Second wave positive psychology’s (PP 2.0) contribution to counselling psychology

ABSTRACT

Second wave positive psychology (PP 2.0), consisting of two pillars – existential positive psychology and indigenous psychology – emerges as a complement to the limitations of positive psychology as championed by Martin Seligman. This special issue illustrates through various papers the depth and breadth PP 2.0 contributes to counselling psychology. Specifically, PP2.0 introduces the following principles and practices: (1) Accepting and confronting with courage the reality that life is full of evil and suffering; (2) sustainable wellbeing can only be achieved through overcoming suffering and the dark side of life; (3) recognizing that everything in life comes in polarities and the importance of achieving an adaptive balance through dialectics; (4) learning from indigenous psychology, such as the ancient wisdom of finding deep joy in bad situations.

KEYWORDS:

• Second wave positive psychology
• suffering
• dialectics
• existential positive psychology
• indigenous psychology

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Paul T. P. Wong

Paul T. P. Wong, Ph.D., C.Psych. is Professor Emeritus of Trent University. He is a Fellow of APA and CPA and President of the International Network on Personal Meaning (www.meaning.ca) and the Meaning-Centered Counselling Institute Inc. Editor of the International Journal of Existential Positive Psychology, he has also edited two influential volumes on The Human Quest for Meaning. A prolific writer, he is one of the most cited existential and positive psychologists. The originator of Meaning Therapy and International Meaning Conferences, he has been invited to give keynotes and meaning therapy workshops worldwide. He is the recent recipient of the Carl Rogers Award from the Society for Humanistic Psychology (Div. 32 of the APA).