Center encourages people to embrace theory of positive thinking

Psychology has traditionally targeted mental illness, but Psychology professor Martin Seligman is trying to turn this focus to "mental wellness."

Seligman, who is considered the father of positive psychology and serves as the director of Penn Positive Psychology Center, continues to draw international attention to his theory of positive psychology. He argues that thinking positively and acting generous to others can lead to a more productive life and decrease mental health problems.

This spring, Seligman has been working with a team of positive psychologists to establish the first curriculum in the world to incorporate positive psychology at the Geelong Grammar School, a boarding school in Australia.

Seligman said that his work will focus on "how you celebrate as opposed to how you fight."

He said that parents often focus too much on achievements and accomplishment, but positive psychology will also teach students to have more fulfilling and purposeful lives.

During the first part of the program in January, Seligman and twenty other trained positive psychologists introduced the principles of positive psychology to 100 faculty and staff in the school.

After training the faculty, Seligman has been working with them to revise the curriculum. One class will teach positive psychology, but Seligman added that other classes will encourage its application.

Students were asked to take a test which determines their highest "signature strength," such as kindness or creativity. Students were encouraged to use that strength in their everyday interactions.

Back at Penn, Seligman's brainchild, the Masters of Positive Psychology program, a one year masters program that divides students' time between the classroom and the Internet, is still going strong. The model gives professionals around the globe the flexibility to pursue the degree.

Deborah Swick, the associate director of education at the Positive Psychology Center, said that since its inception in 2006, the masters program is constantly "growing and attracting people of every genre."

Sasha Heinz, who received her MAPP degree last year, said her classmates included professionals from Europe, Asia and business executives from around the country.

"I found it extremely valuable to learn that we can increase our overall happiness and well-being by practicing weaving positive interventions into our daily lives," said Susanne Pileggi, a current MAPP student.

Seligman's efforts to expand the breadth of positive psychology will continue when he returns to Penn.

He said that when he concludes his work in Australia this June, he will work to establish two new fields related to positive psychology, positive physical health and positive neuroscience.

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