CULTIVATING HAPPINESS AT WORK AND IN LIFE with Dr. Marla Zipin , PhD Wednesday, February 16, 2005

(Scroll down for Review of Meeting.)

Dr. Marla Zipin, a psychologist with a coaching and psychotherapy practice in the Washington area, completed Dr. Martin Seligman's class of Authentic Happiness Coaching and will share her knowledge of this new movement with us. Her interactive workshop will draw on the most current trends and research in positive psychology to explore the key components of authentic happiness and strategies to experience desirable emotions more of the time at work and in life for your clients and yourself.

Dr. Seligman has written two books describing the methods he uses to bring greater happiness to his clients' daily lives, Learned Optimism and Authentic Happiness. He also has created a coach-training program that gives therapists and counselors the opportunity to learn these methods to use with their clients. Dr. Zipin will help us to understand and experience this new way of helping our clients.

All attendees should take the free, online VIA (Values in Action) Signature Strengths Survey prior to the workshop at www.authentichappiness.org .

When this web page appears, to the left of the screen you will see a Quick Link to VIA Signature Strengths Survey. Click here to begin the test. The test has 240 questions and takes about 30-40 minutes
to complete. Within moments of completing the test, the individual will receive a list and description of that person's top 5 strengths. Dr. Zipin will use our results to walk us through the process of using
Signature Strengths with our clients. All test data will be used to add to the research being conducted on positive psychology.

Review of Meeting:

Dr. Zipin's presentation was greatly appreciated by the 32 participants, whose evaluations showed positive remarks on the presenter, the topic, and the exercises. Almost all evaluations mentioned that they thought the speaker was engaging and interesting. She helped us understand that Authentic Happiness can be cultivated, and led us in experiences that we could use with our clients and in our own lives to cultivate happiness, use our signature strengths, and create flow intentionally. It was an inspiring morning for all.