Positive Psychology

Unlike traditional psychology that focuses more on the causes and symptoms of mental illnesses and emotional disturbances, positive psychology emphasizes traits, thought patterns, behaviors, and experiences that are forward-looking and can help improve the quality of a person’s day-to-day life. These may include optimism, spirituality, hopefulness, gratitude, happiness, creativity, perseverance, justice, meaning and purpose, as well as the practice of free will. It is an exploration of one’s strengths, rather than one’s weaknesses. The goal of positive psychology is not to replace those traditional forms of therapy that center on negative experiences, but instead to expand and give more balance to the therapeutic process. The idea is not so focused on fixing what is bad in life but rather focusing on what is good—the positives.