Miriam Akhtar MAPP

Positive Psychology for Overcoming Depression; Self-help Strategies for Happiness, Inner Strength & Well-being

www.positivepsychologytraining.co.uk

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Chapters

• The Positive Approach to Depression

• The Positive Psychology Story of Happiness

• Positive Emotions: The Upward Spiral to Well-being

• Savoring the Moment

• The Attitude of Gratitude

• Meditation: the Mindful Approach

• Learning Optimism: Self-defence for the mind

• Resilience: Road to Recovery

• Positive Connections: Other People Matter

• Vitality: Mind, Body & Spirit

• Strengths: You at Your Best

• Positive Directions: Moving Forward

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The Positive Psychology of

Positive Emotions

Past Present Future

Satisfaction

Contentment

Fulfillment

Pride

Serenity

Gratitude

Joy

Calm

Zest

Bliss

Pleasure

Ecstasy

Curiosity

Inspiration

Elation

Love

Hope

Optimism

Faith

Trust

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Well-being is… Positive Emotion

Engagement

Relationships Meaning

Accomplishment

The PERMA Model, Seligman, 2011 4

Flourishing is…

…high well-being

Mental disorder Languishing Moderate health Flourishing

The mental health spectrum (Huppert, 2005) 5

What is Flourishing?

‘Adults with complete mental health are flourishing in life with high levels of well-being. To be flourishing, then, is to be filled with positive emotion and to be functioning well psychologically and socially.

Adults with incomplete mental health are languishing in life with low well-being. Thus languishing may be conceived of as emptiness and stagnation, constituting a life of quiet despair that parallels accounts of individuals who describe themselves and life as “hollow,” ”empty,” “a shell”, and “a void” (Keyes, 2002, p210).’

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Flourishing is…

Core Features Additional Features

Positive emotions

Engagement, interest

Meaning, purpose

Self-esteem

Optimism

Resilience

Vitality

Self-determination

Positive Relationships

Huppert, 2009

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Negative v Positive

Emotions

• Stop!

• Long

• Heavy

• Go Ahead!

• Short

• Light

Negativity Bias 8

Positive Emotion Negative Emotion

Low Energy

High Energy

Inspired

Optimistic

Confident

Engaged

Eager

Excited

Enthusiastic

Proud

Happy

Stimulated

Astonished

Angry

Annoyed

Fearful

Frustrated

Impatient

Defensive

Irritable

Worried

Anxious

Incensed

Envious

Exhausted

Sad

Depressed

Empty

Hopeless

Tired

Carefree

Calm

Peaceful

Mellow

Relieved

Serene

At Ease

Performance

Burnout

Relaxation

Survival

Adapted from Averill (1997), Larsen & Diener (1992),

Loehr & Schwartz, (2003)

© Positive Psychology Masterclass

Emotions & Energy

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Serve an evolutionary purpose - narrow thought-

action repertoires - prepare for fight or flight.

Negative emotions help survival.

‘I will survive!’

Negative Emotions

© Fredrickson, 2005

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Positive Emotions

…open you up to new thoughts, behaviour

and people.

• Change the way your mind works

• Put the brakes on negativity

• Transform you & your future

• Create upwards spirals

• You can increase your positivity

Positive emotions help you to thrive

© Positive Psychology Masterclass

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Broaden range of thoughts and action

- Help you to think more flexibly, creatively

and productively

Build resources that you can draw on later

Build resilience

Undo the effects of negativity like your

inner reset button eg. how laughter provides

light relief from difficulty

Positive Emotions…

Broaden, Build & Undo

Barbara

Fredrickson’s

Broaden & Build Theory of

Positive Emotions 12

What feels goods does you good…

Joy leads to an urge to play, push the limits and be creative

Interest causes a desire to seek out new information, to explore the world & expand the self

Contentment is a prompt to savor and integrate new perspectives

Pride helps you think big

Elevation inspires you to become better

Love makes you want to share and explore with others, plus all of the above….

