PROFESSIONAL

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
DIPLOMA

By Karen E. Wells
Professional Positive Psychology Diploma
 Copyright

Copyright © 2019 Karen. E. Wells

Cover and internal design © 2019 Karen. E. Wells

All rights reserved. No part of this course may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems – except in the case of
brief quotations in articles or reviews – without the permission in writing from its publisher,
Karen E. Wells.

All brand names and product names used in this course are trademarks, registered trademarks, or
trade names of their respective holders. We are not associated with any product or vendor in this
course.
 Table of Contents
Contents
Copyright .................................................................................................................................... 3
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 4
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 5
Module One .................................................................................................................................... 7
The Psychology of Happiness..................................................................................................... 7
Module One .................................................................................................................................. 11
Self-Assessment Tasks.............................................................................................................. 11
Module Two .................................................................................................................................. 13
Neurotransmitters ...................................................................................................................... 13
Module Two .................................................................................................................................. 19
Self-Assessment Tasks.............................................................................................................. 19
Module Three ................................................................................................................................ 20
Healthy Emotions...................................................................................................................... 20
Module Three ................................................................................................................................ 29
Self-Assessment Tasks.............................................................................................................. 29
Module Four.................................................................................................................................. 30
Developing Resistance .............................................................................................................. 30
Module Four.................................................................................................................................. 36
Self-Assessment Tasks.............................................................................................................. 36
Final Reflections ........................................................................................................................... 37
About Karen E. Wells ................................................................................................................... 38

 Introduction

Welcome to this course all about positive psychology. It will help you to increase your
awareness and understanding of the human mind. If you are a trained counsellor, this will aid
your ability to understand and help others. If you wish to use the information within for personal
development, you may do so. Either way, the course will provide a unique insight into the
essentials of positive psychology.

Within these pages, we consider the importance of mindset. This is an essential component to
life and to change. There is no doubt that positive thinking vs negative thinking is paramount,
and we must understand that our thoughts have the power to work for or against us in life.
Equally, our thoughts can lead to unhealthy behaviours and impact our ability to be happy and
healthy. As part of positive psychology, we must learn to understand the needs and desires of
people generally and to see how they can achieve their goals in life.

Psychology is the study of the mind and there are many sub-fields to explore. It may be deemed
a fairly new science as much of the progression within this field of study has evolved during the
last 150 years. However, it is a science with growing interest as we begin to understand the
complexities of the mind.

Psychology has a broad scope investigating emotions, learning, memory, motivation, language,
personalities, perception, sensation, memory, behaviour, development, mental illness,
intelligence and so on.

Positive psychology is important and through its lens, we take a close look at our need to find
happiness. We look at emotions, mood, thoughts and feelings and how to develop resilience
against the difficulties of life. Of course, we must include mental health issues such as
depression too as this affects people’s abilities to feel contented within themselves and can cost
lives too. We must also consider stress and the stress response and the importance of cognitive
behavioural therapy (CBT).

We all know that happiness can be frustratingly elusive, so, to be able to help others or ourselves
to achieve an inner sense of contentment, we must consider how to overcome any stumbling
blocks. This is important. We all have a deep desire to achieve our true potential and to make life
as rewarding as it can be. To do this, we must learn how to off-set self-imposed limitations as
these can be surprisingly powerful…even life-changing.

Happiness is subjective. Each person is governed by a unique set of goals or needs and so, this
makes positive psychology highly interesting and varied. This course studies how and why we
can improve life through the search for happiness and, what makes life worth living on an
individual level.

At the end of each module, there are a series of self-help assessments which help to consolidate
the information given here. Take your time with this course so to ensure full comprehension
before utilising these skills.
 Module One
The Psychology of Happiness

Happiness is an internalised experience. It does not need to be expressed to be experienced, it is

just there. It is also very difficult to measure. We understand that happiness brings positivity into
a person’s life and this leads us on to positive and negative affect. Happiness is of great contrast
to what is termed as a ‘negative affect’.

A positive affect is a term used in psychology and is:

An internal feeling which occurs when an objective is achieved. It is also when the cause of
danger is avoided or simply when an individual is happy with their situation.

By contrast, a negative affect is used to explain:

The internal emotions or feelings following personal failure of a task or goal. Or, where a task
was complete but less successfully than standard. This creates feelings of negativity more so if
the activity was within an individual’s area of preference or scope.

We must consider why a specific situation might make one person feel happy as opposed to
another, we must look at that person’s goals and their deeply-rooted needs. Money may improve
one person’s situation and indeed, make them happy, while others embrace the simplistic aspects
of life and will feel just as contented as a result.

