disease and dysfunction and offered a new, more balanced perspective on human life. From its foundations in the late 20th century to recent "second-wave" theories around the importance of recognizing negative emotions, this compact overview covers the key ideas and principles, from research around emotional wellbeing, optimism and change, to posttraumatic growth and positive relationships. The first jargon-free introduction to the subject, Hart introduces the reader to a range of issues, including self-regulation and flow, character strengths and virtues and positive relationships, concluding with a chapter on how interventions can affect happiness and wellbeing. Positive Psychology: The Basics is an essential resource for students, practitioners, academics and anyone who is interested in understanding the essence of a life well lived.

Positive psychology moves psychology from a medical model toward a strengths model to help clients shore up their strengths and thereby lead happier, more fulfilling lives. Positive Psychology Coaching: Putting the Science of Happiness to Work for Your Clients provides concrete language and interventions for integrating positive psychology techniques into any mental health practice.

How do you get to “happily ever after”? In fairy tales, lasting love just happens. But in real life, healthy habits are what build happiness over the long haul. Happy Together, written by positive psychology experts and husband-and-wife team Suzann Pileggi Pawelski and James O. Pawelski, is the first book on using the principles of positive psychology to create thriving romantic relationships. Combining extensive scientific research and real-life examples, this book will help you find and feed the good in yourself and your partner. You will learn to develop key habits for building and sustaining long-term love by: • Promoting a healthy passion • Prioritizing positive emotions • Mindfully savoring experiences together • Seeking out strengths in each other Through easy-to-follow methods and fun exercises, you’ll learn to strengthen your partnership, whether you’re looking to start a relationship off on the right foot, weather difficult times, reignite passion, or transform a good marriage into a great one.

A thorough and up-to-date guide to putting positive psychology into practice From the Foreword: "This volume is the cutting edge of positive psychology and the emblem of its future." -Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D., Fox Leadership Professor of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania, and author of Authentic Happiness Positive psychology is an exciting new orientation in the field, going beyond psychology's traditional focus on illness and pathology to look at areas like well-being and fulfillment. While the larger question of optimal human functioning is hardly new - Aristotle addressed it in his treatises on eudaimonia - positive psychology offers a common language on this subject to professionals working in a variety of subdisciplines and practices. Applicable in many settings and relevant for individuals, groups, organizations, communities, and societies, positive psychology is a genuinely integrative approach to professional practice. Positive Psychology in Practice fills the need for a broad, comprehensive, and state-of-the-art reference for this burgeoning new perspective. Cutting across traditional lines of thinking in psychology, this resource bridges theory, research, and applications to offer valuable information to a wide range of professionals and students in the social and behavioral sciences. A group of major international contributors covers: The applied positive psychology perspective Historical and philosophical foundations Values and choices in pursuit of the good life Lifestyle practices for health and well-being Methods and processes for teaching and learning Positive psychology at work The best and most thorough treatment of this cutting-edge discipline, Positive Psychology in Practice is an essential resource for understanding this important new theory and applying its principles to all areas of professional practice.

Positive psychological science has experienced extraordinary growth over the past two decades. Research in this area is revealing new strategies and interventions for improving everyday life, health and well-being, work, education, and societies across the globe. Contributions from luminaries in the field provide excellent reviews of the selected topics, summarizing empirical evidence, describing measurement tools, and offering recommendations for improving many aspects of our lives. Comprehensively updated, this second edition not only incorporates the more recent empirical findings; three new chapters on relationships and love, the importance of purpose, and the stimulation of education practice have been added. Focused on peer-reviewed and theory-driven psychological science, this book uniquely establishes a bridge between the intellectual movement for positive psychology and how it works in the real world. This collection of chapters will inspire the reader to creatively find new opportunities to better the human condition, whether these are in our lives, schools, health care settings, or workplaces. This book will be of interest to all psychologists and social scientists, applied researchers, program designers and evaluators, educators, leaders, students, and anyone interested in applying the science of positive psychology to improve everyday life and/or to promote social betterment and justice locally and globally.

Looking for an introduction to positive psychology that offers real-life examples? This overview of the science of happiness supplies case studies from some of the world's most successful organizations and describes ways to experience the personal impact of this exciting scientific field. Rather than focusing on treating what is "wrong" with a person, positive psychology seeks to understand and foster the things that drive happiness, creativity, and emotional fulfillment. This is a relatively new area of psychological study, and this reference book presents the research and practice of positive psychology in an informative and accessible format. Readers are given a history of the field, its current applications, and the future implications of this psychological discipline. Case studies from companies such as The Body Shop, Volvo, Zappos, and Google highlight the impact of positive psychology when it's applied in a modern business setting. These case studies, along with biographies of leaders in the field, highlight each chapter and connect the dots between the empirical theory of positive psychology and its practice. Readers also receive tools to apply the practices to their own lives.