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There have been debates: There has been considerable debate on the conceptualization and operationalization of resilience (Luthar, Cicchetti, & Becker, 2000), with some researchers promoting individualistic qualities that reinforce westernized ideals of psychological development (Hartling, 2008), while others focus more on a social ecology perspective that highlights the reciprocal person-environment relationship as part of a family, community, government system (Ungar, 2012)

When considering my natural orientation outside of academia or psychology, I tend to lean on strength-based approaches that highlight thriving, resiliency, purpose, spirituality, and values. With this thought in mind, I came into the Ph.D. Counseling Psychology program at the University of Georgia believing that my theoretical orientation was simply 3rd wave CBT. I believed this framework aligned with my personal convictions as a budding researcher and psychologist-in-trainin

Imagining our future selves can be both exciting and daunting, even scary! While it's important to focus on present moment awareness and to be mindful of the steps we are taking daily, it can also be constructive and facilitative to identify future goals, write them down, and then later check in on the progress/accomplishments/areas for continued growth. If you're interested in writing a letter to your "future self" and having the letter automatically sent to you within 1 yea

Dr. Gary Chapman presents a simple truth: relationships grow better when we understand each other. Everyone gives and receives love differently, but with a little insight into these differences, we can be confidently equipped to communicate love well. This is true for all forms of relationship - married, dating, single, children, friendships. Dr. Chapman identifies 5 love languages - words of affirmation, gifts, personal touch, acts of service, and quality time. Take the 5 lo

Listen to The Happiness Lab Podcast featuring Yale Professor Dr. Laurie Santos. Click here: #podcast #happiness #gratitude #DrLaurieSantos #psychology #PsychologicalApproachtoWholeness

What is purpose in life? The research suggests that purpose in life predicts both health and longevity suggesting that the ability to find meaning from life’s experiences, especially when confronting life’s challenges, may be a mechanism underlying resilience. Having purpose in life may motivate reframing stressful situations to deal with them more productively, thereby facilitating recovery from stress and trauma. In turn, enhanced ability to recover from negative events may

Wondering if you give yourself grace? Ever feel like you're being overly self-critical? Do you give yourself credit for the great things you're doing? Ever pat yourself on the back for all the progress you've made? Do you find that you do not give yourself credit? Do you tend to focus on the deficits in your life versus the positives? Kristin Neff, Ph.D. developed a Self-Compassion instrument to test how self-compassionate you are. Take the test here: https://self-compassion.

Let’s all admit (no matter how patient you are), waiting for something you want in life can be mentally taxing, even excruciating at times. It may be comforting to know that everyone in their life has had to practice “the wait” at one time or another. Research suggests that it is how one waits that determines if they are a “low power” or “high power” individual. What does that statement mean? In essence, low-power individuals are aversely affected by wait time and gain valida

As a lifelong learner and graduate student studying the field of psychology, I am deeply interested in the science and qualitative research behind "wholeness" and the elements that impact one's journey to achieving self-realization. Currently, I am studying well-being, culturally-adaptive stress management and resilience intervention themes (gratitude, receptivity, patience, wholeness, etc.), as well as positive psychology, humanistic and existential philosophies that focus o