Positive Psychology Crash Course

Credit

Program Information

A small portion of the material for this CE activity was developed with limited assistance from generative AI. All AI-generated information was reviewed for accuracy by the instructor, an independent content reviewer, or PESI staff.

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

Speaker

Ashley Smith, PhD Related seminars and products

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Dr. Ashley Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist and recognized expert in anxiety and related disorders. She has worked in children’s hospitals, an anxiety specialty clinic, and private practice, providing evidence-based treatment for anxiety and OCD.

An adjunct faculty member at Kansas City University, Dr. Ashley has extensive experience training and supervising mental health professionals. She has authored peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and two books, including Childhood Anxiety Disorders. A long-time member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, she was honored with their Special Recognition Award in 2023.

She regularly presents workshops and trainings at local and national levels, focusing on the practical application of cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology, and applied neuroscience to improve clinical outcomes. She is also the co-founder of Peak Mind. The Center for Psychological Strength, an organization dedicated to making psychological tools more widely accessible.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ashley Smith is the co-founder of Peak Mind, has an employment relationship with Kansas City University, and maintains a private practice. She receives royalties as a published author. Ashley Smith receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ashley Smith is a member of the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and sits on the board of directors for Disabled But Not Really.

Additional Info

Program Information

You will have access for 90 days after the program for review. For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. Please note that this requirement may vary by credit type. Please see detailed credit information for specific requirements for each credit type.

Please note: There will be a 15-minute break mid-morning. Actual break start times are at the discretion of the speaker. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.

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Objectives

1. Analyze how positive psychology can complement traditional therapy approaches.
2. Evaluate the evidence supporting positive psychology interventions (PPIs) as effective treatments for anxiety, depression and stress.
3. Utilize gratitude journaling to help clients increase positive affect and reduce rumination.
4. Provide a rationale for utilizing acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for body image problems and summarize the evidence supporting the approach.
5. Discuss the potential benefits of yoga practice, creative arts and other complimentary approaches in improving body satisfaction and acceptance.
6. Evaluate the limitations of existing research on body image interventions and critically assess the applicability and generalizability of findings to diverse populations.

Outline

Positive Psychology 101: Getting Started

• What does it mean to thrive?
• Why this matters for both clients and clinicians
• Common myths about happiness
• The “second wave” of psychology: building lives worth living
• How strengths-based interventions improve outcomes
• Evidence-based and clinical implications
• Research, risks and treatment limitations

A Simple 5 Part Model for Helping Clients Thrive

• Positive Emotions: savoring, gratitude, joy journaling, three good things
• Engagement: flow theory and helping clients find “flow”
• Relationships: skills for building healthy social connections
• Meaning: Viktor Frankl meets modern science
• Achievement: self-determination theory and why goals matter

The Positive Psychology Intervention Toolbox

• Tools to Cultivate Gratitude
  • Toxic positivity v. gratitude
  • Daily 3-2-1, gratitude letter/visit, pictures, etc.
• Finding and Using Strengths to Enhance Wellness
  • VIA Survey of Character Strengths
  • Using strengths in practice (spotting, amplifying, deploying)
  • Strengths-based case formulation
• Optimism & Hope
  • Learned optimism & explanatory style (Selligman)
  • Best possible self exercise
  • Reframing techniques
• Self-Compassion Techniques
  • Kristin Neff’s components (mindfulness, common humanity, kindness)
  • Practices: Self-compassion break, be a good coach
• Grit and Resilience: Strategies to Help Clients Bounce Back
  • Angela Duckworth on grit
  • Bounce-back factors in trauma and hardship
  • Growth mindset, post-traumatic growth
• Incorporating into CBT, ACT, and relational approaches

Target Audience

• Social Workers
• Counselors
• Psychologists
• Marriage & Family Therapists
• Registered Psychotherapists
• Nurses
• Case Managers
• Other Mental Health Professionals