Empirical Evidence Of Positive Psychology

Empirical evidence has continued evolve to include new research regarding such established psychological principles from positive psychology, for example. Positive psychology does not focus on the positive at the expense of the negative; instead, it recognizes negative emotions, failures, and problems, and other aspects of traditional psychotherapy, which are designed to alleviate pain or restore a person to normal functioning. Positive psychology emphasizes what is right, rather than wrong by promoting superior functioning (Biswas-Diener, 2010). I am not discounting Prochaska and Norcross. Their combined expertise spans more than 50 years and is invaluable to my knowledge of psychotherapy. My evolving definitions are both very broad, constructivist-oriented, person-centered, relationship-driven, solution-focused, and strength-based using all available resources to include character strengths, where change in behaviors and emotions are a byproduct of intentional changes in thought patterns directed toward a purpose with a growth-mindset. In other words, repeated thoughts (thoughts driven into the unconsciousness) become one’s beliefs and those beliefs (when acted in the consciousness) determine behaviors and emotions. This is smart talk (Burton & Raedeke, 2008), which ultimately creates an end product or outcome (positive change in the

72). Therefore, the initial focus in the here-and-now is the establishment of a person-centered, therapeutic alliance, and confidential relationship that embraces empathy and reflective listening with the client’s (e.g., student, athlete, and patient, to name a few) well-being as the priority (Welfel, 2016; Prochaska & Norcross, 2014; Yalom,