Elaine O’Brien, PhD, MAPP ’08, is a optimistic psychology, health management, optimistic well being promotion,
motion science, growing old, and well-being speaker, writer, coach, thought chief, individuals/undertaking supervisor, educator, and
guide. Elaine creates applications selling proactive optimistic well being/health, and optimum efficiency.
Elaine presents internationally and on-line. She advances well being, health, and flourishing by inspiring individuals to maneuver extra and
to seek out each enjoyment and which means in movement by way of PEP: Constructive Train Practices.
Elaine’s website.
Full bio.
Elaine’s articles are right here.
The IPPA World Congress 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, was a luxurious feast of empirical analysis, idea, and utilized delights. The convention program and folks included attendees from throughout the globe. Collectively we reveled within the goodness of the science we’re all searching for to advance. There have been alternatives to fulfill, care, and share. Many occasions highlighted strengths, empowerment, dedication, friendships, and optimistic connections to the science and one another.
Let’s have a look at this yr’s stellar occasion from a Transcendent Strengths perspective. Within the VIA Character Strengths, the transcendent strengths are those who assist us connect with the bigger universe. Expression of those strengths enhances the sense that life is significant. The strengths within the Transcendence advantage are appreciation of magnificence and excellence, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality.
Appreciation of Magnificence and Excellence
Convention planning led by Andrew Soren and his staff was wonderful certainly. The choice of a variety of subjects, together with from caring for underserved populations, and the atmosphere, the agenda hit a candy spot to propel pondering, conversations, and analysis because the science of optimistic psychology advances into the subsequent wave. There was a steadiness of time for studying, dialogue, and celebration all constructed into the time collectively.
Conference Middle
Town of Vancouver offered a possibility to savor distinctive magnificence, together with an outside recreation pre-conference session led by Dr. Holli-Anne Passmore and associates, journeys to get pleasure from a beautiful a part of the world, and even between-session strolls on the waterfront promenade outdoors the beautiful convention heart. At one level, after 5 hours indoors, I observed a window with a beautiful view of the surroundings outdoors. I used to be grateful.
Gratitude:
Gratitude includes feeling a deep sense of thankfulness in life and taking time to specific thankfulness to others. The examine of gratitude is a fantastic a part of the science of utilized optimistic psychology. Gratitude has been discovered to be beneficially related to psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Gratitude is a predictor of fascinating life outcomes.
Gratitude in motion
The convention itself was a wealthy expertise that allowed us to expertise gratitude in being collectively dwell, after a number of conferences held just about in response to Covid.
As an outgoing board member of the IPPA Positive Health and Wellbeing Division, I skilled gratitude for the companies of the 2 award winners, Dr. Karen Garman, MAPP, and Dr. Sarah Pressman. It was a pleasure to look at them current their work after which see them honored for his or her contributions to Constructive Well being, by outgoing division president, Dr. Joel Milam.
Dr. Garman’s discuss title was, “It made a distinction for that one,” referring to the story of the boy on the seaside tossing starfish again within the water. Dr. Pressman spoke in regards to the therapeutic energy of smiling. Each contributed to my sense of hope for the long run.
Hope
Hope is about anticipating one thing optimistic. It includes being future minded. One of many excessive level moments round hope for me was the wealthy international analysis introduced by Dr. Helena Agueda Marujo from Portugal and Dr. Andreas Krafft from Switzerland on the session, Hope Across Cultures: Lessons from the International Hope Barometer.
The 2 audio system are concerned in shut collaborations on hope throughout continents. Their work integrates views from psychology, philosophy, and theology. They’ve developed a novel idea and mannequin of hope supported by empirical knowledge. They’re each devoted to advancing this vital imaginative and prescient and sharing their provocative iterative analysis by way of an open-source journal (see references beneath). I consider this journal priming goodness, peace, and hope on the planet.
Humor
Laughing collectively
There have been many alternatives for enjoyable, play, and lightness throughout the convention. Humor can deepen our studying whereas contributing to social interactions, optimistic relationships, and progress towards larger objectives. In reality, humor was not onerous to seek out at this culturally numerous occasion. Through the night celebration, there was enjoyable, dancing, and laughter whereas proficient presenters sang and performed stunning music, a few of it spoofing widespread songs. It jogged my memory of Sarah Pressman’s feedback in regards to the science of smiling.
Spirituality
Cultivation of spirituality advances which means, objective, life calling, optimistic beliefs in regards to the universe, and the expression of advantage and goodness.
Sundown
Dr. Ryan Niemiec led the division assembly for the IPPA Spirituality Division. This standing room solely session featured leaders displaying developments on this rising discipline. Dr. Dan Tomasulo led actions that concerned significant conversations, humor, and deep, profound insights for the viewers.
Abstract
There was an abundance of magnificence, excellence, gratitude, hope, humor, and spirituality on the IPPA World Congress 2023. For me, it was a excessive level of private {and professional} transcendence. I’m nonetheless vibrating from the goodness of studying, being with pricey associates, assembly new associates, being impressed, being seen, and caring about one another and our shared humanity.
References
Marujol, H. A., Velez, M. J., Gonçalves, S. P., Neto, L. M., Krafft, A. M., & Cassais, M. (2021). The value of hope: Validation of the perceived hope scale in the Portuguese population. Present Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02115-6
A. M. Krafft, T. Guse, & A Slezackova, editors. Hope Across Cultures: Lessons from the International Hope Barometer. Open entry journal.
Niemiec, R. M. (2024). The Mindfulness and Character Strengths Workbook. Hogrefe.
Passmore, H.-A. & Holder, M. D. (2017). Noticing nature: Particular person and social advantages of a two-week intervention. Journal of Constructive Psychology, 12, 537-546. https://doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126.
Tomasulo, D. (2020). Realized Hopefulness: The Energy of Positivity to Overcome Melancholy. New Harbinger Publications.
UCI Press Release (2015). When You’re Smiling. Story about Sarah Pressman’s analysis.
Picture Credit
Vancouver Conference Middle by Elaine O’Brien
Coffee Cup Photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Laughing together by Siviwe Kapteyn on Unsplash
Sundown by Elaine O’Brien
