Day 1 :
Keynote Forum
L Ari Kopolow
George Washington University School of Medicine, USA
Keynote: The truth about happiness
Time : 09:30-10:15
Biography:
L. Ari Kopolow majored in psychology at Brandeis University where Abraham Maslow was his Mentor. With Maslow’s guidance, he chose a career in medicine and obtained his M.D from the University Of Missouri School of Medicine and completed a Harvard Psychiatry Residency at Mclean Hospital. He has served as Instructor at Harvard, adjunct faculty at Georgetown, and Assistant Professor at George Washington University. He is a distinguished life fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, Primary Investigator in many international pharmacological studies, and a national speaker on Neurobiology of Depression and Stress Management.
Abstract:
During my years as a student of Abraham Maslow, I learned a great deal about the pursuit and experience of Happiness. The late 1960s were turbulent times but Maslow offered a positive perspective on life and living. It is no accident that he was the first to use the term positive psychology and break from academic psychology’s focus on pathology and animal studies. I had the opportunity not only to read his writings but also to discuss with him what was the meaning behind the words. He used his own life story to help us understand crucial concepts. Even though he declared there was no path to happiness, we filled up our notebooks with the stories of his journey and thus gained insight into how and where to look for the answers we sought including achieving a state of Being. Maslow’s focus on human nature and especially our potential to develop our capacities and potentials to be fully ourselves led him to examine the characteristic of self-actualized people. What he found were people who were fully themselves. People who were exceptionally aware of conditions around them and within themselves. And significantly for this meeting people whose lives frequently were characterized by periods of” pure joy” we will now look at Maslow’s take on Happiness and the kinds of experiences which he described as being so wonderful that they “validated life”. This lecture will focus on Maslow’s approach to happiness and wellbeing and unreported strategies for living better. Maslow saw happiness as an experience “ en passant” and cautioned us not to expect the joy to last. If he did not show us the exact paths to follow to achieve happiness or self-actualization he made sure to point out where to look for them.
Keynote Forum
Rodney B Dieser
University of Northern Iowa, USA
Keynote: Integrating flow theory and the serious leisure perspective into mental health counseling: A case report
Time : 10:15-11:00
Biography:
Rodney Dieser, Ph.D., tLMHC is a Professor at the University of Northern Iowa in the Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services and an affiliate faculty member in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. He believes in a researcher-practitioner model. As a researcher, he has published over 100 articles and five textbooks, and his writings have appeared in Counseling Psychology Quarterly, International Journal of Applied Positive Psychology, Journal of Leisure Research, Leisure/Loisir, Mayo Clinic Proceedings and the Therapeutic Recreation Journal. As a practitioner, he works 10-12 hours a week as a Licensed Mental Health Therapist at a community mental health agency in Waterloo (Iowa). His primary research focus is the connection between leisure and mental health, including leisure and wellness embedded in mental health counseling and leisure services at Mayo Clinic.
Abstract:
Statement of Problem: Although different counseling models have acknowledged the role of leisure in the counseling process (e.g. acceptance and commitment therapy, cognitive behavioral activation, developmental counseling and therapy, existential therapy, reality therapy) leisure is largely an unknown and superficial concept in the mental health counseling literature. Within positive psychology, Seligman (2002, 2011) gives some voice to leisure within authentic happiness and well-being theory, but this area of positive psychology is still largely underdeveloped, especially as it relates to mental health counseling services.
Purpose and Methodology: The purpose of this study is to define the serious leisure perspective and flow theory and to describe how these two theories of leisure can be integrated and used when working with clients who experience depression, and other types of mental health disorders. Through a case study of a middle-aged man who had stage four renal disease, severe depression, and mild anxiety, this paper will explain how the serious leisure perspective (SLP), which propel the client to experience flow and meaning, was used as a treatment intervention. In order to improve methodological rigor, this case report will follow the CARE (CAse REport) guidelines that are a consensus-based clinical case reporting framework from the medical profession.
Practical and Research Implications: Four broad-based pragmatic ideas regarding how flow theory and the SLP can be integrated into the counseling process include mental health counselors (1) understanding the SLP, flow (enjoyment), and hedonistic pleasure; (2) becoming aware of various assessment instruments that measure flow and serious leisure; (3) using the provision characteristics of entering flow into the counseling process; and (4) empowering clients to becoming community change agents through serious leisure pursuit, resulting in flow experiences.
