The efficacy of psychological interventions to increase wellbeing is, in many ways, the heart of positive psychology. While positive psychology can be beneficial in a multitude of individual and group contexts, incorporating concepts such as virtues, strengths, and mindfulness to your work with groups can help create a supportive framework for growth and development. This support network has the potential to increase wellbeing, connectedness, hope, life purpose, and vocational calling – and that is just the tip of the iceberg. So how can you, as a facilitator, create a group learning experience that is positive, professional, and valuable? 6 Tips to Successfully Teach Positive Psychology in Groups 1. Encourage Experiential Learning According to Biswas-Diener & Patterson (2011), when teaching positive psychology in a group setting an experiential approach with an emphasis on the practical applications of positive psychology – rather than merely memorising content – is vital. Put simply, practitioners who instruct clients on the effects of various interventions should then encourage clients to practice those interventions in their own lives to maximise the potential for positive outcomes. The goal of positive psychology instruction should be more than transferring knowledge; it should also incorporate practical exercises, activities, and tools that can be connected and applied to real-life situations. In this way, when clients learn about particular topics, they can connect the material to concrete experiences. 2. Develop Group Cohesion Cohesion is a uniting force within any group. A sense of unity and cohesion encourages cooperation and commitment toward group goals, effective communication, a sense of inclusion, and attraction to the group and individual members. Group cohesion has two distinct dimensions (Johnson, Burlingame, Olsen, Davies, & Gleave, 2005):
Additionally, cohesion can be inspired through constructive communication and the resolution of conflicts in a positive way before they spiral out of control. 3. Create a Positive Learning Experience An essential facet of positive psychology is engaged learning, whereby employees can process new information in meaningful ways and actively participate in the learning experience. Those who experience a positive learning environment are likely to share their experiences with others, which can result in positive word-of-mouth and a greater reputation in the marketplace. 4. Use Positive Language Rather than focusing on deficits and problems, positive language creates opportunities for hope, change, and improvement. Actively incorporating non-judgmental, inclusive, and future-oriented language can help improve employees’ ability to recognise their strengths and identify the good in themselves and their surrounding environment. 5. Provide Clear Feedback In the absence of feedback, your group may find it challenging to learn and progress. Feedback guides, motivates and reinforces effective behaviours while simultaneously reducing ineffective behaviours. Within a group setting feedback can be given to individual members, subsets of members, or the group as a whole and is an effective tool for development and evaluation. Feedback can help groups to learn and develop in four ways:
6. Respect Your Ethical Responsibilities Ethical codes not only guide the standards for appropriate conduct, but they also promote transparency and accountability. Groups should incorporate the following to ensure high standards of conduct are maintained when working together:
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