positive therapy

• how approaches are applied

  • aim to promote human flourishing
  • mindfullness focuses on the authority of positive traits
  • one must choose to partake and it helps us move towards the meaningful life
• components of mindfulness

  • gaining control of thoughts
  • mindfulness based stress reduction
  • informal practices of mindfulness
• gaining control of thoughts = week 4 of mind course = 'getting out of auto pilot' = decreases uncontrolled negative automatic thinking = helps realise thoughts are transient = passing through
• mindfulness based stress reduction = MBSR = 8 week course of 45 min group sessions = learn techniques to build into everyday life eg. meditation, mindfulness, breathing, word surfing, body scan, yoga
• informal practices of mindfulness = initially under guidance but aims to help the individual develop these skills
• effective = supporting evidence = hazel = 30 minutes of meditation a day = more grey matter = neurons in brain in areas associated with memory, stress and empathy = lead to positive changes (not everyone has the patience to do)
• effective = positive effects on immune system = Davidson = 25 employees on 8 week MBSR course = increased positive activity in brain vs 16 control group = produced more antibodies in response to flu jab = psychical and mental benefits
• ineffective = less effective on its own = MBCT = alter relationship with thoughts while changing them = Teasdale = MBCT = significantly reduced depression for those with 3+ experiences vs normal treatment = more effective with cbt
• ethical = less chance of harm = unlike psychodynamic does not bring up past traumas = more gentle approach
• unethical = may not be fully informed = key feature = meditation = Buddhist roots = ppt should be aware = may conflict with own beliefs
• ethical = lead to morally living = Rudy and Schweitzer found those pro efficent with mindfulness are less likely to cheat on a task = benefits to life but hard to establish cause and effect