Spirituality and Meaning (SMD) Researcher Award

Berni Cooper, Amy Sutton, Nicole Border

Berni Cooper

Berni is an experienced facilitator, educator, and coach, currently leading the Wellbeing Strategy Team at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in Australia. Her team is responsible for the design and implementation of QUT’s ambitious Health and Wellbeing Strategy. With extensive experience in higher education, Berni has held strategic leadership roles and contributed to curriculum design, learning, career, and academic development. Her expertise also includes the corporate sector in multiple countries. Berni holds qualifications in positive psychology, psychology, coaching, and tertiary teaching.

Marie McLeod, Sue Mahoney, Andrew Kelly

Marie McLeod

Marie McLeod, Director of Wellbeing Innovation at ThriveAbility, is a leader in positive psychology, wellbeing, and strengths-based approaches. With qualifications in Social Work, Positive Psychology, and Adult Education, Marie brings over 25 years of experience across mental health, education, and community sectors. As founder of How to Thrive, she developed the BEACON framework, a six-pillar model to support personal and collective wellbeing through Belonging, Engagement, Accountability, Compassion, Optimism, and Nurture. Marie’s work, including the How to Thrive film and training programs, empowers individuals and organisations to shift from “what’s wrong” to “what’s strong,” fostering resilience and growth.

Victoria Cabrera, Jennifer Villalobos

Victoria Cabrera

Victoria (Vicki) Cabrera, Ph.D. (she/her), is a Research Fellow at the Claremont Evaluation Center at Claremont Graduate University. She’s an expert in evaluation, positive organizational psychology, and well-being science. Her evaluation work and evidence-based consulting help mission-driven organizations assess and maximize positive social impact. She has over 20 years of experience working across the nonprofit, education, public, and business sectors in the United States and the Philippines. She holds a PhD in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation & Applied Research Methods from Claremont Graduate University and an MPA in Public and Nonprofit Management & Policy from New York University.

Jennifer Villalobos

Jennifer Pacheco Villalobos, Ph.D. (she/her/ella), is an Assistant Professor at Claremont Graduate University, where she directs the Doctorate of Evaluation Practice program. Her expertise in program evaluation, organizational psychology, and positive interventions focuses on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, social justice, and AI for social good. With over 20 years of consulting experience across sectors like healthcare, education, and corporate, she emphasizes program improvement, workplace well-being, and leadership development. Her research, published in top-tier journals, highlights her contributions to psychological capital and social justice in evaluation. She holds a Ph.D. in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation & Applied Research Methods.

Bea Bincze, Sue Jackson

Bea Bincze

As an experienced coach and trainer, Bea has led workshops integrating humor and improv with psychological research to enhance creativity, flexibility, and performance. She has 25+ years of leadership experience and is a lifelong member of the Association of Applied and Therapeutic Humor (aath.org). Bea specializes in translating evidence-based techniques into actionable tools for teams and individuals, focusing on mindset shifts, communication, and leadership skills. She holds presentations and workshops at international conferences. Her passion is helping people laugh more and complain less. As a speech coach, she supported 100+ presenters for TEDx and Forbes conferences.

Sue Jackson

Dr. Susan Jackson, psychologist and author, is known internationally for her work in flow. Sue’s expertise includes research, writing, consulting, and flow assessment. With a PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Sue has extensive experience in the sports, performance, and health industries. Sue’s understanding of the flow concept was built from having worked directly with the founder of flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. They co-authored Flow in Sports, which was instrumental in bringing an understanding of flow to athletes and coaches. In 2024, Sue published Experiencing Flow, where she shares practical psychological strategies for achieving flow and unlocking human potential across domains.

Robert Baker, Charlotte Axon

Robert Baker

Rob Baker is a leading specialist in applying positive psychology to organizations, with a passion for empowering people to personalize their work through job crafting. As the founder of award-winning consultancy Tailored Thinking and author of “Personalization at Work,” he focuses on evidence-based solutions for wellbeing and HR. Named #8 Most Influential Thinker by HR Magazine in 2023, Rob is a TEDX speaker, has contributed to Harvard Business Review, and holds an MAPP from the University of Melbourne. His work on job crafting and personalization has established him as a global authority in the field.

