MASTER CLASS
POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
COACHING AND TRAINING
By Dr Ilona Boniwell
In what way can coaches usefully incorporate positive psychology into their practice? How can a business coach
frame the validated positive psychology interventions in a context that is appropriate for a corporate client? What
new can positive psychology offer to an experienced coach?
In recent years, a highly successful partnership was formed between coaching and positive psychology, otherwise known as the
science of well-being and happiness. Both coaching and positive psychology are natural allies in sharing an explicit concern with the
enhancement of optimal functioning and well-being, challenging traditional assumptions about human nature and arguing for a
strengths rather than deficiency-based approach to performance improvement. Both claim that attention should be redirected
from ‘fixing’ the client, or looking for signs of pathology (which may be framed as a job of therapists), to finding what is right with
the person and working on enhancing it. Judging by the number of papers in coaching journals and keynotes in coaching
conferences, positive psychology has become an essential fixture in the coaching world. Frequently seen as a theoretical panacea
on which a convincing explanation for coaching effectiveness can be based upon, positive psychology has indeed offered a number
of theories and empirical studies considered useful by coaching professionals. However, despite these apparent successes, few
practical positive psychology tools and models have been integrated into coaching practice. We believe that there are two reasons
for it. First of all, apart from a limited number of validated interventions, few attempts have been made to “practicalise” positive
psychology concepts. Secondly, some of the positive psychology interventions (e.g. “three blessings”, “gratitude visit”, etc) can be
perceived by coaches as inappropriate for their business clients. The workshop aims to address the above reservations by
discussing context appropriate ways to utilise existing positive psychology interventions, as well as introducing and practicing new
positive psychology based tools and models developed specifically for coaching practice. Thus workshop will offer coaching
practitioners a tangible ‘toolkit’ that enables them to translate concept to action in a ‘nuts and bolts’ way.
OBJECTIVES





Understand the principles of positive psychology application to coaching;
Develop a method for integrating these theories into your existing coaching approach;
Recognise and develop your own coaching-related strengths;
Learn and practice existing validated positive psychology interventions;
Learn and test new positive psychology interventions and tools developed for coaching practice.
WHO CAN ATTEND ?


Coaches and coaching psychologists who are looking to expand and develop their current practice through positive psychology;
Experienced one-to-one professionals interested in moving into coaching.
PROGRAMME

MODULE 1 – COACHING FOR HAPPINESS AND EMOTIONAL BALANCE
Happiness is what most of us aspire to and very few achieve. So what is happiness? How do we construct it? Can we measure it?
What does and does not make us happier? How can we help our coachees to take tangible steps towards becoming happier? This
module focuses of the theories of happiness and emotions and teaches practical tools to work on happiness with your clients.
Research shows that happiness and emotional balance are key determinants of performance and communicational impact.
o
o
o
o

Theories of happiness: hedonic vs. eudaimonic
Interventions to enhance happiness and well-being
Positive emotions
Emotional intelligence fundamentals
MODULE 2 – COACHING FOR STRENGTHS AND ENGAGEMENT
The module equips coaches with skills to create, implement and sustain optimal performance through helping their coachees to
identify and harness their strengths. Participants will learn about the value of strengths, using questions and visual tools to tap into
the strengths’ potential, measuring strengths, helping clients to identify opportunities for their use and designing strengthsfacilitating environments. The module will further explore the role of strengths in facilitating flow – a state of optimal engagement
characterised by an intense absorption in an activity, focus, enjoyment and enhanced performance. It is achieved when both
challenges and skills required are slightly above the average, and the person is stepping out of their comfort zone.
o
o
o
o

Introduction to theories of strengths and their impact on employee engagement
Strengths assessment (VIA, StrengthsFinder, Realise 2)
Strengths-based interventions
Flow and engagement
MODULE 3 – COACHING FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL
Certain psychological characteristics such as hope, optimism and resilience increase our ability to effectively deal with problems. To
what degree is it beneficial to have a positive, optimistic, or hopeful outlook? Why, and in which ways do optimism and hope
confer their beneficial effects? Does being optimistic and hopeful help us also to be more resilient? Can resilience be taught?
Contrary to many popular claims stating that resilience is something you either do or do not have, research is unanimous on the
fact that resilience is something that can be developed through systematically applying evidence-based techniques.
o
o
o
o

Hope
Optimism
Self-efficacy
Resilience
MODULE 4 – COACHING FOR TIME SATISFACTION
During this session, questions such as “What is a good use of time?” and “How can one’s relationship with time contribute to their
well-being?” are raised and discussed with regard to empirical research on various aspects of psychology of time, including time
perspective and subjective time use. Traditional time management techniques focus mainly on one’s behaviour, so frequently they
do not ‘stick’, so we will learn and practice psychological strategies for taking back the control of time, from balancing one’s time
perspective to conquering time anxiety. The module will further include working on the essential components of time satisfaction,
such as motivation and achieving harmony between one’s needs, goals and values.
o
o
Satisfaction with time use and implications for time management (TI)
Motivation
o
o

Harmonisation of needs, goals and values
Time perspective (ZTPI)
MODUE 5 - COACHING FOR LASTING CHANGE
All of us are familiar with the fact that unhealthy habits are notoriously hard to change. The module will first examine some
barriers to making a successful change, such as our beliefs, low levels of self-regulation and the complexity of the change process
itself. For example, whether we have a fixed or flexible mindset can determine how much effort we would invest in making a
change happen and how quickly we would give up when experiencing a setback. Furthermore, given that recent research equates
our self-regulation, or willpower, with a muscle, it is no wonder that a hard day at work can deplete it, resulting in giving up on our
best intentions. Finally, the module will explore the interaction between our conscious and sub-conscious cognitive processes,
introducing participants to the theories and tools of attention, cognitive flexibility and “nudging”.
o
o
o
o
Change processes
Mindset and self-regulation
Behavioural economics
Developmental coaching
TEACHING METHODs

5 days utilizing both the experimental and didactic modalities
o Introduction to theories and concepts
o Completion of tests and inventories
o Individual, pair and group exercises
o Case studies
CERTIFICATION
Assessment is based either on individual and group exercises and either on participation to case studies, demonstrating how the
student has integrated the tools introduced on the Master Class.
THE CERTIFICATE IS TAUGHT BY
Dr Ilona Boniwell, one of the most renowned positive psychology professionals, who created and run the first Masters of Applied
Positive Psychology in Europe (UEL, London) and currently teaches at Ecole Centrale Paris. Author of several books on positive
psychology, she consults on the applications of this discipline to business, education and coaching as a director of Positran. She
founded the European Network of Positive Psychology, was the first Vice-Chair and currently serves on the board of the
International Positive Psychology Association.
DATES
LOCATION
17-21/03/2014
Center of PARIS (75)
FEES
1 500 € + VAT (excluding lunch)
1 300 € + VAT for inscription before 15/12/2013
INFORMATION and INSCRIPTIONS
Contact : Rachel Orinel : +33 6 63 26 63 54
E-mail : contact@positran.fr
Send your payment to : Positran – 14 rue de la Vallée Penaut – 78770 Goupillières – France