There is a reason as to why we want to be happy. It’s an integral need. We need to feel that there
is pleasure in life and so, the positive elements must outweigh the negatives. In psychology,
positivity and success are often interlinked. This makes sense. Feelings associated with
accomplishment will bring positive emotional rewards – satisfaction, relief and usually,
happiness.

Happiness is also linked to longevity. Health improves when feeling content, when stress is
managed, and life is successful. Add regular exercise into the equation and the potential for
happiness improves. There are many things that can contribute to feelings of happiness including
having deep, meaningful connections with others, family relationships, and providing and
receiving random acts of kindness.

Gratitude can enhance the happiness experience, and this is an aspect that we need to consider
more deeply.

Gratitude

Gratitude can have duel meanings. It is of course, a positive emotion and it serves a purpose.
Within positive psychology, gratitude represents more than being thankful, it equates to a deep
level of appreciation which can be aimed at someone or something. Gratitude is a positive
emotion and includes gratefulness, praise, recognition, responsiveness, being thankful and
appreciative.

There are two stages of gratitude.

In the first instance, gratitude can be deemed as a knowledge of something good. Once within
this state of gratitude, we naturally become more positive. We feel grateful that something good
has happened and once in this state of being, it becomes easier to feel positive and to be open to
new things in life. We feel happy to be alive. Life is good but, gratitude can go beyond this. It is
also about recognising aspects of goodness not connected to us and can instead, be redirected
towards others or even to the world generally.

In fact, gratitude can be used in many ways. We can use it to connect with others so to build
upon new social relationships. We can use gratitude as a way of measuring existing relationships
helping us to see the best in others. We can use gratitude as a way of helping others.

It is all too easy to feel overwhelmed with negativity especially if life becomes hard but, instead,
if the focus is on sending out positive energy and, appreciating the good things in life, we can
truly seize the day.

Gratitude is selfless.

When we extend help to others, we do so unconditionally. This means we do not want anything
by return but even the act of offering help can increase our own sense of happiness. It may make
others feel a sense of gratitude too. Gratitude can be contagious. When you help others, this has a
ripple effect outwards as they then help others and so on. It can also be used as a method for
healing and recovery…. even after serious or stressful events. As an example of this, during
illness, it is all too easy to harbour negative thoughts and to feel fearful, your thoughts turn
inwards, and anxiety can take over. There is often a great deal of focus on the negative elements
in life. We become caught up in the cycle of damaging thoughts rather than to see the way
forward with clarity of mind. When you embrace gratitude – perhaps noticing a slight
improvement, or realising, that any situation could have been so much worse, it provides a
stepping stone to recovery.

We can even feel gratitude for the release of tears as they help with emotions and deeply-rooted
pain. We can be grateful for releasing feelings of guilt or anger or love. We can be grateful for
the emotional intelligence of recognising sadness and letting grief pour from us. Or, about
viewing a situation with honesty, integrity and clarity so to move on from it.

So, gratitude can be a trait or, a state of mind.

When used regularly, gratitude provides a positive element to life and improves life for others
too. In this way, it can be considered a strength. For anyone wishing to strengthen interpersonal
relationships, gratitude is a great resource to use. Those who embrace gratitude are more likely to
forgive and forget and less likely to be self-centred or even, narcissistic. Genuinely be grateful
and thanking others who have helped in some way will strengthen those bonds.
 Module One
Self-Assessment Tasks

Task:

What is gratitude? Explain this in your own words.

Task:

Consider how you could invite gratitude into your own life

Task:

How can you introduce others to gratitude?

Task:
Keep a gratitude journal by your bed and make a note of everything that impacts your life in a
good way. You can also help others to do the same if you so wish and then, the whole family and
network of friends can be grateful for all the good elements of life.

Please note that these questions are to help consolidate the information within, so do not send to
Kew Solutions.
 Module Two
Neurotransmitters

If you have studied the brain and neurotransmitters previously, you will understand what they are
and their importance in respect of emotions. Simply put, they are chemical messengers i.e. a
chemical substance released at the end of a nerve fibre as a result of a nerve impulse. This
process transfers impulses to other nerve fibres imparting information to the nerve cells next to
them. Neurotransmitters also influence chemical production within the neuron.

Neurons are a vital part of the nervous system and are fundamental to life. Cells receive sensory
input and send motor commands to the muscles of the body. They interact with other cell types
(glia).

Neurotransmitters have always been associated with the nervous system, but research indicates
that the immune system is also interconnected with neurotransmitters communicating to them. In
fact, neurotransmitters bind to immune cells and do alter the activity of those cells. Once
activated, immune cells release neurotransmitters.

