Beyond Grit
May 10, 2016 by VIA Contributor ·
No doubt about it, grit is in. The concept of grit seems to have first come to the public’s attention in 2011 with a New York Times Magazine article called “What if the Secret to Success Is Failure?” in which Paul Tough suggested grit may be the true key... Read More
Remembering the Essence of Mother’s Day, Everyday
May 6, 2016 by VIA Contributor ·
On this mother’s day, I am struck by the irony of highlighting just one day in appreciation of this daunting parenting role. For nine months, we anticipate with a full range of emotions, the birth of a child. We have nine months to prepare…for the pregnancy and birth. What... Read More
A Simple Mindfulness Exercise To Use With Clients
May 3, 2016 by Dr. Ryan Niemiec ·
Practitioners are always on the lookout for new tools to help others overcome challenges, find peace, and be at their best. Mindfulness research clearly shows meditations and mindfulness practices can help but the quantity of meditation choices these days seems infinite. In a previous post, I discussed how an... Read More
A Mindful Pause May Change Your Day
April 25, 2016 by Dr. Ryan Niemiec ·
Nobody wants to admit that they are “going through the motions” of life, but sometimes we are all guilty of it. One simple exercise that will allow you to slow down, take an inventory of your emotions, and re-connect with your strengths is below. This easy strategy can help... Read More
Using Strengths to Set Goals on IEP’s
April 14, 2016 by VIA Contributor ·
Written by special guest blogger: Katie Curran, MAPP If you have a child with special needs or work as a special educator you are familiar with IEP’s (Individualized Education Plan). Part of the IEP process is preparing for the meeting that will set the educational focus for the upcoming... Read More
5 Simple Ways to Discover Your Strengths
April 6, 2016 by Dr. Ryan Niemiec ·
What if someone asked you: “What are your strengths?” Would you be able to quickly articulate your best, core qualities? You have many different types of strengths–talents, skills, values– but your character strengths are your capacities for thinking, feeling and behaving and reflect the best of you. Here are... Read More
7 Tips for Dealing with Bad News
March 18, 2016 by Dr. Ryan Niemiec ·
Do you know how to respond when someone shares bad news? Do you quickly try to avoid feeling uncomfortable and change the subject? Or do go into “fix-it” mode and rattle off a list of a solutions to their issues? If you approach the person mindfully (being open, curious,... Read More
Bravery- The Uncomfortable Strength
March 9, 2016 by VIA Contributor ·
In 2004, Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman published the landmark “Character Strengths and Virtues, A Handbook and Classification”. The manual – also lovingly referred to by the authors as the “Manual of the Sanities” – identifies twenty-four universal strengths and six virtues. By universal we mean that they these... Read More
The Positive Psychology Academy Awards for 2015
February 26, 2016 by Dr. Ryan Niemiec ·
This is one of my favorite posts to write each year because it combines two of my passions- positive psychology AND films! Every year, I try to watch as many movies as possible and study them for their portrayal of the most popular themes in positive psychology. For anyone... Read More
What Are Your “Defining Moments”?
February 22, 2016 by Dr. Ryan Niemiec ·
We all have moments in our lives that can be considered “defining moments”– times when a certain thing happened that changed our life trajectory. Taking time to reflect and focus on these moments can improve your life. Consider this first date I had 14 years ago. After a stagnant and... Read More