Session Description: Treatment for addictive disorders specifically, and mental health disorders generally, has historically been based on an illness model. Although this approach can help people manage their illness, this illness orientation can be limited in scope. Ultimately, people should pursue a flourishing life—a life truly worth living. Positive psychology offers an evidence-based approach for the pursuit of positive cognition, emotions, and behaviors that complements the currently illness approach. For example, Dr. Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory suggests that positive emotions broaden people’s awareness of their current experience and nudge people to explore new thoughts and behaviors. Thus, the development and cultivation of positive emotions through a positive psychology program for clients in residential programs may be especially necessary and impactful. In this talk, we will discuss the conceptualization, development, and implementation of a positive psychology program for such a setting. We clarify the need for this programing, detail the theoretical foundations from which the program was built, and share practical challenges of implementing this innovative program. We also share data that assesses the effectiveness of this positive psychology approach. Finally, we offer closing remarks and a call for collaboration in adopting similar programs throughout the addiction treatment landscape.
Learning Objectives:
After this activity participants should be able to
Summarize the process and content necessary to develop a positive psychology curriculum.
Prepare to implement a positive psychology program in their treatment setting.
Identify assessment strategies to measure the effectiveness of a positive psychology program within their treatment setting.