Imbalances of the immune system can lead to:

 • Brain fog
• Fatigue
• Headaches or migraines
• Obesity
• Mood disorders
• Hormonal problems
• Anxiety
• Behavioural problems or addictions
• Localised pain

Major neurotransmitters are glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Glutamate is an

excitatory neurotransmitter and GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter and as with all things in
life, a healthy balance is required. Glutamate plays an essential role when it comes to learning
however, when levels are too high, there can be negative implications and, neurons can die as a
result. As an example of this, consider toxic glutamate levels being instrumental in a stroke.
Arteries that would normally bring in a fresh supply of nutrients shut down due to the clot, but
this results in neurons dying. Once cells have died, glutamate is released from within and this
also kills surrounding neurons.

GABA plays an important role in happiness and well-being too. If levels are low, people often
feel a sense of anxiety. Medications – including Valium typically prescribed for anxiety
sufferers, will stimulate GABA receptors. Levels can also be increased naturally due to
increasing daily exercise. So, a healthy approach does work.

Other neurotransmitters that play a vital role include: serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.

• Serotonin has calming qualities but is useful for the elevation of mood.
• Norepinephrine is important for energy and for alertness
• Dopamine is vital for pleasure, for motivation and for attention.

For anyone who suffers from feelings of depression, it means that the levels of these three
important neurotransmitters will have dropped but glutamate levels will have risen.
In addition, brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) will reduce and the nerve cells will begin
to deteriorate and die. By contrast, when the BDNF levels start to increase, nerve cells can thrive.
Nerve fibres branch out and connect with other nerve fibres. This chemical is important for the
production of new neurons.

For any individual who has been suffering from long-term stressors (chronic stress) or, if
suffering from chronic pain or, from depression, it is likely that BDNF levels will have dropped.
This change can also impact both frontal cortex and the hippocampus shrinking them in size.

To clarify, think of neurotransmitters (the brain’s chemicals) as similar to hormones. In fact,

some hormones double up as a neurotransmitter.

Note: Norepinephrine is an alternative name for noradrenaline and epinephrine is really

adrenaline.

Neurotransmitters play a significant role in emotional stability but are also interconnected to
learning, energy or fatigue, hunger and will impact state of mind too. Neurotransmitters can
affect neuronal activity thereby increasing or decreasing activity throughout the brain or
potentially targeting specific regions.

Neurons can be considered representatives of experiences, ideas and memories too and once they
ignite - as a result of tiny electrical impulses, they will impact mood and feelings. Some neurons
may represent a memory, another neuron – once fired could create symptoms of pain in a
specific part of the body. It is not known how many neurotransmitters there are - as it is
impossible to measure this but there are hundreds of different types of neurotransmitters and
these are typically divided into four groups, classification is dependent upon them molecular
structure.

These include:

Amino acids – although there are different types of amino acids not all act as neurotransmitters.
These include GABA, glutamate, aspartic acid and glycine.

Peptides – these include vasopressin, somatostatin and neurotensin which are larger molecules
than other types.

Monoamines – these include norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. These are molecules are
called biogenic-amines.

Initially, they are carried within sacs similar to small bubbles and communication occurs through
tiny electrical signals and these are known as action potentials. As a result, electrical charges can
bridge the gaps between the neurons known as the synapse.

Note: A nerve cell is divided into three distinct components which include a nucleus, dendrite
and Axon. The dendrite receives information while the Axon emits data.

In addition to the electrical charge, the neurotransmitters are released from the neuron and will
then connect with another. Receptors will only receive certain neurotransmitters that have a
similar structure to themselves. So, a GABA receptor will only be affected by GABA. Some
areas of the brain are only going to respond to specific neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters work in various ways and will have different impacts on the brain and the
body. As a prime example, adenosine is a neurotransmitter but one that is a waste product from
brain activity and this increases throughout the day. As a result, there may be an increase of brain
fog or fatigue. In addition, melatonin is regulated by light and so, in the evening or as it becomes
dark, the brain will naturally release melatonin so to suppress activity. As GABA is the
inhibitory neurotransmitter, this works to reduce activity throughout the brain so to incite sleep.
Neurotransmitters play a vital role in life and serotonin and oxytocin help us to experience
feelings of love and indeed, euphoria. All neuro transmitters once released from by the brain will
attach themselves to the appropriate receptors and as a result, can impact our perception.

When neurotransmitters go wrong

Neurotransmitters should work in balance and regulate behaviour, aid learning, relaxation and
focus etc. When something goes wrong with the neurotransmitters, this can have negative
implications also leading towards mental health problems. Insomnia, depression are just too
conditions which can be partially explained by an imbalance of the neurotransmitters.