Andreas Krafft

Andreas Krafft holds a doctoral degree in Management Sciences at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) with special focus on Organizational Psychology, Culture and Development. He has academic specializations in Social Psychology of Organizations, Work and Health Psychology as well as Positive Psychology from the University of Zürich. Andreas is researcher fellow for futures studies and lecturer at the Institute of Systemic Management and Public Governance and at the department of Organizational Psychology at the University of St. Gallen. Furthermore, he teaches at the University of Zürich in the field of Work and Health, at the Master of Applied Positive Psychology at the University of Lisbon, Portugal, as well as at the Master of Futures Studies from the Free University Berlin. He is co-president of swissfuture, the Swiss Society for Futures Studies, member of the executive board of SWIPPA (the Swiss Positive Psychology Association) and of the DACH-PP (German speaking Association of Positive Psychology). Since many years, he leads the International Research Network of the Hope-Barometer and has published several scientific articles and books on hope.

Pninit Russo-Netzer, Raina Chhajer

Pninit Russo-Netzer

Pninit Russo-Netzer, PhD, is an associate Professor, researcher and the head of the Resilience and Optimal Development Lab at Achva Academic College. Her main research and practice interests focus on meaning in life, positive psychology, spirituality, PTG and character strengths. She has published academic articles and is the co-author and co-editor of several books on these topics. She is the founder and head of the ‘Compass’ Institute for the Study and Application of Meaning in life, and the head of the Academic Training Program for Logotherapy. She is the recipient of the IPPA Spirituality and Meaning Researcher Award.

Raina Chhajer

Dr. Raina Chhajer holds the position of Assistant Professor (psychology) at the Indian Institute of Management Indore, India. She conducts research in the fields of positive psychology, nature connectedness, yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Her academic research articles have been published in peer-reviewed journals including BMC Public Health, Neuroscience Insights, Frontiers in Psychology, Frontiers in Public Health. She is a certified forest therapy guide by the Association of Forest and Nature Therapy (ANFT), USA. Also a certified yoga instructor by the Sri Sri School of Yoga and conducts research on the impact of yoga on well-being.

James Pawelski, Anna Grinberg, Liam Viney, Suzie Pileggi Pawelski

James Pawelski

James O. Pawelski, Ph.D., is Professor of Practice and Director of Education in the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, where he is the founding director of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology Program and of the Humanities and Human Flourishing Project. He has published dozens of academic articles and five books, including Happy Together, with his wife, Suzie Pileggi Pawelski. He is Founding Executive Director Emeritus of IPPA and currently serves as Senior Advisor on its Board of Directors and as President of its new division on Positive Arts & Culture.

Anna Grinberg

Dr. Anna Grinberg is Piano Performance Fellow and Lecturer at the School of Music, University of Queensland. An internationally recognized pianist, teacher, and academic, she collaborates with orchestras, composers, and performers globally. Her notable performances include venues such as Royce Hall in Los Angeles and Carnegie Hall in New York, as well as solo appearances with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. As part of the Viney-Grinberg Duo, she explores both classic and contemporary repertoire, commissioning numerous new works. Dr. Grinberg holds degrees from Yale and SUNY Stony Brook and has previously taught at Chapman University and California Institute of the Arts.

Liam Viney

Professor Liam Viney is a pianist and scholar specialising in duo pianism and new music. He collaborates with composers, ensembles, and symphony orchestras, serving as a member of the UQ Chamber Players and Viney-Grinberg Duo. An authority on Australian duo piano music, Liam focuses on creating new musical practices and translating artistic endeavors into academic contexts. Liam has premiered numerous works with funding from organisations such as the Australia Council for the Arts and has released work on internationally recognized recording labels such as Naxos and ABC Classics. He currently heads the School of Music at The University of Queensland.

Suzie Pileggi Pawelski

Suzie Pileggi Pawelski is a well-being writer and consultant specializing in the science of happiness and its effects on relationships and health. With her husband, James Pawelski, she co-authored the best-selling book Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love That Lasts. Together, Suzie and James pen a popular blog for Psychology Today (with over one million reads) and give Romance and Research™ workshops around the world. They recently launched an online course Building Love That Lasts for “Wondrium” (formerly “The Great Courses Plus”). For more information on their work, visit their website www.buildhappytogether.com.

