DESCRIPTION

This program is the result of the confluence of two very significant trends. The first is the enormous growth in the reports of emotional distress in the population during the past two decades with two considerable spikes in the past 5 years owing to a pandemic, and the rise in political and cultural conflict. The second is the revolutionary professional shift toward and the general population's eager curiosity about and pursuit of Positive Psychology, i.e., advancing happiness, hope and emotional resilience. Actually this "revolution" is more of a revival since it is based on ancient concepts and practices that has been revived and supported by contemporary research in the behavioral and neuro sciences.

The intention of this offering is to expand on the Evergreen Forum course, The Science of Happiness, by blending knowledge with concrete experience. This will be a trial of the concept and will continue beyond the 6 sessions and opened to additional participants depending on the feedback from participants and the program leader.

This program is educational and experiential, i.e., it is academic but also includes instructions for the application of what is learned to real life. However, it should NOT be considered a therapy program.

Participants will be urged to engage in an academic and experiential journey. It is intended to advance greater personal well-being through an in-depth exploration of happiness, emotional resilience, and hope—three powerful and highly interrelated neuropsychological concepts that influence how adaptively we experience life, react to and learn from challenges, and envision and prepare for our futures. Participants may be surprised to learn that happiness, resilience and hope mean much more to behavioral and neuroscientists than what is captured by the vernacular use of those terms.

Combining lectures, guided discussions, curated video content, and in-home exercises, this program is designed not merely to educate but to inspire practical growth. Rooted in the salient findings from positive psychology, neuroscience, resilience research, and even ancient philosophies, participants will gain an understanding of how happiness is defined and advanced, frameworks and strategies to nurture emotional resilience across the lifespan, and how hope as action functions as both a cognitive framework and a psychological/spiritual resource in times of uncertainty.

Whether you are seeking tools to navigate difficult circumstances, yearning to deepen the meaning of everyday life experiences, or looking to build a more joyful and connected existence, this program will provide both the science and the "soul" behind sustainable well-being.

No prior experience is necessary—just an open mind, a willingness to explore, a commitment to personal growth, and the motivation to participate earnestly, energetically and fully.

Facilitator
Bruce A. Maloof, PhD, did his doctoral work at Brandeis University followed by appointments to Dalhousie University, Boston University, and Harvard Medical School. He was the founder and CEO of Behavioral Solutions, P.C., a group practice in Greater Boston, and was appointed as a state-wide advisor to the Massachusetts Commissioner of Mental Health. In his group practice he trained and managed a Critical Incident Stress Debriefing team which responded to diverse community and corporate based crises in the northeast. This included responses to 911, the Boston Marathon bombing, workplace violence, first-responder fitness-for-duty evaluations, nursing strikes, and major lay-offs. He is a Buddhist-informed Psychotherapist and maintains an active clinical practice.

Timeline

This program will run every other Wednesday beginning October 8 through December 17 from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

• October 8
• October 22
• November 5
• November 19
• December 3
• December 17