Keynote Forum
John McIntosh & Elizabeth McIntosh
Mackay Superclinics and Exqisit Life Foundation, Australia
Keynote: What impact positive mindfulness cognition (PMC) and the TUFMINDs app has on mental resilience and other mental health parameters?
Time : 11:20-12:05
Biography:
John McIntosh is an Australian medical specialist and Elizabeth McIntosh is known as the “Positivity Expert” from her decades of experience. She is a Doctor of Philosophy Ph.D. (Metaphysics), an Ordained Minister, fitness trainer, meditation teacher, Reiki Master, NLP practitioner, and hypnotherapist. They are both authors, entrepreneurs, international motivational speakers, radio presenters, and humanitarians. Together they created “Positive Mindfulness Cognition” and TUFMINDs – Life Rescue App, free mental wellbeing and suicide intervention program. Success has been seen globally and even in Bali’s notorious Kerobokan Prison! They have also co-authored award-winning and best-selling books, ‘Mastering Negative Impulsive Thoughts’ and ‘CEO Principles’. They are also multi-award winners for business, community and medical. They funded the creation of TUFMINDs App themselves and give it away for FREE to create effective solutions for suicide reduction and psychosomatic illnesses created by negativity and want to share the benefits widely.
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: With the impacts of mental illness and suicide rates rising across communities, practical solutions are needed to save lives. This research was used to measure if Positive Mindfulness Cognition and the TUFMINDs App created measurable changes in attitudes, coping skills, mental illness scores, workplace function, and mental resilience to assess potential benefits for community interventions.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Aims: Before and after scores of: (i) Individuals actual versus perceived optimism scores (LOT-R) (ii) Mental resilience scores (BRC score) (iii) Depression, anxiety and stress scores (DASS-21) and perceived stress levels at work (iv) Workplace atmosphere, engagement, trust, and communication. PMC is a dynamic structured mindfulness process that improves an individual’s awareness of their negative thoughts and has a structured process to change those into positive alternatives. It also provides positive communication skills, cultural standards, elimination of drama, gossip and sarcasm and positive management of conflict and complaints. The studies were performed in 570 individuals in multiple workplaces.
Conclusion & Significance: Individuals are 15% less positive than they think they are. This score fell by a dramatic 40% when faced with every day (non-critical) challenges. This research shows that the program is effective at all the above parameters consistent and across multiple worksites. This results in individuals being more resilient with a lower risk of mental illness and suicide. Additionally, it improves individuals willingness to enquire and take action when faced with a suicidal person. The potential to benefit individuals, businesses and communities are huge. Further research to confirm these numbers is required.
- Workshop
Location: Cannes Room
Session Introduction
Uvinie Lubecki
Leading Through Connection, USA
Title: Leading with mindfulness and compassion
Biography:
Uvinie Lubecki is the Founder and CEO of Leading Through Connection, which trains leaders and supports organizations to build a culture of connection and compassion. Previously, she was the managing director for Dalai Lama Fellows, where she developed the curriculum for bringing mindfulness and compassion into leading social change. Before Dalai Lama Fellows, she leads strategy for Relay Health at McKesson, incubated businesses for Aetna, and worked as a management consultant for Deloitte Consulting. At LTC, she draws from her leadership experiences to craft practical and realistic mindfulness and compassion tools and practices for leaders. She holds an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health and a BA in Neurobiology and Behavior from Cornell University. She’s originally from Sri Lanka and was raised in New York, Nigeria, and Jordan.
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: A recent survey on 1,000 leaders across 800 organizations has shown that while 91% of leaders believe compassion is important to their leadership, 80% do not know how to lead with compassion. Researchers have shown that mindfulness and compassion can be trained and when applied to interactions, they can improve wellbeing, resilience, and interactions with others. However, mindfulness and compassion have thus far largely been applied to personal wellbeing and stress reduction. Few tools have been developed that translate and apply these techniques to leadership.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Building on the curriculum I developed at Dalai Lama Fellows, which applies universal values championed by the Dalai Lama to leading social change, we’ve created a new secular training program for seasoned leaders in the corporate and non-profit sectors. Thus far, leaders from organizations such as Macy’s, Eileen Fisher, Celgene, and Pachamama Alliance amongst others have participated in these training. The training is 2-day intensive workshops followed by 5 weeks of practice and a concluding 1.5-hour webinar.