Krista Barry, Kasey Lloyd

Krista Barry

Krista Barry is a dedicated researcher and practitioner in applied positive psychology, holding a Master’s Degree in the field from Central Queensland University. Her passion for the ocean and water therapy has led to impactful contributions, through her research on Australian women’s participation in surfing lessons and its influence on wellbeing, which was published in the ‘Annals of Leisure Research’ and featured in the Australian Women’s Weekly in 2024. The owner of Godfathers of the Ocean Surf School and through her Flow Like Water Academy, Krista combines positive psychology coaching with swimming and surfing to help others thrive with resilience.

Kasey Lloyd

Kasey Lloyd is an ADHDer psychologist working in private practice on the Gold Coast and Northern NSW, Australia, and as a Senior Associate of The Positivity Institute. Kasey’s interest areas are neurodivergence and trauma, and as a graduate of the University of East London’s MAPPCP, actively incorporates positive psychology principles in her therapeutic work.

Sila Ashley Wolf

Sila has more than a decade of social service experience and currently serves as the Social Services Manager for Lifelines at the Jewish Federation of Orange County. Concurrently, she is pursuing her certification as a Nature and Forest Therapy Guide, expanding her expertise in holistic well-being interventions. Sila’s academic background includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, and a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Victoria Cabrera, Jennifer Villalobos

Victoria Cabrera

Victoria (Vicki) Cabrera, Ph.D. (she/her), is a Research Fellow at the Claremont Evaluation Center at Claremont Graduate University. She’s an expert in evaluation, positive organizational psychology, and well-being science. Her evaluation work and evidence-based consulting help mission-driven organizations assess and maximize positive social impact. She has over 20 years of experience working across the nonprofit, education, public, and business sectors in the United States and the Philippines. She holds a PhD in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation & Applied Research Methods from Claremont Graduate University and an MPA in Public and Nonprofit Management & Policy from New York University.

Jennifer Villalobos

Jennifer Pacheco Villalobos, Ph.D. (she/her/ella), is an Assistant Professor at Claremont Graduate University, where she directs the Doctorate of Evaluation Practice program. Her expertise in program evaluation, organizational psychology, and positive interventions focuses on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, social justice, and AI for social good. With over 20 years of consulting experience across sectors like healthcare, education, and corporate, she emphasizes program improvement, workplace well-being, and leadership development. Her research, published in top-tier journals, highlights her contributions to psychological capital and social justice in evaluation. She holds a Ph.D. in Positive Organizational Psychology and Evaluation & Applied Research Methods.

Tarli Young, Jolanda Jetten, Blake McMillian, Natalie Craig

Tarli Young

Dr. Tarli Young is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland’s School of Psychology and co-deputy director of the Social Identity and Groups Network (SIGN). Her research focuses on the intersection of ethics and well-being, exploring how ethical clarity and behavior influence individual and organizational health. Tarli’s intervention work also includes programs in mindfulness, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, ethics training, and positive psychology interventions. Overall, her work seeks to understand and improve well-being using a wide variety of tools and approaches.

Jolanda Jetten

Professor Jolanda Jetten is a leading social psychologist at The University of Queensland, specializing in social identity and group processes. Her groundbreaking work in the “Social Cure” framework highlights how social connections can enhance mental health and well-being. As a key contributor to the Groups 4 Health (G4H) intervention, she has helped develop and refine this program to address loneliness and promote resilience through group-based support. Professor Jetten’s extensive research on the health benefits of social identity has informed interventions worldwide, advancing our understanding of how community and connection play essential roles in mental health care.

Sue Langley and Andrew Soren

Sue Langley

Sue Langley is the Founder and CEO of Langley Group, a global consulting firm specializing in positive psychology, emotional intelligence, and neuroscience. As Academic Director of Langley Group Institute, she developed the first nationally recognized Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing. A sought-after keynote speaker and consultant, Sue also leads social enterprises Helping Hands and Water Works. Featured in the ABC series “Redesign My Brain” and the documentary “Make Me a Leader,” she excels at transforming scientific research into practical tools, bringing over two decades of entrepreneurial experience to her impactful work in positive leadership.

Andrew Soren

Andrew Soren is Treasurer of the Board of Directors for the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) and was a co-chair of the 8th World Congress of Positive Psychology in 2023. He is the Founder and CEO of Eudaimonic by Design, a global network of advisors, facilitators, and researchers who share a passion for well-being and believe organizations must be designed to enable it. Together they harness the best of scholarship and years of experience to advise organizations and design systems that unlock potential and bring out the best in people. For the past 25 years, Andrew has worked with individuals and teams in organisations around the world to build values-based cultures, develop positive leaders and design systems that empower people to be their best. Since 2013, Andrew has been part of the instructional team at the University of Pennsylvania’s internationally renowned Master of Applied Positive Psychology program. He is also a graduate of the program and a past president of its Alumni Association. He regularly writes and speaks about how to apply the science of wellbeing at work. His most recent article, Meaningful Work, Well-Being, and Health: Enacting a Eudaimonic Vision, was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, part of a Special Issue around New Thinking on Purpose and Meaning in Life he co-edited with Dr. Carol Ryff. Andrew is an ICF certified coach and lives in Halifax, Canada.

