Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, Tell Me… Finding the Positum Through the Missing and the Reflections

This paper explores the process of reflection and its influence on personality formation. The importance of this issue for people throughout the ages is evidenced by fairy tales, parables, and also their predecessors – myths. The article discusses some of them, in which the symbol of the mirror and reflection makes it possible to know and assign qualities and abilities. Keywords: Positive psychotherapy, positum, reflection, contact, differentiation

The Psychosomatic Arc in Therapy

The psychosomatic arc, based on an idea of Nossrat Peseschkian in 1988, was further developed by the author from 1994 on to visualize the process of body and mental symptoms caused by life events and microtraumatic situations of everyday life. A semi-structured psychosomatic treatment process is described by which to understand the function and language of psychosomatic symptoms more easily. Keywords: psychosomatic arc, positive psychosomatic, positive psychotherapy, psychosomatic disorders, visualization in psychosomatic treatment

Positive Psychotherapy as a Means of Research and Development of Emotional Intelligence in the Course of Individual’s Life Fulfillment

The purpose of this article is to present a psychological hermeneutic triangulation model of emotional intelligence in the course of individual’s life fulfillment. In this context, the methodological framework and psychotechnical tools of positive psychotherapy contribute to the explication of the axiological potential of the emotional intelligence in three modes of realization: internal, external and integrative through the bodily sensation and emotional competence and understanding, interpretation and hermeneutic circle mechanisms. Application of positive psychotherapy at the empirical stage of the study has resulted in a training program for the development of emotional intelligence in the areas of individual’s life fulfillment relevant for the participants, as well as through individual consultations. The article presents evidence of the effectiveness of a prolonged formative experiment on the development of emotional intelligence by means of positive psychotherapy, which helped verify the author’s theoretical model. Keywords: emotional intelligence, positive psychotherapy, training, bodily sensation, emotional competence, mode of individual’s life fulfillment

An Integrative Approach to Dealing with Bereavements

Providing help and support to people experiencing grief after loss is one of the tasks of a psychologist and psychotherapist. Many views of various authors on the process of grieving and criticism of different opinions of each other make it difficult to choose any one theory for dealing with bereavement. The main goal of this paper is to take a holistic view of the course of adaptation to bereavement and create an integrative approach to the process of grieving based on the main principles of positive psychotherapy. To do this, I used the theories of living-through of grieving by Elizabeth Kübler-Ross, John Bowlby, William Worden, Margaret Stroebe and Hank Shute, and Nossrat Peseschkian. Thus, an integrative model of the bereavement experience was created, in which the phases and tasks of two processes were identified: orientation to loss and orientation to restoration. Application of this model, as well as the use of the principles and techniques of positive psychotherapy as a guide, can help a therapist have a holistic view of the process of dealing with bereavement and be as effective as possible in the therapy process. Keywords: grief, grief work bereavement, positive psychotherapy, restoration

xamination of Self-Control in Positive Psychotherapy Structures

Every day, individuals can encounter events which cause them to check their wishes and impulses. They need to provide self-control in the face of these events. It is observed that psychotherapies aimed at increasing self-control are limited. Positive psychotherapy, which is a structural and analytical psychotherapeutic method, can expand our viewpoint on this subject. Structures in positive psychotherapy were examined in the context of using the balance model, coupled with the ability of self-control. The dependent variable of the research is self-control, the independent variable is positive psychotherapy structures. Of the 151 (52.6%) of the participants (52.6%) were women, 136 (47.4%) were men. The Personal Information Form, which was created by the researcher as a data collection tool, the self-control scales and Wiesbaden positive psychotherapy and family therapy inventory were used. Multiple regression analysis was performed during the analysis of the data. As a result of multiple regression analysis, primary abilities (r = .51, r2 = .26; f = 11.840; p <.01), secondary abilities (r = .52, r2 = .27; f = 9.209; p <.01) and the balance model (r = .39, R2 = .15; f = 11.964; p <.01) significantly announced the self-control. According to the results of the analysis, patience, relationship, hope, and love are among the primary abilities; the secondary abilities are honesty, achievement, conformity and fairness. From the balance model, it was revealed that success and body were a significant predictor of self-control.

A Randomized Clinical Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Online-Treatment with Trial-Based Cognitive Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Health Promotion and Positive Psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study Protocol

Background: Research suggests the use of different forms of therapy as a way of decreasing dropout rates in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The psychotherapies to be assessed in this study are trial-based cognitive therapy (TBCT), mindfulness-based health promotion (MBHP) and positive psychotherapy (PPT). Objectives: (1) to assess the online efficacy of TBCT compared to MBHP and PPT to reduce the symptoms of PTSD in the context of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; (2) to compare the efficacy of these psychotherapies in improving anxiety, depression, guilt and in promoting well-being; and (3) to describe how professionals perceive online treatment. Methods: A randomized, multicenter, single-blind clinical trial will be conducted, with three separate arms. An estimated sample of 135 patients will receive either TBCT, MBHP or PPT and will be treated through online, individual, weekly visits, totaling 14 sessions. The primary outcome will be CAPS-5 and secondary outcomes will be HADS and WHO-5. The variables used to mediate these outcomes will be the Trauma-Related Guilt Inventory (TRGI), Negative Core Beliefs Inventory (NCBI) and the California Psychotherapy Alliance Scale (CALPAS-P). Expected results: PTSD symptoms are expected to be reduced after TBCT, MBHP and PPT. No statistical difference is expected to be found among the three. Discussion: The present study will evaluate and contribute towards the development of new psychotherapeutic options for patients with PTSD. The results of this study will allow the dissemination of new effective and adaptable interventions for patients with PTSD.

The Model for Sustainable Mental Health: Future Directions for Integrating Positive Psychology Into Mental Health Care

This position paper proposes a model for systematic integration of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in mental healthcare. On the one hand, PPIs can contribute to the decrease of dysfunctional processes underlying mental illness. This evidence is at the core of the new domains of positive clinical psychology and positive psychiatry. On the other hand, a growing number of studies demonstrate that mental health is not merely the absence of mental illness. Mental wellbeing represents a related but separate dimension of mental health. Mental wellbeing reduces the risk of future incidence of mental illness and is highly valued by people receiving psychological treatment as an important aspect of personal and complete recovery and personal growth. This makes mental wellbeing a vital outcome of mental healthcare. PPIs can directly increase mental wellbeing. The model of sustainable mental health is presented integrating the science of positive psychology and mental wellbeing into mental healthcare. This heuristic model can guide both practitioners and researchers in developing, implementing, and evaluating a more balanced, both complaint- and strength-oriented, treatment approach. The role of gratitude interventions is discussed as an example of applying the model. Also, three potential modalities for implementing PPIs as positive psychotherapy in treatment are as: positive psychotherapy as primary treatment, as combinatorial treatment, and as intervention for personal recovery of people with severe or persistent mental disorder. Finally, we argue that longitudinal studies are needed to substantiate the model and the processes involved.