Karen Henry has been part of the psychology industry since her master’s in community psychology in 1999. In 2007, while beginning her doctoral journey, she came across a now famous article by Peterson and Park (2006). A quote in the article–“The good in life is not the absence of bad”–resonated as a game-changing worldview that […]
“Human history is a bloody one.” – Paul T. Wong (2022) “Fear is what life is all about.” – Samuel Gillian (2005) Not to be morbid, but human history is a bit of a nightmare. And it is hard on the psyche for humans to be aware that no matter what meaning they seek or […]
The search for meaning has been considered “the primary motivational force in man” (Frankl, 1969, p. 121) and constitutes a healthy, natural, and engaging process that is often characterized by an openness to ideas about life (Steger et al., 2008). Recent integrative conceptualization offers a conception of meaning in life that includes three central dimensions: […]
A few years ago I attended a formal dinner where the majority of guests were young post-graduates who had just begun their formal training to become school teachers. I was seated at a table made up of experienced education professionals, most of whom were headteachers. During the dinner I spoke to my neighbour, who was […]
Abstract This paper invites you to consider a more adaptive view towards happiness and suffering which may change your life. It suggests that the old paradigm of seeking pleasure and avoiding pain is no longer adequate in the current digital age, and a new paradigm of embracing and transforming suffering is needed in order to […]
How does one succeed in life? Of the infinite number of answers to this enduring question proposed by philosophers and educators alike, existential positive psychology (EPP) provides one of the strongest based on the synthesis of ancient wisdom and modern research. Wong (2005a) concisely outlines the EPP solution: “You need a high IQ [intelligence quotient] […]
Kia ora e te whānau INPM Ko Alex tōku ingoa Nō Liverpool ahau [Hello to the family of INPM My name is Alex I am from Liverpool in the UK] I live in Aotearoa, New Zealand and have done so for the last 12 years. I work as a counsellor in both private practice and […]
Kia ora koutou, Greetings from New Zealand. I am Christina Baird, a psychologist based in Auckland. From when I began studying psychology in 1989, I have been determined to focus on using psychology to help people grow and flourish. This meant that I didn’t take the straightforward path of becoming a clinical psychologist and working […]
“In sum, our greatest need in turbulent times is responsibility…we cannot function fully as individuals without taking responsibility seriously. Our democratic system will not function either, if the government and citizens do not fulfill their respective roles of responsibility.” (Wong, 2020) This statement concludes an article about surviving the pandemic (Wong, 2020), but I believe […]
With the recent invasion of Ukraine, war has once again taken over news headlines all around the globe. While I watch the media coverage, I cannot help but think about my father fighting in a war 70 years ago. He was only a teenager, as were many who fought before him and many who have […]