Neurotransmitters are important and without them, information cannot be passed throughout the
brain and body. To emphasise this, understand that neurotransmitters are used to ensure that you
breathe and that your heart beats, in addition, they affect your weight, concentration levels, mood
and sleep. Therefore, it is important for the neurotransmitters to be in balance.

Stress can also have a negative impact on neurotransmitter function and levels. In addition, your
thoughts can also play a significant role on neurotransmitter health. When your thoughts are
mainly positive, these promote good health. They help to build resilience, and to adapt mentally
and physically to changes.

For happiness

Dopamine is produced from the amino acid tyrosine. This amino acid can be gained through
choosing protein-rich foods. Dopamine has inhibitory and excitatory elements. Consider
dopamine to be a vital component for reward-driven behaviour. Whenever you utilise a reward
system perhaps as a way of compensating for hard work, studying exams etc. you increase the
level of dopamine within the brain. But equally, to ensure an increase of dopamine, you can also
set strategic goals and achieve them. This will have a positive impact. To become less inhibited
and more extroverted, setting goals and determining to achieve in life can improve dopamine
levels.

Oxytocin is a hormone interlinked with feelings of trust and loyalty and research indicates that
high levels are interconnected with romantic feelings. As an example, if two people who are
involved need to be separated for a specific period, the lack of connection starts to reduce
oxytocin, and this increases the need within to see each other and to bond with them. In positive
psychology, we might deem that face-to-face contact, intimacy and affection are the key to
happiness.
 Note: Working out in a group setting can release oxytocin.

Endorphins- these are produced by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus during exercise and
sexual intercourse. They have analgesic properties – so are natural pain killers and are often
known as self-produced morphine. Acupuncture can also be used to successfully increase levels
of endorphins.

GABA-as an inhibitor creates slows down neurons. It can be increased through meditation,
relaxation or through yoga.

Serotonin-is often known as the confidence molecule. To increase serotonin levels, setting and
completing a challenge really works. Success improves self-worth but can also lead to a sense of
belonging. This aids any sense of accomplishment, purpose and meaning.

Adrenaline-this plays a significant role in the stress response and once released, creates a surge
of energy. It increases the heart rate, blood pressure and reduces blood flow within the blood
vessels which are less important. It increases the flow of blood to larger muscles making it easier
to escape from dangerous situations.

Acetylcholine – this is important for learning, memory, sleep and involuntary movement but low
levels are also associated with depression. Where there are low levels within the hippocampus,
this is connected to dementia. Healthy neurotransmitters enable positive thinking, reduced
anxiety and clarity of mind.

It is important to strive for healthy chemical balance.


Module Two
Self-Assessment Tasks

Task:

Explain your understanding of neurotransmitters

Task:

What is dopamine and how will fluctuating levels impact mood?

Please note that these questions are to help consolidate the information within, so do not send to
Kew Solutions.
 Module Three
Healthy Emotions

Good emotional health is an essential key in the aim for happiness and well-being generally. It is
connected to thoughts, feelings and behaviours too. When emotions are healthy, people tend to
feel good about who they are, they develop strong relationships fairly readily and can cope with
stressors in life. Obstacles are more easily overcome.

There are many things that can interrupt emotional health and well-being.

• Losing a job
• Grieving
• Getting divorced
• Getting married
• Empty nest syndrome – when a child leaves home.
• Illness
• Injury
• Financial problems
• Job promotion
• Moving home
• Pregnancy or giving birth etc.

There is no doubt that the physical body responds to stress and to emotions generally.
Headaches, IBS, or high blood pressure for example. Understanding the correlation between
emotions and health is an important part of positive psychology. It’s important to recognise the
emotions experienced and to consider why they are occurring. Stress, anxiety or sadness can
easily manifest very real physical issues but, unresolved, they are likely to cause more harm.
Good communication with trusted friends or family members help to deal with any raw
emotions. This is important for balance but if this is not possible, communicating with a therapist
or a doctor in a professional capacity can help too.

Life is all about balance. It is about not obsessing over problems and dealing with stressors as
they occur. It is not about putting on a brave face when it comes to difficult situations, emotions
need to be expressed and examined. A journal is useful when there is no one to talk to as this at
least affords the ability to recognise and to deal with difficult thoughts and feelings.

Journaling is a technique often used in cognitive behavioural therapy and this is a useful
resource to consider.

Calming the mind

These days, there is a real need to calm the mind and of course, the body too. In positive
psychology there are known benefits to using meditation, guided visualisation techniques or
yoga.

When emotional health is not considered sufficiently, it can have a detrimental impact on the
body’s immune system. When this happens, it is easy to succumb to poor health – infections or
the common cold for example. Stress also plays a significant role in reducing the immune system
and if emotions are not explored and problems resolved, then, the negative effects can be
considerable.