Revitalising community: The wall of wellbeing experience - inspiring collective action through dynamic, interactive and digital design (#478)

Please note this is an offsite event taking place at QUT.

This workshop invites participants to engage with one of the world’s largest interactive learning and display spaces – a giant touch-screen installation at Queensland University of Technology (QUT) showcasing stories of wellbeing initiatives led by students and staff. By playing with the digital ‘wall of wellbeing’, participants will enhance their wellbeing literacy, gather ideas of practical wellbeing initiatives, explore innovative design development, and create their own ideas for inspiring collective action.

How to Thrive Film - A Positive Psychology informed approach to thriving despite mental ill health (Film plus real world application) (#531)

This workshop offers an immersive experience in how Positive Psychology interventions (PPIs) can complement traditional, recovery-oriented mental health support, providing individuals experiencing difficulties with new pathways to resilience, empowerment, and thriving. Through the award-winning How to Thrive film, an interactive Q&A with creator Marie McLeod and producer Andrew Kelly, and a showcase of how Richmond Fellowship Queensland (RFQ) is adopting this approach, participants will explore Positive Psychology’s application in mental health settings. By focusing on strengths and resilience alongside clinical support, How to Thrive introduces a fresh model for empowering clients beyond the traditional focus on addressing deficits, disorders, and dysfunctions.

Evaluation Workshop 2 - Advancing Renewal: Culturally Responsive and Systems-Based Evaluation for Positive Psychology Interventions (#448)

This workshop, which can be a continuation of workshop #1 (Renewing Impact: Introductory Evaluation Tools for Positive Psychology Interventions), involves advanced, hands-on activities that deepen participants’ skills in evaluating positive psychology interventions using a readiness and culturally responsive lens. Each activity encourages participants to incorporate systems thinking and participatory methods, empowering them to design evaluations that are both impactful and contextually sensitive. This approach directly supports the theme of renewal by encouraging participants to create evaluations that continuously adapt to and support the diverse communities they serve.

Harnessing Humor and Flow for Renewal in Leadership and Coaching (#257)

This workshop equips leaders, coaches, and positive psychology practitioners with tools to use humor and flow to rejuvenate professional relationships, foster engagement, and build resilience. Attendees will explore evidence-based techniques to integrate humor as a stress buffer and creativity booster, enabling flow states that facilitate productivity and well-being in their teams or clients.

Aligned with the Congress theme of “renewal,” this workshop delves into humor and flow as mental and emotional rejuvenation tools. Participants will learn practices that create renewed team vitality, enhance the work environment, and support lasting resilience. These methods also empower leaders and coaches to reconnect with their purpose and to guide others toward meaningful, engaged work experiences.

Job Crafting Masterclass - Empowering Individual, Team and Organisational Renewal through Personalised Work Design (#595)

This immersive and interactive workshop will guide participants through the transformative practice of job crafting, offering a dynamic exploration of how personalised work design can renew energy, engagement, and purpose.

Attendees will delve into job crafting principles and apply practical tools to reimagine how they think about and interact with their roles, relationships, and responsibilities. They will leave this interactive workshop with a treasure-trove of case studies, resources and practical ideas about how to foster job crafting for themselves and to bring job crafting to life within workplaces.

This session directly complements and aligns with the Conference Crafting workshop submitted by Dr Maggie van den Heuvel.

This is relevant to individuals, coaches, researchers, positive psychology practitioners, and people-leaders who have an interest in taking an evidenced-based, research-led and practical approach to improving their own jobs and fostering growth, performance and wellbeing within teams and workplaces.

