Patricia Su

PSY 230

UNION INSTITUTE & UNIVERSITY

Dec 20, 2020

with special emphasis on insights drawn from positive psychology. It was surprising to see how the

human development has been the study of normal progress and its derailment, without nearly as much

attention to flourishing. One of the videos that impacted me during this class, was in week 3, Sue

Johnson, presents the five basic moves. When it comes to infancy and adulthood, the nonactive

developmental achievements such as walking, talking and taking another’s perspective strike us as just

that remarkable video.

What stood up to me, was the basic moves (Reach, push, protest, turn away and meltdown), and the

reconnection when the emotional response shuts down. On the other hand, we also saw a beautiful

explanation for behavior in commuted relationships. Understanding and practice is so significant at any

age. This does change everything regarding how we emotionally listen and understand.

Every step discussed above, has helped me move forward as I examined the processes that was

necessary to understand positive psychology. This course has provided me with a new view of the

concepts that I didn’t quite understood before I took this course. This course has challenged some

analytical skills as I was being refreshed with the ability to analyze as I created somewhat some research

about the different learning of my own development as an adult and learning new approaches to living

well.

In the various stages of development, I learned, about not only physical development but also changes in

how we can understand and perceive the world in which we live. In week 2, we studied cultural diversity in

life. For example, cultural diversities are to be taken into consideration when assessing the concerns of a

client, during counseling session, in general is one of the most rewarding experiences for a helper, which I

am looking forward to.

In week 4, I learned about the field of relationships. Dr. Gottman, a very respected practitioner in the field

of relationships, has an extraordinary rate of prediction accuracy regarding whether people’s

relationships, will last or dissolve. I did not have prior knowledge of this before I took this course. I learned

about criticism, defensiveness, contempt, and stonewalling. To me the most interesting was Concept. The
concepts that I learned was challenging for this course in which it allowed me to learn many concepts and

stretched me in putting into practice in the field of Psychology. As I reflect, I know that there are so much

more that I could learn, but I am assured that this course has provided me with such an ability to be

knowledgeable enough to put it in practice.

As we moved to week 5, in chapter 5 from our textbook, what I learned was the theory which helps us

understand the behavior of human being, be it of someone else’s or our own. The touches on the nature

of emotions and presents an interesting contrast between the two types positive and negative emotions. I

understood, that the behavior of the human being is never random, there is always a cause for the action.

Each person is unique and ones skills are adequate to cope with the challenges at hand in a goal direct,

rule bound action system that provides clear clues as to how one is performing.

Concentration on the positive and negative, is also so intense that there is no attention left over to think

about our problems. During this week, I learned about the state of flow. Flow itself, incudes thinks like

being focused, timelessness, and intrinsic motivation. I believe that being able to experience and

acknowledge flow can build ones creative side in our adulthood years.

In week 6, I enjoyed both videos and reading. No one is supposed to stay positive and happy every

day. Other emotions are not a fault and are there for a reason. It’s okay to feel things other that happy

and if you’re feeling negative, while watching the videos it reminded me the importance of definitely

listening, as your brain is telling you something. It’s important to recognize and deal with emotions

when you have them, rather than try to strive for something impossible. But if you are feeling negative

listen to that and do what your brain is telling you, because most likely it is giving you a solution so

that you can feel positive and happy again. What was refreshing to hear bout Positive Psychology, it

can help one become happier in many ways. When we practice focusing on happy things, turning

negative into positive, letting go of all negativity. They we eventually are only left with positive. It is a

practice, finding the positive every day in life, making a list daily of different things you are thankful for.

These types of things reprogram our subconscious, rid us of bad habits, and let us evolve into the

person we were meant to be. Happier, healthier, and not to be forgotten but at peace, with the past,

present and whatever the future may hold. Humans flourish on the positive things in life, and when
there is something in life that is negative, we as humans start to become depressed in life as there is

nothing good happening in life. I truly believe that it is a reminder to practice positive relationships

meanings and purpose in many areas in life.  

In week 7, I must admit that this assignment and ted talk video was an excellent reflection of how to

life a good life, and how I can put it in practice. A Good Life is a series of trials and errors and the

sooner one can accept the better it is. What looks like a mistake to others has been a milestone for

me. Even if people have betrayed me, even if my heart was broken, even if I was misunderstood or

judged, I have managed to learn from everything and never lost the lesson, even when I lost

everything else. We are human, we are flawed and we all make mistakes but learning from them, not

losing the lesson, is what makes all the difference in the world.

Positive psychology, has been an amazing course to learn about. One thing, I did not know was the

notable difference that flourishing can be measured by a number of objective parameters, not just

subjective ones. In addition, the goal of positive psychology in well-being theory is to measure and to

build human flourishing. I now conclude, by saying that I have a much better understanding and

knowledge. Positive psychology, examines what gives our lives meaning and purpose. How we can

move beyond surviving and purpose. Multiple sources and longest study ever done on adult

development have found that the single most important factor effecting health and happiness is the

quality of relations in our lives. We as aspiring therapist and psychologist need to become expert

providers of how one can increase the depth and quality of relationships in our lives by living through

example. It is up to us to show the world how it id one.