When emotional health is under pressure, an individual may feel lethargic. Mood will be low.
There may be less importance placed on eating healthy foods or, perhaps turning to alcohol,
smoking, or, drugs as coping mechanisms.
Other emotion-related health indicators include:

• Chest pain
• Back pain
• Loss of appetite
• Eating too much
• High blood pressure
• Insomnia
• Aches and pains
• Fatigue
• Constipation or diarrhoea
• Palpitations
• Stiff neck etc.

Depression

Depression is a serious illness. There are many levels to depression, and it is commonly
experienced. The symptoms can be considerable and as an illness, it can destroy lives. Although,
as a mood disorder, it may not sound serious, the feelings can be intense and include a very real
lack of interest in life generally. There is often a deep sense of sadness, of isolation and, if
unchecked, it can lead towards suicidal feelings. When this emotional state lasts more than two
weeks, it can be called a depressive episode.

There are many reasons as to why depression can occur.

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Anxiety
• Stress or trauma
• Hormonal changes i.e. menopause
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
• Bipolar disorder
 • Postpartum depression
• Premenstrual disorder

The symptoms of depression:

• Low moods
• Feeling hopeless
• Intense sadness
• Irritability
• Lack of interest
• Insomnia
• Sleeping too much
• Fatigue
• Thoughts of suicide

Although a chemical imbalance of the brain needs to be corrected, scientific research does
conclude that positive thinking will help to lift the negative implications of depression. This
should be considered an add-on to treatment because depression naturally leads to negative
thoughts and feelings so this must be deemed work in progress.

The principles of positive psychology can be applied to all aspects of emotional health. There is
often a tendency to lean towards the negative elements that occur in life rather than to embrace
gratitude or to look for the positive. Psychologists are trying to correct this imbalance by
considering just what helps people to thrive.

The aim is of course to focus more on the positive elements but, it is equally important to
consider both negative and neutral aspects. Understanding mood is a key element in positive
psychology. We discussed earlier ‘positive and negative affect’ and if an individual is high in
positive affect, this does not automatically mean they would be low in negative effect. In other
words, these are two different elements to consider.

To help overcome and to correct emotional imbalance – especially where depression occurs,
research indicates that by increasing positive emotions, it is possible to allay and to fight back
against some of the worst symptoms of depression. A counsellor can work with an individual
helping to change mindset – this is where cognitive behavioural therapy is useful because it
works on understanding and improving thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Improving positive emotions as well as practising gratitude has been shown to improve well-
being generally and this again, increases the potential to reduce depressive episodes or to recover
more quickly. This is very much dependent on the actual cause of depression.

Although an increase of positive emotions does not automatically eradicate all reduce negative
emotions, it can help to reduce symptoms associated with sadness or lethargy. It may also
enhance coping skills and build up resilience. This is another factor that we will discuss later.

Negative thoughts

It has long been considered that when negative thoughts and erratic emotions are the norm, the
brain is reprogrammed to behave in specific ways. This works the same in reverse of course.
When positive thoughts and balanced emotions become the norm, the brain is reprogrammed to
behave in a calm way which is much healthier.

From this, we can see that it is all about correcting the way we think and behave so that we turn
to more positive ways of being.

When we think negatively, we are often guilty of running our own inner dialogue. This can be
hugely damaging on life generally. As there are thousands of thoughts going through the mind
each day, you can imagine the harm that negative thoughts can do. Consider times when you
have felt unable to achieve in life. You may have let a job opportunity go because you felt you
were not good enough or not turned up to the interview because fear go the better of you. In an
emotional sense, you may have walked away from a potential relationship as you doubted this
person could love you. These are strong but negative emotions and, unresolved, they can reduce
your ability to achieve your true potential in life. You are not your thoughts or feelings and yet,
they really can shape how you act and behave. Trying to correct any bombardment of thoughts
and turning negativity towards positivity, takes time. But with awareness, it is possible.

We often focus on the negative elements in life. Sometimes, life shapes us this way. If there is
one dramatic or difficult situation after another, no wonder we start to fear the worst. But it is
when we become embroiled within these types of negative fears that it can take a grip on us. We
become immersed within this cycle of doubt and fear and this leads to anxiety and even panic
attacks. Although it is important to resolve any inner fears or anxieties and to understand
fluctuating emotions, this process needs to be clear because if the focus is negative in intent, this
can escalate negativity.

Consider the stress response, if we see danger, we act instinctively. We try to run or defend
ourselves. This is important because in a life-threatening situation, it is paramount to be able to
react quickly. For most people, a stressful situation is not going to be life-threatening. But it may
hurt us emotionally and it may shape behaviours. If we allow the mind to run riot and to focus on
the negative implications of any situation, we can become caught up in it. We may even start to
see the situation through a false perspective because we are overwhelmed with anger or hot
emotion. Thoughts may become muddled. This too can cause problems.