Conclusion & Significance: Leaders demonstrated improvements in self-awareness, ability to regulate emotions, ability to extend caring and compassion to others, improvements in their ability to interact with others, and the ability to provide constructive feedback with compassion. Additional questions on how to apply compassion to top-down processes to influence culture are being explored.
- Sessions on: Positive Psychology Interventions and Positive Education | Mindfulness and Compassion
Location: Cannes Room
Session Introduction
Ashley R Cosentino
The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, USA
Title: Ditch the guilt: What does every mom need to stop feeling “Mom Guiltâ€
Biography:
Ashley Cosentino EdD, LCPC, NCC earned a Doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision and a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from Governors State University. Currently, she is enrolled in a Ph.D. Organizational Leadership program at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Her experiences include being an Associate Director and Interim Director of training for the Office of Placement and Training where she oversees the practicum/internship training for Masters and Doctoral students. She is responsible for orienting the members of the learning community to the training site search, application, interviewing, and acceptance processes. She oversees the evaluation of student performance by site supervisors and faculty and is responsible for developing training sites and regularly evaluating the quality of training. Currently, she is also an Assistant Professor in the Counselor Education Department at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Overall, she considers herself a clinician, supervisor, researcher, leader, and educator.
Abstract:
The image of what it means to be a good mom has consistently been a part of a prescribed performance of gender for women. According to this mother ideal, the mother must be the primary caregiver of children because men cannot be relied upon the duty. Child rearing logically requires extensive time, energy, and material resources, and the children are priceless and incompatible with paid labor (Hays, 996). Based on the latest U.S. Bureau of Census (2018) most mothers are employed. Around 60% of mothers with children under six are employed compared to 80% with teenagers. When it comes to mothering, guilt can emerge frequently because of the pressure to be perfect and the perpetual feelings of inadequacy in attaining perfection. That is guilt and shame stem from the very discourse of motherhood that measures women against an unattainable and therefore problematic ideal of perfection. While the link between perfectionistic standards and negative outcomes has been established, less is known about how the dominant ideology of being a “perfect mother affects mothers’ psychological well-being. Research on working mothers has argued that they utilize cognitive acrobatics in order to manage the tension between employment and the dominant mother ideology (Johnston & Swansonn, 2007). A woman’s yearning for balance in the most desired and hardest to achieve factor (Sullivan & Mainiero, 2006). The balance notion declares the need for balance across multiple areas of life. This means a woman may decline work until her children are in elementary school. Supple (2007) found in her qualitative research with working mothers that women placed a high value on self, work, and motherhood, and relied on support systems to obtain a balanced life. However, the literature does not specify how the role of parenting and family affects the leadership expansion of working mothers.
Geraldine Maughan
Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland
Title: Personal development modules making a positive difference to learners and their clients
Biography:
Geraldine is a Founder and PI for all research projects under ASCEND’s research group. ASCEND (Applied Social Care Education and practice in New Directions) at Limerick Institute of Technology, Ireland. Prior to taking up her lecturing and research post in 2013, she worked as a Social Care Worker with vulnerable families, young people in residential care, young people in foster care, young people on the cusp of coming in to care, young people involved with the justice system, mental health, and homeless services. Her current research interests are attachment and relationships, Marte Meo therapy, vulnerable people and Personal development for Social Care Learners. She has spoken and published nationally and internationally on these topics. She sits on a research panel for the Ombudsman for Children’s Office, a SIG examining the ethics of young peoples’ participation in research and the Limerick Citywide Child and Youth Forum.
Abstract:
Social care lecturing staff at Ireland’s Limerick Institute of Technology have devised a personal development curriculum and pedagogy for social care learners for each year of their study. This integrated model can be traced back to elements of psychology, sociology, and philosophy. The module aims to equip social care learners to work enabling adults and children in a range of social care settings, who are sometimes marginalized and vulnerable, to be empowered to recognize their own potential equivalent to how social care learners recognize theirs during their engagement with the personal development modules. Personal development is often a transformative process within the relationship dyad between lecturer and learner who co-create this pedagogical learning space. A person-centered methodology is at the heart of this teaching. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and relevance of this module for social care work graduates. The purpose of the research is to discover if personal development provides beneficial learning from the perspective of social care work graduates and their in-service supervisors. Engagement with new ideas and research findings throughout my Ph.D. study will facilitate curriculum evaluation and change if necessary.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Stems from an Interpretive/constructivist qualitative case study research design. Preliminary findings from a pilot study outline learners’ positive experiences both professionally and personally with the module.
