The purpose of this scholarship contest is to encourage graduate and undergraduate students to explore the integration between existential psychology and positive psychology. There is already considerable research and publications in this emerging field – Existential Positive Psychology (or EPP) – which can broaden and deepen our understanding of healing and wellbeing (Batthyany & Russo-Netzer, 2014; Chang et al., 2022; Compton & Hoffman, 2020; Ivtzan et al., 2015; Russo-Netzer et al., 2016; Wong, 2023; Worth, 2021).

The humanistic-existential foundations of positive psychology include themes such as:

• Personal and social responsibility for one’s own future and social justice (Arslan & Wong, 2022).
• The existential courage to embrace negative emotions and suffering (Maddi, 2004; Van Tongeren & Showalter Van Tongeren, 2020).
• Becoming our true self or what we are meant to be (Proctor et al., 2016; Rogers, 1961/1995).
• The spiritual-existential dimension of personhood (Niemiec et al., 2020).
• The existential need for connection and belonging (Cohen, 2022; Pinel, 2021).
• The existential need for something greater than oneself (Kaufman, 2020; Wong et al., 2021).

The contest opens on April 15, 2024.

EPP as Envisioned by INPM

EPP integrates the dark and the bright sides of life to provide a more integrative and comprehensive model of wellbeing. We explore the dialectical interaction between these poles of human experience, with a particular emphasis on the importance of embracing and transforming suffering for cultivating sustainable wellbeing (Wong & Cowden, 2022).

Additional Important EPP References

• Wong, P. T. P. (2011). Positive psychology 2.0: Towards a balanced interactive model of the good life. Canadian Psychology, 52(2), 69-81.
• Wong, P. T. P. (2022). The wisdom of the soul: The missing key to happiness and positive mental health? [Review of the book A Time for Wisdom: Knowledge, Detachment, Tranquility, Transcendence, by P. T. McLaughlin & M. R. McMinn]. International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology, 11(2). https://www.meaning.ca/ijepp-article/vol11-no2/the-wisdom-of-the-soul-the-missing-key-to-happiness-and-positive-mental-health/
• Wong, P. T. P. (2023). Pioneer in research in existential positive psychology of suffering and global flourishing: Paul T. P. Wong. Applied Research in Quality of Life, 18, 2153-2157. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-023-10207-7
• Wong, P. T. P. (2023). Spiritual-existential wellbeing (SEW): The faith-hope-love model of mental health and total wellbeing. International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology, 12(1). https://www.meaning.ca/ijepp-article/vol12-no1/spiritual-existential-wellbeing/
• Wong, P. T. P., & Laird, D. (2023). Varieties of suffering in clinical setting: Re-envisioning mental health beyond the medical model. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1155845
• Wong, P. T. P., & Mayer, C.-H. (2023). The meaning of love and its bittersweet nature. International Review of Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1080/09540261.2023.2173001
• Wong, P. T. P., & Yu, T. T. F. (2021). Existential suffering in palliative care: An existential positive psychology perspective. Medicina, 57(9), 924. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina57090924

PRIZES

As judged by a panel of adjudicators consisting of Dr. Roger Tweed, Dr. Paul T. P. Wong, and Dr. Piers Worth, the three selected winners will receive the winners will receive the following scholarships:

• First Prize: CAD $1,000 + 3-Year INPM Membership
• Second Prize: CAD $800 + 2-Year INPM Membership
• Third Prize: CAD $500 + 1-Year INPM Membership

An INPM Membership comes with the following benefits:

1. Free subscription to the Quarterly Positive Living Newsletter.
2. Access to the Meaningful Living Group and its materials.
3. 20% discounts on INPM workshop, conference, and Summer Institute registration.
4. 20% discount on INPM Publications.
5. Free subscription and submission to our peer-reviewed online Journal.
6. Expert consultation on meaning-focused research and clinical applications.
7. Access to the INPM’s online learning library archive of previous workshop and conference recordings.

After the first round of selection, all three winners will have their expanded papers published in the International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology after a courtesy review. This publication can include the student’s supervisor as a second author.

