If you are of a certain age, you probably remember a morose hit by singer Peggy Lee,   “Is That All There Is?”  This anthem of disappointment is such a fine example of the experience of ennui and/or “Waiting for Godot”--- if not outright depression.  Yet it was a hit covered by many artists because the lyrics strike at the fears of many regarding the meaning of life and the hope of love.  (btw: Wikipedia tells me that this existentialist song was directly inspired by a short story by Thomas Mann published in 1896---but the story has a somewhat happier resolution!.) And yes, I felt the song spoke to me at a certain time of my life.  But it troubled me too.  And it turns out that it is in the troubling that hope breaks through.

Why do some people thrive in the aftermath of trauma?  What features of resilience are key to bouncing back, and can they be learned?  What really makes people happy? How do we help people find their hope? What is beyond “symptom relief?”  What is our vision for client wellness?  How can we integrate the findings of positive psychology into our therapy styles and strategies?  When is positive psychology most helpful to therapy and when should it not be used?

These are some of the questions we will be asking and attempting to answer through discussion, experiential activities, and didactic moments in this workshop (3 CEUs, TSBEP).

Positive psychology has evolved over the past decade since it first became part of the field. Certain elements have been popularized as the research has emerged.  Martin Seligman, Ph.D. authored one of the first books in the field and as APA president “made it happen.”  His most recent book, Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being, revisits and revises his earlier thinking on what it is that leads to true life satisfaction and issues a call to do more than just get along or try to be happy.  One of the key elements that is emerging, particularly in work with the military, is in the area of Post Traumatic Growth.

Workshop Objectives

1) Learn the 5 pillars of Positive Psychology, PERMA, and how to identify these elements in client histories

2) Investigate the importance of GRIT in achievement and use a simple assessment tool

3) Explore the concept of Post Traumatic Growth and discuss applications/strategies

4) Explore The Tree of Life exercise, a simple FREE subjective self-assessment tool for goal-setting

About Dr. Stalcup

Carol is a long-time member and former officer of FWAPA with a practice in Fort Worth.  She is currently chair of the Psychology and Arts Committee and convener of the monthly FWAPA Discussion Group.  Carol has practiced the art and science of psychology for 35 years. As a trained spiritual director, she has worked with individual directees for 7 years as well as offering large group retreats and presentations.  In the past 12 years she has focused on positive psychology, spiritual psychotherapy, the enhancement of psychological well-being, creativity as wellness practice, and the integration of these elements into traditional therapy strategies such as cognitive therapy.  She specializes in the treatment of anxiety, depression and Asperger’s Syndrome.  A large part of her practice is school consultation with administrators and teachers regarding the identification of and intervention planning for students with emotional/behavioral/social needs in both general and special education populations.  Carol has also provided years of supervision of doctoral interns in school settings.   In 2009-2010 she hosted an internet radio show on creativity; she is currently a docent at The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.  Her websites are www.artnsoulworks,.com and www.jumpstartyourdreams.us. 

Lunch provided for attendees from 12-1.