Conclusions: From the pilot study suggest continuing the study and recommendations to date advise continuing with interviews and solicited diaries but not focus groups.
Pamela Tremblay
Lagrange College, USA
Title: An Integrative approach for treating anxiety and depression
Biography:
Pamela Tremblay has her expertise in Integrative EMDR and passion for improving the mindset of others. Her integrative approach creates new pathways when looking at mental health treatments. She has built her theory after 20 years of experience in counseling, teaching, and evaluating college-age young adults. Her Ph.D. is in Holistic Health and Nutrition and her specialists & master’s degrees are in Counseling and Educational Psychology.
Abstract:
Few practitioners are informed of the importance of the connection between the basic needs of the physical body and how it affects the mindset while they understand the connection between those same basic needs and how it affects the physical body. We need to become more aware of the connection between what happens to the physical body and how it affects the mind when taking a holistic approach to treating anxiety and depression. It is no longer effective to just medicate the symptoms of depression and anxiety without looking at the physical behaviors such as sleep, water intake, gut-brain axis and untreated traumas that contribute to the emotional response which is at the core of anxiety and depression. Many research topics support the correlation of sleep, water intake, the importance of the gut-brain axis and untreated traumas with anxiety and depression but few practitioners practice this holistic approach. The link between sleep and mood has been documented for years now. We now know people who struggle with sleeping issues have a greater chance to have clinical depression and are even more likely to have signs of clinical anxiety. As practitioners, we need to look outside the box if medications do not help our clients find the peace of mind they desire. In this workshop, I will define eight key elements that support a healthy mindset and how a holistic approach can be extremely helpful in treating young adults who are suffering from anxiety and depression including some natural therapies that are just as effective as medication.
- Exhibitor Session
Location: Cannes Room
Session Introduction
Laura Johnson
Acquiring Wellness Essentials, USA
Title: Acquiring Wellness Essentials
Biography:
Abstract:
- Young Researchers Forum
Location: Cannes Room
Session Introduction
Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger
Marshfield Clinic Health System, USA
Title: Harvesting the idea of a rural after-school program enhancing the well-being for at-risk youth
Biography:
Kelsie-Marie Offenwanger is a post-doctoral fellow at the Marshfield Clinic Health System. She was recently awarded the Early Career Psychologist Credentialing Scholarship by the National Register of Health Service Psychologists. Her training and expertise have focused on children, adolescents, and families across the community and school-based settings. She conducted her dissertation on the trajectory of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). She has presented nationally on NSSI to a wide array of audiences across the educational, medical, community, and clinical settings. She performs a variety of comprehensive psychological services in her day to day practice. She participates on multidisciplinary teams and conducts psychological evaluations. In addition, she provides individual and family psychotherapy to children and adolescents who exhibit a wide range of social, emotional and behavioral concerns. She is actively involved within the Center for Community Health Advancement and provides evidence-based interventions to enhance the functioning of at-risk youth and their families.
Abstract:
Research shows that limited access to resources and behavioral health problems are forces of economic disadvantage for rural youth. While socioeconomic status and stress challenge available social supports that can intervene against disadvantaged access to community resources, a rising body of evidence suggests that enhancing sense belongingness and self-efficacy can improve social, emotional and behavioral outcomes. For 3 years prior, a psychologist facilitated an after-school group that taught self-regulation skills to youth. The group received overwhelmingly positive qualitative feedback from participants and staff, which prompted the current study. The current study extends prior work and will evaluate its impact. Theoretical and empirical origins formed the foundation for the program that consists of in-person and technology-based interventions. The study provides 8 to 15 year-olds an opportunity to strengthen their emotional regulation skills within an after-school setting. The study will test social-emotional learning interventions that aim to create a sense of belonging and acceptance among youth who are likely to feel misunderstood or excluded. The study will examine behavioral and psychosocial outcomes that align with CASEL’s core competencies. Students receive the intervention during the fall, winter or spring of an academic year. Data is collected in pre- and post- surveys completed by students, caregivers, and staff across the school and community settings. Preliminary quantitative data has been encouraging. Participants, caregivers, and staff reported improved psychosocial functioning across settings. The current study hopes to serve as a stepping-stone for vulnerable youth who are at risk of poor behavioral, academic and health outcomes.