The stress response is meant to save lives however, many people live their lives constantly under
the shadow of stress and the stress response is heightened and consistent for days, weeks and
even months. This constantly being on alert, is dangerous to both mind and the body.
If we change this and deal with stressors and then, focus on positive emotions such as deep
intense joy, feelings or contentment and of course, love, we open the mind and body to greater
possibilities. This means that positive emotions are broadened.

The biggest benefit to thinking positively is that it enables the build-up of vital skills and
resources which can be used in every aspect of life. These build the foundation of change and
success. Negative emotions will do the exact opposite.

Meditation

It is worth mentioning the benefits of meditation. Research indicates that those who meditate
daily usually have far greater positive emotions than those who do not. Meditation also help to
develop long-term coping skills. It is easier to step back from a difficult situation shaping the
stress response to a more favourable one because there is greater space between thoughts. Using
a journal to write about positive experiences daily will also aid this process. It lifts mood and
helps to release any deep emotions – effectively stopping them from festering within. It may
even help to reduce illnesses.

Meditation opens us up to the potential to see the good in others and to recognise the good in
ourselves. We have more time, we are calmer, and we can create time for the simple pleasures in
life. It’s not about opting out from the day to day demands but scheduling them effectively.
Because life can be so stressful, we often forget that it’s okay to smile and to have fun.

When we use the term positive thinking, it has very real implications. It’s not just about
happiness but it’s about the ability to develop and explore new options.

Clearing negative energy

Most people have many more negative thoughts than they may realise. Each thought whether
positive or negative creates energy. So, every thought, every belief and every word or sentence
uttered will send out a corresponding vibration. If you can harness this, and work on creating
positive energy instead, you will start to feel that life becomes more simplistic and will feel
better about doing something positive.

If your mind is filled with self-limiting thoughts i.e. I won’t succeed in my job interview’ the
chances are you will not do so. Any deep feelings of inadequacy can lead to your getting exactly
what you expect to get.

Negative thoughts simply drain you of energy. The more that negative thoughts exist, the
stronger they become.

It is important to break the cycle of the negative thoughts and events. In positive psychology,
awareness is a great starting point. When you realise that you are leaning more towards negative
thoughts and feelings, you can do something about it.

It is far better to experience any emotions, to understand them and to deal with them rather than
to repress them or to let them govern thoughts and behaviours going forward. It’s about taking
control. Sadly, it is all too easy to become stuck and held fast by old patterns of repression. If
you constantly focus on a negative event, or if the language you use or relay is negative, this only
serves to strengthen the connection between the negative emotions experienced and the scenario
in your brain. In reality, it locks you into a set of self-limiting beliefs.

Positive psychology

Rather than repeating negative experiences over and over in your mind, instead, use positive
psychology as this helps to disconnect from negative emotions and to create space between the
event and the emotion itself.
Therapies such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can help with this. Once any deeply
rooted or repressed emotions are released, new understanding can emerge. It is important that
there is a new vision, a positive one replacing old negative thoughts. After all, it is all about
striving forward and developing healthier thought patterns, improved clarity of mind and greater
perception so that the way forward is a more positive one. Of course, any changes must be
reinforced. This means taking steps in the direction of these positive new goals or vision and
ensuring an ongoing and steady transformation to the person you want to be. Releasing
emotional baggage is vital.


Module Three
Self-Assessment Tasks

Task:

What are the symptoms of depression?

Task:

Why is awareness important when it comes to negative thinking?

Task:

What stressors can affect healthy emotions?

Please note that these questions are to help consolidate the information within, so do not send to
Kew Solutions.
 Module Four
Developing Resistance

In positive psychology, we talk about the importance of resilience. This simply means
developing ways of being able to adapt to the setbacks in life. Some people naturally bounce
back when something goes wrong in their lives, while others feel as if their life is falling apart
and they struggle to rebuild it.

When resilience is present, there is an inner strength which helps with the recovery from any
difficult situation. A lack of resilience can lead to someone feeling victimised, overwhelmed or,
having the inability to move away from the problem. This can be damaging to mind and body
because there is a fixation on the issue. The mind becomes overwhelmed with the problem.
Indeed, some may turn to unhealthy ways of coping such as substance abuse. Of course,
resilience does not deal with any problems. It does at least provide the ability to see beyond
them. There may have been times in your life when you have been so caught up in a situation
that you could barely think of nothing else. When you have resilience, you can see the bigger
picture. Yes, a situation is difficult, but there is life after this problem.