Winners will be notified by August 7^th, 2024.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

All undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit their articles to tim.inpm@gmail.com no later than 11:59 PM on July 7^th, 2024

1. The email subject line should be “EPP Scholarship | Author Name(s)”.
2. The attached file(s) should be .docx or .doc (or .rtf for those without Microsoft Word).
3. Text should be single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-pt font.
4. Your submission should be an article that is less than 2000 words (main text) based on empirical research, literature review or conceptual analysis that explores some aspect(s) of integrating existential psychology and positive psychology.
5. APA 7^th formatting and referencing.
6. Submissions should be authored by only one undergraduate or graduate student (winners may be asked for their student identification). Each student may only submit one submission for this award.

References

Arslan, G. & Wong, P. T. P.  (2022). Measuring personal and social responsibility: An existential positive psychology approach. Journal of Happiness and Health, 2(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.47602/johah.v2i1.5

Batthyany, A., & Russo-Netzer, P. (Eds.). (2014). Meaning in positive and existential psychology. Springer Science + Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-0308-5

Chang, E. C., Downey, C. A., Yang, H., Zettler, I., & Muyan, M. (2022). The international handbook of positive psychology: A global perspective on the science of positive human existence. Springer.

Cohen, G. L. (2022). Belonging: The science of creating connection and bridging divides. W. W. Norton.

Compton, W. C., & Hoffman, E. L. (2020). Positive psychology: The science of happiness and flourishing (3rd ed.). Sage.

Ivtzan, I., Lomas, T., Hefferon, K., & Worth, P. (2015). Second wave positive psychology: Embracing the dark side of life. Routledge.

Kaufman, S. B. (2020). Transcend: The new science of self-actualization. Tarcher Perigee.

Maddi, S. R. (2004). Hardiness: An operationalization of existential courage. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 44(3), 279-298. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167804266101

Niemiec, R. M., Russo-Netzer, P., & Pargament, K. I. (2020). The decoding of the human spirit: A synergy of spirituality and character strengths toward wholeness. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 2040. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02040

Pinel, E. C. (2021, August 3). Alone in a crowd? Existential isolation and connection. International Society for the Science of Existential Psychology. https://www.issep.org/article/alone-in-a-crowd

Proctor, C., Tweed, R., & Morris, D. (2016). The Rogerian fully functioning person: A positive psychology perspective. Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 56(5), 503-529. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022167815605936

Rogers, C. R. (1995). On becoming a person: A therapist’s view of psychotherapy (2^nd ed.). HarperOne. (Originally published in 1961)

Russo-Netzer, P., Schulenberg, S. E., & Batthyany, A. (Eds.) (2016). Clinical perspectives on meaning: Positive and existential psychotherapy. Springer International Publishing.

Van Tongeren, D. R., & Showalter Van Tongeren, S. A. (2020). The courage to suffer: A new clinical framework for life’s greatest crises. Templeton Press

Wong, P. T. P. (Ed.) (2023). A second-wave positive psychology in counselling psychology: A paradigm shift. Routledge.

Wong, P. T. P., & Cowden, R. G. (2022). Accelerating the science and practice of psychology beyond WEIRD biases: Enriching the landscape through Asian psychology. Frontiers in Psychology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1054519

Wong, P. T. P., Arslan, G., Bowers, V. L., Peacock, E. J., Kjell, O. N. E., Ivtzan, I., Lomas, T. (2021). Self-transcendence as a buffer against COVID-19 suffering: The development and validation of the Self-Transcendence measure-B. Frontiers, 12, 4229. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.648549

Worth, P. (Ed.). (2021). Positive psychology across the life span: An existential perspective. Routledge.

The post Carrina Chan Wong Existential Positive Psychology Scholarship 2024 appeared first on International Network on Personal Meaning.

1. Is happiness a right or is it earned?
2. Is it possible to live a meaningful life in a post-pandemic era?
3. How is the meaning of being human challenged by the rapid development of robot and artificial intelligence (AI) technology?
4. What is the meaning of love in a post-pandemic world?
5. What is the use of university education when it cannot guarantee a good quality of life (e.g., employment or being able to pay my bills)?
6. What are your hopes or dreams for the future?

PRIZES

As judged by a panel of adjudicators consisting of Don Laird, Paul T. P. Wong, and Tim Yu, the five selected winners will receive a one-year INPM Student Membership with the following benefits:

1. Free subscription to the Quarterly Positive Living Newsletter.
2. Access to the Meaningful Living Group and its materials.
3. 20% discounts on INPM workshop, conference, and Summer Institute registration.
4. 20% discount on INPM Publications.
5. Free subscription and submission to our peer-reviewed online Journal.
6. Expert consultation on meaning-focused research and clinical applications.
7. Access to the INPM’s online learning library archive of previous workshop and conference recordings.