Patricia Garcia
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, USA
Title: Biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease: understanding their association with neuropsychological performance among a Hispanic sample
Biography:
Patricia Garcia is a second-year neuropsychology fellow. She completed her first year of residency at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and worked in the outpatient neuropsychology clinic where she did neuropsychological evaluations of adults and geriatric patients, particularly assisting in the diagnosis of dementia at the outpatient neuropsychology center and at the memory disorder’s clinic in the neurology department. She is now at Ryder Trauma Center located in Jackson Memorial Hospital, working primarily in the neurorehabilitation inpatient unit where she has the opportunity to assess and treat patients with traumatic brain injuries, cerebrovascular accidents, brain tumors, epilepsy, brain infections, among other neurological conditions, and communicate findings to an interdisciplinary team of professionals. She also provides consultative services at the neurosurgery ICU, trauma ICU, and the outpatient neuropsychology clinics. Her research interests include cross-cultural neuropsychology, AD biomarkers, psychiatric symptoms, and cultural variables in the assessment of dementia.
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: The most promising biomarkers to date for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) detection include Positron Emission Tomography of metabolic brain changes or cortical b-amyloid deposition, structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging for brain atrophy, and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers. Volumetric changes in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus have been noted in patients with AD and patients with mild cognitive impairment. However, the effects of the amyloid load on cognitive performance are less understood. Further studies looking at cultural variables in the context of AD are imperative given the current and projected growth of ethnic minorities in the US. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between AD biomarkers (regional brain atrophy and amyloid aggregation) with cognitive performance among Hispanic and white non-Hispanic older adults.
Methodology: Cross-sectional analyses were conducted among clinical samples, totaling 182 participants. Subgroups were created based on participants’ cognitive diagnosis and ethnicity. Pearson correlations between AD biomarkers and neuropsychological tests were initially performed. A stepwise multiple regression analysis was used to develop a model for predicting the effects of medial temporal atrophy (MTA) and amyloid deposition on several cognitive tasks.
Findings: A positive correlation was noted between the right parahippocampal area and HVLT Immediate (β=0.494, p=0.005) in healthy Hispanics. Among Hispanics with dementia, a negative correlation between amyloid and HVLT delayed recall was found (β=-0.585, p=0.005). Regression analyses revealed that among healthy Hispanics, a significant predictive relationship was noted between HVLT Immediate and right-parahippocampus, R2=0.244, F(1,15)=4.837, p=<0.005. Among Hispanics with dementia, amyloid deposition significantly predicted performance on the HVLT delayed, R2=0.342, F(1,10)= 5.190, p=<0.005.
Conclusion & Significance: The small variance accounted by these biomarkers invites researchers and clinicians to identify other contributing factors to neurocognitive performance. Future studies should examine individual cultural factors contributing to these findings among clinical samples.
Wahab Shahbaz
Massey University, New Zealand
Title: State mindfulness of academic professionals in New Zealand: An exploratory study
Biography:
Wahab Shahbaz is a Ph.D. student at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand. His research interests include training and development of employees in the organizations. In particular, he is looking at the phenomenon of mindfulness and its application in the organizations. He intends to develop a mindfulness-based training program for organizations to improve the performance and well-being of employees.
Abstract:
Statement of the Problem: In simplest terms, mindfulness is a state of being present in a particular way. In the organizations, the employee’s state of mindfulness can provide workplace benefits in terms of employee’s well-being, relationships, and performance. Although the literature on mindfulness has focused on the workplace benefits of mindfulness but relatively limited is known about the individual and work-related factors that might facilitate or hinder the state of mindfulness. In other words, it is not clear how specific context can impact the state mindfulness of employees. The purpose of this study is to explore the individual context to identify the factors associated with the state mindfulness of employees.
Methodology: The study adopts a phenomenological approach as a research strategy to understand the influence of context on the employee’s mindfulness from the perspectives and experiences of individuals in the workplace. The study intends to interview 30 professionals including faculty and staff of different Universities in New Zealand. The academic professionals will have a diversity of mindfulness experiences in terms of training and/or practice of mindfulness meditation. The interviews will be tape recorded after taking consent from the participants. The interview data will be analyzed using thematic analysis.
Significance: The findings of the study will expend literature on the context of mindfulness by underlining the individual and organizational factors that might impact the employee’s state of mindfulness. Practically, the study may benefit the organizational leaders to foster the state mindfulness of employees by incorporating the favorable and impeding the unfavorable contextual factors in order to obtain workplace benefits.