Health Professionals

Positive Psychology Training has been working with healthcare professionals since 2010, supporting resilience and wellbeing, teaching the science of optimal functioning and demonstrating how to use positive psychology with patients. We’ve worked with Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust on their leadership progamme, University of Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust on resilience and wellbeing programmes, Health Education England with GP Trainers, Peninsula Medical School, Severn Deanery Postgraduate Medical Education, Bristol Medical School, North Somerset Community Partnership and the National Centre for Integrative Medicine. Miriam has been invited to speak at a number of conferences including for Health Education England and Allied Health Professionals.

“Miriam presented the opening plenary session at our SW Multi-professional educational conference – What is Positive Psychology.   She is an engaging and enthusiastic presenter, setting the positive agenda of the conference day.   She is experienced in her field and was extremely informative and motivational. Her workshops, which she also facilitated at the conference, enabled delegates to continue with the power of positivity and explore the benefit of experiencing positive emotions, enabling positivity practices to add to that ‘feel-good’ factor. I would highly recommend Miriam to any organisation that is looking to inject positivity and well-being into their culture. Dr Jane Thurlow MBChB FRCA, Associate Dean, Professional Education & Development SW Lead, Health Education England South West

Miriam is an expert on mental health and her groundbreaking book Positive Psychology for Overcoming DepressionT has been shown to grow wellbeing and lower symptoms of depression.

We offer training in positive psychology to those working in healthcare who want to explore positive psychology and its practices for wellbeing, whether that’s to support personal resilience or to use with patients, clients or service users. Positive psychology offers an evidence-based approach to mental health. It is especially helpful to people with persistent low mood and long-term health conditions who would prefer a non-pharmaceutical approach to increasing psychological wellbeing. Health professionals and therapists will find the techniques a useful addition to their skills and to support their own well-being.  Choose any of the following elements or others from the wider science of wellbeing. We will design the training to suit your needs.

  • Introduction to Positive Psychology
  • Models of Happiness and Well-being 
  • Flow, the satisfaction of being ‘in the zone’
  • Positive Emotions & Positivity Practices
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Resilience 
  • Optimism & Hope 
  • Strengths: The Positive Self
  • Positive Change: Motivation & Mindset
  • Meaning and Purpose
  • Positive Relationships
  • Stress Management

This workshop is tailored to suit the organisation booking it and is delivered in-house or online.

“It was lovely to have a day to focus on strengths and positive things rather than our usual focus on ‘what’s wrong’. I felt it was uplifting and useful both personally and professionally and I hope I can carry some of the positive attitude into my work.” GP

“I wasn’t sure what to expect but thought it was a really good day for both development of personal skills for managing mood, and also providing advice for patients.” GP

Feedback on the benefits of positive psychology training from doctors, dentists, senior healthcare workers and wellbeing leads in UHBW NHS Healthcare Trust.

  • Lots of tools and theories useful for life and work. Thank you!
  • Really positive. Just really useful helpful knowledge. Really great interaction and a lovely group.
  • Very helpful in learning/revising strategies to cope with the trials and tribulations of healthcare! Thanks very much.
  • Gave me tools to work with.
  • Strategies for thinking more positively, for dealing with challenges in the moment and for moving forwards.
  • I would say it gave me a boost that I needed at this moment.
  • “Not me/ always/ pervasive”. Useful for stopping downward thought and mood spiral.
  • The strengths coaching was very useful personally and for using with colleagues.
  • I feel a lot more prepared to support myself and colleagues in the workplace, during challenging times.
  • Lots of positive tips and options for work and home life.
  • Ways to think about negative situations more positively and promote a more optimistic way of thinking.
  • Gave me so many positive things to think about.
  • Changed my focus from negative to positive. Really fruitful for a lifestyle change in perspective.
  • Lots of tools and theories useful for life and work. Thank you!
  • Very helpful in learning/revising strategies to cope with the trials and tribulations of healthcare! Thanks very much.
  • Helping to challenge pessimistic nature and helping to find better work life balance.
  • Great way of bringing together like-minded health professionals and sharing our concerns and ambitions.
  • The course has helped me find concrete ways of bringing more positivity in my life.
  • Will give me a different way of approaching challenges at work.
  • Going to try and be more positive using a variety of methods Miriam described today.
  • Personal reflection both in and out of work.
  • Some tips and ideas to promote positivity. Will start doing gratitude journal.
  • Some techniques to challenge negative reactions to events and reframe then positively.
  • Has given me techniques for reframing negative thoughts, was a great opportunity to spend time away from clinical work and focus on my well-being to make me more effective and able to deliver high-quality care in the workplace.
  • I have reflected strongly on my own personal and professional life in the context of wellbeing.

Feedback from GP Trainers in Peninsula Medical School on what they found most useful about the positive psychology workshop

  • Opened up my thinking about my own positive encounters but mainly helpful for techniques to help patients be more positive and optimistic
  • Really well structured 
  • Really well delivered and diverse
  • Useful to explore strengths and impact of scenarios
    Gratitude acknowledgement
    To explore my beliefs about positive psychology and resilience
    Recognising gratitude
    Gratitude diary
    Interaction to think about an area I wouldn’t normally think about
    Interactive
    Strength Gratitude interactions
    Reframing pessimism
    Some good reminders about how to manage negative emotions
    Varied style delivery
    Conversation tips with stressed trainees
    I will use the ABCDE questions
    The energy quadrant words and strength exercise
    A reminder that there is always a positive way to a scenario
    Your attitudes affect those around you
    Optimism
  • Reframing pessimism
    The VIA strengths quiz and how I scored
  • Everything

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