Positive Psychology and Well-Being

Discover, assess, and utilize evidence-based strategies for maximizing happiness in your everyday life

Duration

6 weeks,
excluding orientation

Effort

5–6 hours per week,
self-paced learning online

Learning Format

Weekly modules,
flexible learning

This online short course is for you if you want to:

  • Lead a happier, more meaningful, and more productive life

  • Explore what contemporary research has to say about the science of happiness

  • Foster healthier personal relationships that nourish a sense of wellness

  • Boost your resilience and exert greater agency over your own well-being

On completion of this course, you'll walk away with:

1

Holistic knowledge of the psychological, biological, and social aspects of happiness, including the neuroscience of emotion and well-being theory.

2

Relevant frameworks and strategies for maximizing your well-being, such as mindfulness practices, spirituality, and finding a ‘state of flow’.

3

A plan for your own ‘personal economics of happiness’ that takes into account your unique strengths and reflects the importance of grit in the face of adversity.

Course curriculum

Over the duration of this online short course you’ll work through the following modules:

Module 1 Rethinking happiness
Discover a conceptual framework for thinking about well-being.

Module 2 The neuroscience of positive emotion
Learn about the neuroscience behind emotion and consider the role of a full spectrum of emotions in well-being.

Module 3 Engagement and flow
Learn how to improve your level of daily engagement through the state of flow.

Module 4 Meaning
Engage with various perspectives about spirituality, religion, and mindfulness, and determine how these can play a role in well-being.

Module 5 The relational nature of well-being
Consider the impact that social relationships have on well-being and how personal strengths can be leveraged to increase the quality of relational experiences.

Module 6 Accomplishment and authorship in well-being
Explore the concept of agency as a master tool for maximizing well-being.

Please note that module titles and their contents are subject to change during course development.

Academic Director

Dr. Daryn Reicherter

Clinical Professor, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University

Dr. Reicherter is the director of the Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health Program at Stanford University. He consults with the United Nations Investigative Team to Promote Accountability for Crimes Committed by Da'esh/ISIL (UNITAD), and is on the list of experts for the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia and the United Nations’ International Criminal Court for his work in international trauma mental health. As a fellow at Stanford University’s Center for Innovations in Global Health, Dr. Reicherter has created new clinical rotations for residency and medical school education in local community clinics, as well as opportunities for resident, medical student, and undergraduate education in global mental health. Dr. Reicherter is also the co-director of the Stanford Stoked Laboratory and the co-teacher of the popular seminar: “The Psychiatry of Stoked: An Investigation of the Art and Science of Joy and the Exploration of Happiness”. He has applied his unusual perspectives on life, fostered by his work with refugees and survivors of human rights violations, to create a new look at human happiness and life's meaning.

An online education that sets you apart

The Stanford Center for Health Education is collaborating with online education provider, GetSmarter, to create a new class of learning experience — one that is high-touch, intimate, and personalized for the working professional. Join a growing community of global professionals and benefit from the opportunity to:

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Gain verifiable and relevant competencies and earn invaluable recognition from an international selection of universities and institutions, entirely online and in your own time.

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Enjoy a personalized, people-mediated online learning experience created to make you feel supported at every step.

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Experience a flexible but structured approach to online education as you plan your learning around your life to meet weekly milestones.

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