Learned Hopefulness for Enhanced Wellbeing

In this course, Dr. Dan Tomasulo (Ph.D., TEP, MFA, MAPP, Academic Director and core faculty member, Spirituality Mind Body Institute, Masters Program, Columbia University) explains the importance of hope through the positive psychology lens of Martin Seligman’s PERMA model of wellbeing and differentiates between “high hope” and “low hope” outlooks. Proposing that we can learn hopefulness, Dr. Tomasulo nevertheless acknowledges the inherent brain wiring toward negativity bias. Conducting several experiments with participants in the talk, Dr. Tomasulo shows how we can shift our perceptions and thoughts toward positivity in order to function more fully. Experience of flow and using character strengths (as outlined in the VIA Strengths Survey) is discussed as a strategy.