Awakening to Synchronicity: A Journey through Nature’s Wisdom (#116)

Set within the tranquil surroundings of Brisbane’s Botanical Gardens, this workshop offers a unique, research-informed exploration of synchronicity and nature-based interventions as pathways to enhanced well-being and meaning in life. Through guided experiential activities participants will explore how moments of synchronicity, those meaningful coincidences that resonate on a personal level, can become powerful sources of insight when experienced in connection with the natural world. Nature serves as both context and catalyst, enhancing attention restoration, intuitive clarity, and offering a deeper sense of interconnectedness. By bringing together these two domains, the workshop offers participants an opportunity to expand self-awareness, explore life’s deeper questions, and cultivate a renewed sense of purpose. Unlike conventional approaches, this experience brings theory into lived reality through direct engagement with nature, offering a reflective and transformative space for personal growth.

Positive Futures - Fostering Collective Hope for a better world (Invited)

In this workshop, we present, discuss, and elaborate on ideas for designing educational programs for young people in secondary schools and other social institutions that foster collective hope for a better world. Beginning with the potential and capabilities of the individual, these educational programs adopt a global (social and ecological) perspective as their focus. Since significant changes and profound transformations cannot happen overnight, they require attention to a medium- to long-term timeline. By integrating positive psychology with other disciplines, such as futures studies and transformation literacy, we aim to align individual future goals with visions of a fulfilling life in a thriving world, thereby assisting young people in cultivating a deeper hope for themselves and society. The central question is how to develop stories and visions of hope with young people, conveying the values of a fulfilling life in a sustainable world to enhance their well-being, self-esteem, helpfulness, solidarity, and social engagement. This requires methods and tools that help young people recognize their own abilities and potential, build trust, and enable them to shape their desired future visions for their communities. In this workshop, teachers, caregivers, educators, and other pedagogues learn about the concept of “Positive Futures” and how to implement it in schools and other educational and social institutions.

The Psychology of Harmonious Relationships: A workshop in Three Musical Movements (Invited)

Please note this is an offsite event taking place at the University of Queensland.

Summary:

This interactive workshop combines live musical performance with scientific research and practical insights from the field of positive psychology to explore the dynamics of all types of human relationships. Led by James Pawelski, co-author of Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love That Lasts, and the Viney-Grinberg Duo, the workshop is structured as a metaphorical “three-movement” composition in classical music. Each movement features a piano duet paired with scientific research and interactive engagement so participants can apply the learning to their own relationships (whether in the context of romance, family, friendship, or work). The workshop focuses on the themes of new beginnings, relationship challenges, and strengths integration.

This workshop is intended for anyone who has relationships with other human beings. It is designed to be of benefit to all attendees, whether classical music novices or aficionados, positive psychology beginners or experts, or relationship rookies or veterans. This workshop integrates the arts, science, and personal experience to optimize the benefits of reflecting on various stages of relationships. Attendees will walk away with an inspiring musical experience, helpful information on relationships from scientific research, and interactive practice on how to apply these insights to strengthen their relationships. The workshop is intended to demonstrate the value of interdisciplinary approaches to relationship renewal, as well as the power of the integration of the arts with science for positive interventions in general.

First Movement: Scherzo – The Pitter-Patter of New Beginnings

This section focuses on the early stages of relationships, characterized by playfulness, curiosity, and the excitement of building initial connections.

Musical Performance: The Viney-Grinberg Duo will perform a lively, playful duet from their repertoire. The performance will highlight the light-hearted, mercurial interaction between the musicians, symbolising the early stages of a relationship, where both individuals explore and respond to each other.
Scientific Discussion: Pawelski will introduce positive psychology research about the beginning phases of relationships. Drawing from scientific work on positive emotions (Barbara Fredrickson), high-quality connections (Jane Dutton), passion (Robert Vallerand), and savoring (Fred Bryant and Joseph Veroff), he will discuss how these empirical perspectives can shed light on how relationships form and grow.
Interactive Application: Participants will be invited to engage in exercises, inspired by the music and informed by the science, to help them create high-quality connections in the present and to benefit from savoring high-quality connections from the past. These activities will mirror the dynamics of building early connections, both personally and professionally, and participants will reflect on how curiosity and other features of positive interactions help provide the foundations for strong relationships.

Second Movement: Largo – Facing Challenges in Relationships

This movement addresses the inevitable challenges and conflicts that arise in relationships, including tensions, miscommunication, and moments when relationships are tested.

