Applied Positive Psychology: Integrated Positive Practice

If you think you know what positive psychology is, think again! This book offers a new integrative vision for making life better that takes in the body and the brain, culture and society, childhood and development... A must read for students."
- Stephen Joseph, University of Nottingham

"Captures the best of the positive psychology initiative, and most importantly, translates it to practice. The authors bring remarkable depth and breadth to the subject matter and do so in a way that is fresh, engaging, relevant, and unusually thoughtful."
- Carol Ryff, University of Wisconsin-Madison

"If you want to understand what positive psychology really is, learn how it works in practice and discover its huge potential to transform our lives and our world then look no further than this superb book. I really can′t recommend it highly enough."
- Mark Williamson, Director of Action for Happiness

This exciting new textbook, written by leading academics in the UK, offers the very first authored title on applied positive psychology for university courses.

Consisting of the latest cutting-edge theory and research in the subject and structured around a pioneering multidimensional model of wellbeing, this book will provide you with the knowledge and tools to apply positive psychology in many areas of life. These include interventions aimed at developing mental and physical functioning, to recommendations for enhancing relationships and reshaping organisational structures. The book shows how these practices can be successfully deployed in diverse real-world settings, from the classroom to the workplace. Key features include:

• Learning objectives set out at the start of each chapter
• Practice essay questions throughout and quizzes to test your knowledge at the end of each chapter
• Useful measurement tools and recommendations for research
• Summary boxes and suggested further reading and resources
• Case studies and ‘Reflection’ boxes that invite you to explore topics in greater depth and relate findings to your everyday life.

This book will be essential reading for all students with an interest in or studying a course in applied positive psychology, and is strongly recommended to students taking a wider course in positive psychology and the psychology of happiness and wellbeing.

Dr Tim Lomas, PhD, is a Psychology Research Scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and part of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University. Tim’s main research focus is exploring cross-cultural perspectives on wellbeing, especially concepts and practices deemed ‘non-Western.’ Since 2013, Tim has published over 100 papers and 12 books relating to wellbeing, involving topics/approaches including linguistics, non-human intelligence, semiotics, art, emotional dialectics, balance/harmony, systems theory, social theory, politics, gender, and Buddhism. His latest book, entitled Happiness, was published in 2023 by MIT Press as part of their Essential Knowledge series.

Dr. Kate Hefferon is a Chartered Research Psychologist, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of the Msc in Applied Positive Psychology at the University of East London. She is the author of several peer-reviewed papers, books and book chapters and has presented at conferences nationally and internationally on positive psychology. Her research interests include posttraumatic growth, resilience, physical activity and embodiment.

Dr Itai Ivtzan is passionate about the combination of psychology and spirituality. He is the director of the School of Positive Transformation. He published several books, as well as many journal papers and book chapters. His main interests are positive psychology, mindfulness, and spirituality. He is a regular keynote speaker at conferences. If you wish to get additional information about his work or contact him, please visit the School of Positive Transformation website.