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Broaden & Build Functions of

Positive Emotions © Fredrickson, 2005

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3:1 = Flourishing

2:1 = Languishing

<1:1 = Depression

The Positivity Ratio:

Positive to Negative Emotions

Losada & Fredrickson, 2005 15

• Emotional well-being is like travelling in a boat

• Illness is like crashing into a rock.

• When resilience is low, this is more likely to happen.

Positive Emotions in Resilience

© Chris Johnstone, Find Your Power,

2nd edition, 2010 16

Raising the level of positive emotions means you don’t crash into the rocks as often and are more able to sail through life’s tough times

Positive Emotions in Resilience

© Chris Johnstone, Find Your

Power, 2nd edition, 2010

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Any Questions?

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Positivity

raises and recovers well-being …

A major symptom of depression is low positivity. Positive Psychology’s evidence-based tools increase positivity but also:

• Protect from depression

• Overcome milder cases of depression

• Relieve residual symptoms of major depression

• Prevent relapse into depression

• Take you from surviving to thriving

Flickr. Creative Commons

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Cultivating Positive Emotions

• Be open, approach with lightness of touch – don’t pressurise

• Create a mindset of positivity

• Accept fleeting nature of positive emotions

• Keep a balance and accept negative emotions

• Engage wholeheartedly with positive experiences

• Find the positive meaning

• What’s going right in life?

• Identify what you love doing and do it!

• Quantity rather than quality counts

Photo: National Garden Bureau

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Coaching for Positivity

Aim: To increase positive emotions, helping

the client to spiral upwards towards a state

of flourishing.

Tipping point is the Positivity Ratio – 3:1

positive to negative emotions.

Coaching to overcome the negativity bias

Frequency of positive emotion counts more

than quality.

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From the Latin sapere, which means “to taste”, “to have good tastes” or “to be wise”

Savoring is

“the capacity to attend to,

appreciate and enhance the

positive experiences in

one’s life.” Bryant & Veroff,2007

What for: To maximise a positive experience and overcome the negativity bias

Savoring

© Positive Psychology Masterclass 22

Basking, Marvelling, Relishing,

Luxuriating, Cherishing,

Feasting, Treasuring, Revelling

Savoring comes in many forms…

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Savoring in all its senses…

• Picture this. Feast your eyes on some wonder or beauty…

• The sound of music, rain against the window, birdsong…

• Relish the fragrance of flowers, coffee, freshly-cut grass, perfume…

• The taste of a ripe mango, creamy brie, a Sauvignon blanc…

• Luxuriate in the feel of a massage, warm bath, enjoy a hug, stroke a pet…

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Savoring is a process; not an outcome.

Something we do; not something that happens.

Requires your active engagement

• Slow down

• Attend to intently, use all senses

• Stretch out the experience

• Reflect on the sources of enjoyment

How to savor… 4 stepping stones

© Positive Psychology Masterclass 25

Past: Positive Reminiscence

Present: Savoring the moment.

Future: Relishing the Anticipation

How to Savor: 3 Time Orientations

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Positive Reminiscence

Ask client to reflect on a positive experience.

Open questions directed to the positive

• What was good about it?

• What was the best bit?

• What qualities/strengths did you demonstrate?

• Can use memory prompts eg. photos, awards.

Builds resilience post-setback by reflecting on past achievements, boosting well-being. Reminiscence used as therapy for older people.

Tip:- Can be something to journal about, reliving the memory in its full glory.

© Positive Psychology Masterclass 27

what is good in my life?

what am I grateful for?

what went well?

Three Good Things

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“A felt sense of wonder, thankfulness and appreciation for life.”

• Practising gratitude associated with increased positive emotions happiness, life satisfaction, optimism, hope, enthusiasm, energy, spirituality, forgiveness. And decreased depression, anxiety, loneliness, envy, neuroticism and materialism (Emmons, 2007).

Three good things.

Gratitude journal.

Gratitude letter/visit.

Gratitude

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Resources

miriam@positivepsychologytraining.co.uk

www.positivepsychologytraining.co.uk

CD/Download at

www.happinesstrainingplan.com 30