Musical Performance: The Viney-Grinberg Duo will perform a slower, more contemplative piece. The performance will reflect the heaviness and emotional depth of challenging moments in relationships, emphasising a slower, more deliberate interaction between the musicians.
Scientific Discussion: Pawelski will share insights on how relationships encounter and navigate challenges. Drawing from empirical research on topics such as self-sacrifice, acquiescence, emotional expression, and humor, he will suggest ways science might help us navigate conflict more effectively.
Interactive Application: Participants will be invited to share with each other professional, personal, or romantic relationship challenges they have observed or experienced. They will be asked to discuss how the tension they identified mirrors the musical performance, and they will work together to determine the character strengths that are in conflict in the situation. Getting clear about the underlying character strengths involved can be an important step in understanding the causes of the conflict and thus in finding ways to manage it – or even resolve it.

Third Movement: Fugue – Integration and Flourishing in Relationships

This final movement focuses on the potential for integration, cooperation, and fulfilment within relationships as individuals become deeply connected while retaining their own identities.

Musical Performance: The Viney-Grinberg Duo will perform a complex, intertwined duet. The performance will represent the process of integration in relationships, where both partners harmonize and cooperate, yet maintain their individuality. The interweaving lines in the piece symbolize the complexity of two lives merging into a cohesive, flourishing relationship.
Scientific Discussion: Pawelski will introduce the idea of flourishing relationships, drawing from the Interaction Model and the related notion of giving and receiving strengths he and his wife, Suzie Pileggi Pawelski, have developed. This will pave the way for a discussion of how a focus on the interaction of character strengths can help relationships move beyond mere conflict resolution to deeper fulfilment through positive relational interdependence, where each partner supports the other’s growth while retaining their own strengths and individuality.
Interactive Application: Participants will be invited to reflect on how strengths complementarity and interactivity can help their relationships move beyond conflict to integration and mutual support, just as the musical themes in a fugue interweave and support each other. This exercise will reinforce the idea that cooperation and mutual support – even across differences – can lead to relationship renewal and foster greater fulfilment and collective flourishing.

Closing Reflection and Performance

To conclude the workshop, Pawelski will lead a short debriefing session, encouraging participants to consider how the musical performances provided a reflective space to ponder psychological principles that can be immediately applied to their personal and professional lives. He will draw connections between the musical metaphors and real-life relationships, emphasising how music can serve as a metaphor for working toward harmony, flexibility, and creativity in relationships.

The workshop will end with a short celebratory performance, an encore that reflects the power and potential of flourishing relationships.

Swellbeing: A Surfing and Wellbeing Experience (#656)

Please note this is an offsite event taking place at Burleigh Heads Beach.

The workshop will immerse participants in the experience of surfing to foster psychological resilience, enhance positive emotions, and develop strengths through applied positive psychology practices. It will highlight how the physical and mental challenges of surfing can lead to greater well-being and renewed perspectives on personal growth.

This unique experience seamlessly integrates the thrill of surfing with the foundational principles of positive psychology. Commencing with a safety orientation, participants will explore the ocean environment, emphasising respect for marine life and our connection to nature. They will build awareness of their surroundings by discussing ocean dynamics and local history.

This workshop is ideal for practitioners, educators, and researchers interested in experiential approaches to positive psychology and professionals looking to explore innovative methods for

Bathing in Brisbane’s Botanic Gardens: A Rejuvenating and Regenerative Positive Psychology Practice (#691)

Please note this is an offsite event taking place at the Botanical Gardens.

Numerous research studies have documented the health benefits of time spent in nature, including improved cognitive function and energy, a boost in immunity, reduced stress, and collective bonding.

Attendees will gain practical tools for incorporating nature-based healing into their personal and professional lives, while experiencing firsthand the regenerative power of forest bathing.

Evaluation Workshop 1 - Renewing Impact: Introductory Evaluation Tools for Positive Psychology Interventions (#447)

This workshop is designed to equip participants with practical, actionable evaluation tools they can directly apply to their positive psychology interventions. Through engaging exercises and reflective discussions, participants will gain hands-on experience in evaluative methods that foster effective, renewal-oriented practices. Each interactive component reinforces the theme of renewal by encouraging participants to approach evaluation as a means of rejuvenate their interventions for greater impact on people and places.

Harnessing the Power of Social Connections for Well-being: The Social Cure in Action (#647)

This workshop will introduce participants to the science of the “Social Cure,” a concept that highlights the health and well-being benefits of strong social identities. Participants will learn about the transformative effects of social group memberships on physical health, well-being, and psychological distress. Through hands-on activities such as Social Identity Mapping, attendees will explore how to foster meaningful social group connections and enhance well-being.