After the first round of selection, all five winners will have the opportunity to have their expanded papers published in the International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology.

Winners will be notified by December 1, 2023

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

All undergraduate students are invited to submit their papers to tim.inpm@gmail.com no later than 11:59 PM on November 1^st, 2023

1. The email subject line should be “INPM Student Membership Award | Author Name(s)”
2. The attached file(s) should be .docx or .doc (or .rtf for those without Microsoft Word)
3. Text should be single-spaced, Times New Roman, 12-pt font
4. Your submission should be 300-500 words (main text)
5. We encourage APA 7^th formatting and referencing
6. Submissions should be authored by only one undergraduate who is interested in becoming a student member of INPM (winners may be asked for their student identification). Each student may only submit one submission for this award.

After the first round of selection, all five winners will expand their submission to a short paper (1000 words), and after a courtesy review, have it published in the International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology. (This publication can include the student’s supervisor as a second author)

References

Wong, P. T. P. (2021). What is existential positive psychology (PP 2.0)? Why is it necessary for mental health during the pandemic? International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology, 10(1), 1–16. https://www.meaning.ca/ijepp-article/vol10-no1/what-is-existential-positive-psychology-pp-2-0-why-is-it-necessary-for-mental-health-during-the-pandemic/

Wong, P. T. P. (2023). Spiritual-existential wellbeing (SEW): The faith-hope-love model of mental health and total wellbeing. International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology, 12(1). https://www.meaning.ca/ijepp-article/vol12-no1/spiritual-existential-wellbeing/

Wong, P. T. P., Mayer, C.-H., & Arslan, G. (Eds.). (2021b). Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0) and the new science of flourishing through suffering [Editorial]. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.800308/full

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April 30 is the deadline for early bird registration, fees increase from: Members $379 | Non-members $479 to Members $399 | Non-members $499 at the end of the month. Register today and save.

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Integrating Healing with Growth Through Meaning Therapy: Beyond Psychological Disorders

Download PDF flyer

Speaker

Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Professor Emeritus of Trent University, Adjunct Professor at Saybrook University President, Meaning-Centered Counselling Institute

Facilitator

Lilian C. J. Wong, B.Sc., M.A., Ph.D., R.P.
Vice President, Meaning-Centered Counselling Institute Inc.

Event Overview

Integrative meaning therapy (MT) is a recent extension and integration of Viktor Frankl’s logotherapy with cognitive behavioural therapy and positive psychotherapy. As a pluralistic and integrative therapy, MT can be tailored to the needs of each individual client based on their innate capabilities in meaning-seeking and  meaning-making. The first part of MT training focuses on the big picture and existential competency (EC). This set of EC skills addresses existential crises, such as the meaning of life, the meaning of suffering, the fear of death.

The second part of this workshop will teach innovative meaning therapy interventions, also known as existential positive interventions, in specific situations. The PURE strategy explores purpose, understanding, responsibility, and enjoyment (PURE). Another major intervention strategy is ABCDE, which stands for acceptance, belief (affirmation), commitment, discovery, and evaluation.

Five reasons for adding MT to your clinical toolbox include:

1. Help clients learn how to manage the dialectic tension in opposites, paradoxes inherent in life;
2. Repair the worst and bring out the best in your clients;
3. Move your clients from self-awareness, self-reflection to self-transcendence;
4. Turn tragedy into triumph through meaning-focused copings; and
5. Develop clients’ natural capacities to achieve healing and flourishing.

Date and Time

Friday, April 12, 2019 – 8:15 AM – 4:30 PM

Target Audience

This event will be of interest to Spiritual Care Providers, Psychiatrists, Physicians, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Counselors, and students of all related disciplines.

Cost

Student: $95 (limited availability)
Regular Rate: $130 ($110 if registered by Jan. 7, 2019)

Location

The Royal, Associates in Psychiatry Auditorium 1145 Carling Avenue, Ottawa

Registration

https://cvent.me/3naoY

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Join researchers and practitioners from over 30 different countries at the 10th Biennial International Meaning Conference, a “big tent” gathering known for its inclusivity, integration, and innovation in meaning research and its applications since 2000.

See why many have called this their “homecoming,” especially as we celebrate the INPM’s 20th year anniversary jointly with founder Dr. Paul Wong’s 80th birthday.

More Details

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