Common Barriers to Well-Being and How the Pandemic Exacerbated Negative Trends
- Prior to Pandemic- rates of depression, anxiety, and social isolation upward trends
- Impact of pandemic and large-scale social unrest on mental health
- Considerations for additional barriers to well-being - the negativity bias and hedonic adaptation
Positive Psychology Lense of the Impact of Positive Emotional States on Health, Relationships, Creativity, and Job Performance
- Research on the positive impact of positive emotional states on various domains- psychological, physical, and social functioning
- Help clients have stronger relationships, better physical health, and greater job performance
Key Skills for Increasing Happiness and Well-Being
Key brain regions linked to well-being, and how positive neuroplasticity can help strengthen these areas
Positive psychological research related to- prefrontal cortex, the limbic system, and the release of oxytocin and dopamine
Techniques for clients to increase happiness:
- Awe
- Gratitude
- Compassion-based approaches
- Savoring
- Psychological richness
Strategies for enhancing well-being and provide easy to use skills that can be incorporated into treatment


