Course description
Positive Psychology: Building Happiness and Flourishing
Our Positive Psychology: Building Happiness and Flourishing short course is a practical exploration of happiness and positive emotions.
Most of us would like to feel happier and more fulfilled.
Our Positive Psychology course provides evidence-based techniques to build happiness and be engaged in life. You will develop strategies to find meaning and purpose, enjoy better personal and professional relationships and achieve more.
This course is intended to be practical as well as theoretical. It requires a high degree of self-reflection to explore your own happiness and well being.
Upcoming start dates
Suitability - Who should attend?
This course is open to anyone with an interest in happiness, mindfulness and well being. You may have an interest in psychology, psychotherapy or philosophy; or you may simply strive for happiness in your own life and for those around you.
Eligibility
We do not ask for any formal qualifications to enrol on this short course and no prior knowledge is required.
English requirements
You will need a good level of spoken and written English to enrol on this course.
Outcome / Qualification etc.
The short courses at City are not accredited, but you will be awarded an official City, University of London certificate if you attend at least 70 percent of the classes.
Training Course Content
Across 10 weekly evening sessions, you will learn techniques to realise your full potential and assess your individual experiences within the context of positive psychology.
Week one: introduction & Flourishing
- 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
- Set meaningful goals we will work to achieve by the end of the course.
Week two: values and values clarification
- How to identify your values
- Reflecting on your values
Week three: accomplishment and achievement
- Theories of becoming an expert
- Developing a growth mindset
- SMART goals
- A framework to achieving your goals.
Week four: flow & strengths
- Psychology of flow – being “in the zone” and fully engaged in what you are doing
- Psychology of strengths – identifying and using
- Connection between flow and using your strengths.
Week five: happiness and positive emotions
- Psychology of happiness and positive emotions, including Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build theory
- Attempts to answer “what makes people happier?”
- Empirically-supported interventions to happiness
Week six: meaning and purpose
- Psychology of meaning and purpose (Viktor Frankl, Martin Seligman; and the psychology of kindness).
Week seven: positive relationships
- Psychology of positive relationships – including romantic relationships and friendships and working relationship, drawing on the theories of Sternberg & Gottman.
Week eight: Mindfulness and ACT
- Mindfulness – evidence and experience
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) – an evidence-based third wave therapy
Week nine: Resilience
- Overcoming adversities (drawing on evidence-based techniques from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) which may include problem solving and cognitive restructuring.
Week ten: Conclusions
- Drawing together threads from the course and discuss next steps
- Opportunity to do a short presentation relating to achieving the meaningful goal they set themselves to achieve earlier in the course.
Note: This is indicative of likely content and is subject to change.
Course delivery details
The Positive Psychology: Building Happiness and Flourishing short course takes place once a week at 18.30 for 10 weeks.
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