Second wave positive psychology: Exploring the dialectics of flourishing

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Positive psychology initially defined itself by a focus on ‘positive’ emotions and qualities. However, critics soon pointed out that this binary logic – classifying phenomena as either positive or negative, and valorising the former while disparaging the latter – could be problematic. Responding to these criticisms, a more nuanced ‘second wave’ of positive psychology has been developing, in which wellbeing is recognised as involving a dialectical balance of light and dark aspects of life. This talk introduces this emergent second wave, and discusses the dialectical principles underpinning it.

More About the Speaker

Dr. Tim Lomas is a lecturer at the University of East London, where he is the co-programme leader for the MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology. Tim completed his PhD at the University of Westminster in 2012. His thesis focused on the impact of meditation on men's mental health, and was published in 2014 as a monograph by Palgrave Macmillan. Tim is the lead author on numerous books, including a positive psychology textbook (entitled ‘Applied Positive Psychology), and is also the co-author of ‘Second Wave Positive Psychology,’ and the co-editor of ‘Mindfulness and Positive Psychology’ and ‘The Routledge Handbook of Critical Positive Psychology.’. Tim has also recently received two grants to develop mindfulness-based interventions for specific populations (at-risk youth, and older adults). His latest book, entitled ‘The Darkness and the Dawn: The Value of Sadness and other Negative Emotions,’ will be published by Piatkus in Autumn 2016.