This attitude enables some enjoyment in life and to discover better ways to manage stress.

Adapting to adversity
Even with resilience, an individual will experience levels of grief, emotional pain or anger but
these are normal feelings and so, this is to be expected. Resilience doesn’t mean switching off
emotions but, it can help to protect from feelings of sadness, depression or even anxiety. To
become more resilient, it’s important to develop strong connections with others. This means
building positive relationships with not just family members but friends too. Building up a good
support network is vital. Every day becomes more meaningful which helps to offset the bad days
and enables you to progress forward in life.

Resilience means learning how to deal with difficult situations. It’s about gaining skills and
strategies and utilising them going forward. Resilience also means retaining a sense of
hopefulness. Even when life has been very difficult with a series of traumas, it is still important
to remain hopeful that the future is going to be easier and less pressured.

We often hold ourselves back in life – even without meaning to. By identifying behaviours and
of course, examining thought patterns, it’s possible to see whether self-limiting beliefs are
present. CBT also helps to overcome these types of behaviours leading towards a more positive
outcome. In positive psychology, it’s fair to say that any issues can be resolved once awareness
is present. With awareness come the determination to make changes and this leads to building up
the necessary layers of resilience as well.

Healthy patterns

Health and well-being must form the basic foundations of that person’s life. There’s no doubt
that a lack of sleep or poor nutrition is going to impact life on a considerable level. Poor sleep or
insomnia is going to create all sorts of issues. Muddled thoughts, tainted perceptions, lack of
focus and so on. Stress is difficult to deal with when sleep is evasive.

There are many stress management techniques which help to boost life on a day to day basis as
well as building resilience against stressors. Meditation, yoga, deep breathing techniques but
also, mindfulness. These are all very simple to include into even the busiest of schedules. It’s all
about being proactive and making a plan of action.

Mindfulness and meditation can be practiced morning and evening so to start and end the day on
a positive note. This alone is a healthy new behaviour and even 5-minutes each session forms the
foundations of change. Once this new pattern is in place, start to add mindfulness into the day at
other times. This simply means focussing all intent on the task at hand. Become aware of the task
in its entirely, or focus on your physical body, or tune into your emotional state. Mindfulness
walking enables a boost to fitness levels and enhances mood while also really experiencing the
moment. There is no doubt that mindfulness will boost resilience too.

Resilience means making a plan of action. It’s not about ignoring problems or burying them
deep within, but about understanding that there is a process of recovery whatever the situation.

There is no doubt that developing resilience is important.

When resilience is present, the obstacles of life present less as serious issues but perhaps, more
about challenges. Experiences – including mistakes, failures or successes are simply lessons in
life. Resilient people see experiences as an opportunity for change and for self-improvement.
There is less focus on the negative aspects but more on what has been learned.

In addition, when resilience is present, there is a strength and commitment to strive forward and
this means that the individual finds many reasons to get out of bed. They have a commitment to
life. They develop friends and have goals. They put energy into day to day living and focus.
They know life has much to offer. Studies into resilience have determined that these people place
their energy and effort into the areas where they can achieve. There is less worry about events
that may or may not happen. You could say that it is an inner confidence which allows them to
take life in their stride. They are likely to have a greater positive image of their future. They do
not just have goals to strive towards, they have a deep desire that fuels their journey to success.
They are likely to be compassionate people who understand the struggles of others however, they
will not waste time analysing the potential thoughts of others about themselves. Other people’s
considerations are not important. Importantly, when there is resilience, people to do not believe
that they are victims. Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they look at how they can change
situation and take control.

To help build resilience, consider personal thoughts and feelings. Do not worry about others,
instead, mindfully turn your attention inwards so that you can find out more about who you are
as a person and how you can improve life and achieve that all-elusive happiness.

Develop and practice thought awareness.

We have talked about the power of negativity. It is true that negative thoughts can impact self-
belief, actions and behaviours. So, it makes sense to be more positive instead. Instead of
worrying about what if, focus intent on the aspects that are known in life. Don’t waste energy. If
you find that inner dialogue continues, you need to look at the reason why. Find the source. What
is making you doubtful? Why are you embroiled within negative thoughts? What is stopping
your progression. Understanding helps progression.