Renewing Your Career: Building a Thriving Positive Psychology Business (#112)

Are you ready to turn your passion for positive psychology into a thriving, impactful business? In this scientifically grounded pre-conference workshop, renowned experts Sue Langley and Andrew Soren will share practical, evidence-based strategies to help you build and grow a successful positive psychology business.

Drawing from the latest research and their extensive entrepreneurial experience, the facilitators will guide you through key aspects of establishing a business model that not only applies positive psychology with integrity and rigor to those you wish to serve, but also embodies the principles of positive psychology at its core.

Roy Baumeister

Roy F. Baumeister is one of the world’s most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published over 700 scientific works, including over 40 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow award, in recognition of his lifetime achievements. As of 2023, He holds affiliations with Harvard University (USA), Constructor University Bremen (Germany), Florida State University (USA), BetterUp, Inc. (USA), and the University of Bamberg (Germany). Additionally, Baumeister serves as the president of the International Positive Psychology Association.

Although Roy made his name with laboratory research, his recognition extends beyond the narrow confines of academia. His 2011 book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength (with John Tierney) was a New York Times bestseller. He has appeared on television shows such as Dateline NBC and ABC’s 20/20, as well as on PBS, National Public Radio, and countless local news shows. His work has been covered or quoted in the The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, The Economist, Newsweek, TIME, Psychology Today, Self, Men’s Health, Businessweek, and many other outlets.

Detailed Advice on Writing for Publication (Invited)

This workshop contains advice for young researchers on how to become better and more successful writers. It focuses mainly on writing journal articles but will also include a segment on how to write a book. It begins with general principles and guidelines, then moves on to specific points such as what belongs in an Introduction, how to use subheads and punctuation for maximum effect, and what makes a good abstract. It also includes some discussion of citation counts and how to increase one’s influence as measured by them. The presenter has published hundreds of journal articles and dozens of books, and he draws on personal experience as well as what he learned while mentoring many young researchers. Writing is difficult for nearly everyone at first, but it can become a pleasant and rewarding experience. Good writing is a powerful key to success in a research career.

Tayyab Rashid

Dr. Tayyab Rashid is a Toronto-based clinical psychologist specializing in strength-based psychotherapy, resilience, and post-traumatic growth. He is a faculty affiliate at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard and a faculty member at the VIA Institute on Character. Trained under Dr. Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania, he co-developed Positive Psychotherapy. With nearly two decades of clinical experience, Dr. Rashid has worked extensively with children, adolescents, and young adults facing major depression, severe anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and suicidal behavior.

He has also supported trauma survivors worldwide and has trained professionals in over 25 countries. His books, Positive Psychotherapy (2018) and Strengths-Based Resilience (2025), are widely recognized intervention protocols for resilience and well-being. Dr. Rashid received the Outstanding Practitioner Award from the International Positive Psychology Association (2017) and the Chancellor Award from the University of Toronto (2018).

Cultivating Teacher Resilience: A Strengths-Based Approach for Sustainable Wellbeing in Education (Invited)

Teacher burnout, stress, and attrition are accelerating globally, driven by five key research-based challenges: lack of early-career and sustained support, overwhelming workload and work-life imbalance, weak relational trust in schools, disengaging professional development, and underdeveloped emotional and cognitive coping skills. This workshop introduces the Strengths-Based Resilience (SBR) model—a practical, evidence-informed approach that helps educators build resilience by identifying and applying their character strengths in meaningful, sustainable ways.

Grounded in positive psychology, cognitive-behavioral science, and mindfulness, the SBR model equips teachers with strategies to manage stress, stay engaged, and maintain a sense of purpose. Participants will engage in experiential activities including strength-spotting, cognitive reframing, savoring practices, and values-based reflection—tools they can apply immediately in classrooms and school communities.

Character strengths are emphasized as foundational assets that support emotional regulation, connection, and professional identity. By the end of the session, participants will leave with a practical toolkit for integrating resilience-building into everyday teaching, staff collaboration, and personal wellbeing.

This workshop is ideal for educators, school leaders, and wellbeing professionals committed to fostering a strengths-based culture of resilience in education.

Spirituality and Meaning (SMD) Researcher Award

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Spirituality and Meaning (SMD) Researcher Award

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Express interest onIPPA World Congress 2027

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IPPA World Congress 2027