While the general field of psychology is mainly concerned with healing or repairing damage, and what it is that leads to human suffering, positive psychology aims to build positive qualities (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). Positive psychology draws on the use of psychological theory, intervention techniques and research to comprehend the positive, creative, adaptive and emotionally fulfilling forms of human behaviour (Compton & Hoffman, 2013). It is the study of the circumstances and actions that support the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups and institutions (Gable & Haidt, 2005). Positive psychology essentially investigates what people do correctly in life (Compton & Hoffman, 2013). The field of positive psychology
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Mindfulness involves the process of intentionally guiding one’s attention, in a non-judgemental way, to the internal and external experiences that are occurring in the present moment. This may include awareness of thoughts, sensations, bodily occurrences, and the environment, while at the same time, encouraging acceptance, receptiveness and curiosity (Fecteau & Saeed, 2012). Mindfulness has a lengthy history in Eastern meditation traditions, which believe that the practice of mindfulness leads to declines in suffering and the cultivation of positive qualities, such as compassion and wisdom (Baer, 2009). Awareness is innately powerful, and attention, which is focussed awareness, is said to be even more powerful. Just by changing to become more aware of what is happening internal and external to the self, a person can start to disentangle themselves from mental fixations or distractions and difficult emotions. By altering attention, rather than attempting to control or supress emotions, it is possible to regulate how one feels (Siegel, Germer & Olendzki, 2008). Mindfulness can be easiest to understand by considering its opposite, ‘mindlessness’. Even informal self- examination affirms that a person’s general mental state can be incredibly mindless. People tend to spend a large amount of their …show more content…
Originally taught while patients are in recovery, it aims to facilitate them to learn how to attend awareness to body sensations, emotions and thoughts, to aid in the prevention of depressive relapse. The program combines aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and mindfulness meditation (Crane, 2008). The aim of the MBCT program is to teach people to identify and disconnect or decentre from negative, ruminative thought patterns in times of potential relapse (Scherer-Dickson, 2004). The program is taught over the course of eight weeks in a group setting. The structure of the program consists of the development of awareness through mindfulness practice, and, an attitudinal framework defined by acceptance, non-striving and a legitimate interest in experience, this is largely implied by the teaching process, which is imbued with these qualities (Crane, 2008). Accounts from participants in the program through individual accounts and also self-report questionnaires have shown that important advancements in psychological functioning develop across the duration of the program. Changes include declines in depression, rumination, insomnia, anxiety and tension and expansions in mindfulness, compassion, resilience, concentration, optimism and quality of life (Segal, Williams, Teasdale & Kabat-Zinn, 2012).
Mindfulness involves the process of intentionally guiding one’s attention, in a non-judgemental way, to the internal and external experiences that are occurring in the present moment. This may include awareness of thoughts, sensations, bodily occurrences, and the environment, while at the same time, encouraging acceptance, receptiveness and curiosity (Fecteau & Saeed, 2012). Mindfulness has a lengthy history in Eastern meditation traditions, which believe that the practice of mindfulness leads to declines in suffering and the cultivation of positive qualities, such as compassion and wisdom (Baer, 2009). Awareness is innately powerful, and attention, which is focussed awareness, is said to be even more powerful. Just by changing to become more aware of what is happening internal and external to the self, a person can start to disentangle themselves from mental fixations or distractions and difficult emotions. By altering attention, rather than attempting to control or supress emotions, it is possible to regulate how one feels (Siegel, Germer & Olendzki, 2008). Mindfulness can be easiest to understand by considering its opposite, ‘mindlessness’. Even informal self- examination affirms that a person’s general mental state can be incredibly mindless. People tend to spend a large amount of their …show more content…
Originally taught while patients are in recovery, it aims to facilitate them to learn how to attend awareness to body sensations, emotions and thoughts, to aid in the prevention of depressive relapse. The program combines aspects of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and mindfulness meditation (Crane, 2008). The aim of the MBCT program is to teach people to identify and disconnect or decentre from negative, ruminative thought patterns in times of potential relapse (Scherer-Dickson, 2004). The program is taught over the course of eight weeks in a group setting. The structure of the program consists of the development of awareness through mindfulness practice, and, an attitudinal framework defined by acceptance, non-striving and a legitimate interest in experience, this is largely implied by the teaching process, which is imbued with these qualities (Crane, 2008). Accounts from participants in the program through individual accounts and also self-report questionnaires have shown that important advancements in psychological functioning develop across the duration of the program. Changes include declines in depression, rumination, insomnia, anxiety and tension and expansions in mindfulness, compassion, resilience, concentration, optimism and quality of life (Segal, Williams, Teasdale & Kabat-Zinn, 2012).