My name is Siobhan Connolly-Hogan. I am in the final stages of completing a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and am currently writing my dissertation.

Having taught teenagers for 25 years in Ireland, I witnessed first-hand a rise in anxiety and a decrease in coping skills in adolescents. There was a dramatic rise in students presenting with mental ill health. Through teaching wellbeing, I became fascinated with positive psychology, which seemed to me to have many of the answers on how to improve one’s life.

I decided to return to university to do a MAPP and spent the last two years studying in Bucks New University, Buckinghamshire, England.  My particular area of interest is positive psychology for the ‘bad days’. I am totally passionate about this area and am determined to pass on my learnings. Hence, I set up my wellbeing company Sona.

‘Sona’ is the Irish word for happy; it is pronounced Sun- A.  The sun represents positivity and warmth and the ‘A’ about being at your best and ‘Bringing your A-game’. The tag line is Real Life Positivity, which is where my heart lies, hence my devotion to PP2.0. and Existential Positive Psychology. I was hooked from the moment I read Dr. Wong’s 2011 article ‘Positive Psychology 2.0: Towards a Balanced Interactive Model of the Good Life.’  I felt it was speaking to my heart, and finding meaning and purpose in life has eased many a difficult day for me.

Through the social media sites of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, I deliver a daily inspirational message which is grounded in the science of positive psychology. I have been doing this every day for 16 months now, through good and bad days. My father was diagnosed with terminal illness and died during this time. I believe my PP learning helped me to accompany him on his brave journey to a most beautiful death.

I am currently designing and delivering positive psychology courses and workshops, and I have designed school resources to promote kindness and gratitude.

My thesis research is on reducing the voice of the inner critic, and I am constructing a framework for a course aimed at adolescents.

I am so excited to be joining you all.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/reallifepositivity/

Instagram: Sona_real_life_positivity

Twitter: @siobhan_ni