Learning from mistakes

Resilient people learn from their mistakes. They know that there are lessons to be learned in
everything that occurs. They also choose their responses to situations wisely. After all, we all
have a choice as to how we respond to difficult situations. We may react negatively, or we can
face a situation with calmness and logic. Over-reacting to difficult situations is something that
most people do at some point in their lives. Afterwards, there may be feelings of regret. Instead
of worrying about a situation, those who are resilient take the lessons learned and determine to
review this stress response. Was a faulty perception the reason for over-reacting? Was the action
born out of fear or through facing a similar circumstance?
We all view situations based on our own interpretations and understanding. If you had ten people
facing the same situation, each person would have their own perception of it. This is because we
draw on our own experiences and we analyse the situation through a perspective unique to self.
In neuro linguistic programming, (NLP) we talk about the map of the world. This means that
each of us behave and think in a way that represents our personal map.

By having a clear mind and an ability to perceive a situation with clarity, this helps to avoid
emotive responses. This is especially beneficial if the situation does not warrant it. The stress
response is not activated and so, calmness and simple pleasures of life can continue.

Inside every resilient person is a deeply-rooted sense of self-confidence. If this is missing, if life
is a series of self-doubts, then this is only going to be self-harming and will create obstacles in
life. So, in positive psychology, the emphasis is on how can I be happy? What will make me
want to get out of bed each day? How can I be successful or, how can I feel contentment? The
answer will be different for everyone.

Having a sense of self enables a resilient person to keep striving forward. Those who can
develop strong connections with others are likely to be more resistant to feelings of stress.
Certainly, life will be happier once there is a sense of achievement and inner confidence is
present. Resilient people also go with the flow, they adapt and are flexible in life.

RAIN
 RAIN is an acronym used in counselling to help deal with difficult emotions. It is also used in
mindfulness and to help generate awareness. RAIN stands for:

§ Recognition
§ Acceptance
§ Investigation
§ Non-Identification

Recognition means being honest with yourself. Understand the emotions, experience them fully
and develop awareness – all without judgment. It is the time when you will notice negative
thought patterns or harmful thoughts about self. Consider this a mindful task where you search
for feelings deep within and recognise where emotional pain exists, examine physical sensations,
along with feelings.

Acceptance - this enables you to relax into any situation calmly and to be open to the situation as
is. You may wish that it were different but, there is an acceptance all the same. Do not make
acceptance passive. This does not mean accepting there are no alternatives. It just means that the
situation has occurred.

Investigation – this means noticing whether your body is changing to the situation. Are you
becoming tense? What sensations are you experiencing? Give your feelings a name. It doesn’t
matter if it is anger, state how you feel as this stops emotions from being buried within and to be
able to recognise them instead. Is there an area of the body that hurts? Our emotions are linked to
the physical body. Where is this feeling coming from? Are there corresponding anxieties?

Non-identification – This simply means non-attachment. If your experience is to do with failing

a job interview, it does not mean you are bad at interviews but, you were just not right for this
role. So, you see it as it is. If you attach meanings to something, it can affect your identity.

This is a useful acronym if you find yourself reacting to life in a negative way.

 Module Four
Self-Assessment Tasks

Task:

What does RAIN stand for?

Task:

Practice using RAIN every time you face difficult situations.

Task:

What does CBT stand for? How can it be useful?

Task:

Practice mindfulness and meditation. Implement this into your life – 5-minute sessions morning
and night. Gradually increase. Note the benefits experienced.

Please note that these questions are to help consolidate the information within, so do not send to
Kew Solutions.
 Final Reflections

Congratulations on completing this course. We suggest you take some time to re-read or, at least,
use the self-help assessments to consolidate the information given. It is also useful to practice
using the information given so to expand the boundaries of your own life and, to feel a deeper
sense of contentment. As a reminder, the information within this course can be used for self-
development or within any counselling practice.

Positive psychology is about understanding what drives people.

For most, there is a deep need to be happy and this often goes hand in hand with being
successful. Understanding exactly what drives a person is interesting because each person will be
different. It may be money, having children, living in a hot climate or, building their own house.
For others, happiness is that wedding day or, passing difficult exams. There are so many ways in
which happiness forms an integral part of life but, positive psychology looks at all factors of life.

To be happy, we must also consider mood, emotions, thoughts and feelings and contemplate how
this translates to life on a day to day basis. Resilience is key. This enables an individual to
encounter difficulties and to go with the flow. They turn their lives around should any stumbling
blocks be encountered. They have healthier stress responses and do not worry about others. So,
positive psychology also looks at health conditions affecting the mind such as feeling sad or
depression and considers the importance of cognitive behavioural therapy in changing belief
systems.

It is important to consider every facet of life and to peek into the mindset of others so to
understand their needs, aims and objectives. This is life but from a positive perspective.
Ultimately, this course is about challenging your own thoughts and behaviours too so that it is
possible to steer your life in the way it needs to go and to be in control of who you are, how you
act and to stand by all that you believe in.

About Karen E. Wells



PROFESSIONAL
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
DIPLOMA

By Karen E. Wells