Table of Contents

PART ONE: CREATING RESILIENCE 01. Positive psychology 02. Highly valued goals 03. Personal strengths PART TWO: HEALTHY BODY AND MIND 04. Physical exercise 05. Relaxation 06. Meditation PART THREE: ENJOYING LIFE 07. Savouring and flow 08. Gratitude PART FOUR: CONSTRUCTIVE THOUGHT AND ACTION 09. Optimism 10. Solution-finding and problem-solving PART FIVE: STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS 11. Compassionate relationships 12. Couple relationships 13. Parent-child relationships PART SIX: OVERCOMING CHALLENGES 14. Grit and perfectionism 15. Courage, fear and posttraumatic growth 16. Assertiveness and anger 17. Forgiveness 18. Managing your life

About the Author

Alan Carr, PhD, is Professor of Clinical Psychology at University College Dublin, and Couple and Family Therapist at Clanwilliam Institute, Ireland. He has conducted clinical practice in the UK, Canada and Ireland, helping individuals, couples and families with a wide range of problems across the lifespan. He has produced over 25 books and 250 academic papers in the areas of positive psychology, clinical psychology and family therapy.

Reviews

"This is the book the general public has been waiting for! Positive Psychology strategies for a more fulfilling life - beautifully crafted into a self-development guide that actually works - truly exciting! Lots of content, easy to understand - approved by science - written by a world-renowned expert - what are you waiting for?" - Robert Isler, PhD, President of the New Zealand Association of Positive Psychology

"In Positive Psychology and You: A Self-Development Guide, drawing from convincing evidence on the effectiveness of positive psychology interventions, Alan Carr offers jargon-free, easy-to-follow exercises which can help you to be physically and mentally healthier and happier and secure your self-development through warm and caring relationships. Unlike other self-help books, apps and diets which lack evidence and oversimplify the complexity and multiplicity of contemporary challenges, Positive Psychology and You will give you concrete and constructive strategies and a treasure-trove of resources which you can draw upon, when needed most." - Tayyab Rashid, PhD, Inaugural President of the Clinical Division of the International Positive Psychology Association, and author of Positive Psychotherapy

"For years, Alan Carr's Positive Psychology has been my favourite textbook for undergraduate students. Positive Psychology and You takes positive psychology one step further by offering a sound, exceptionally clear and well-structured pathway to those interested in applying it in real life. Spanning personal well-being and resilience, couple relationships, parenting and psychological challenges, the book integrates the latest positive psychology with its mainstream cousins, resulting in powerful solutions to apply daily." - Professor Ilona Boniwell, PhD, Strategic leader of MSc in Applied Positive Psychology, Anglia Ruskin University, UK, and CEO of Positran

"As the author of one of positive psychology's leading textbooks, Professor Carr has once again used his depth of knowledge and expertise to create an accessible and considered book for those wanting to learn more about positive psychology in practice. This book covers a vast array of applied topic areas across both the individual and interpersonal level, whilst embedded within an approachable narrative of real-life examples from his own clinical practice. Readers are also offered the opportunity to undertake personal exercises, reflections, and psychological scales, encouraging deeper learning and engagement with the research presented. This book is a great starting point for those wanting to know more about positive psychology and how to incorporate this fascinating research into their daily life." - Kate Hefferon, Head of the Posttraumatic Growth Research University of East London, UK, and Author of Positive Psychology Theory, Research and Applications

"The book, Positive Psychology and You: A Self-Development Guide by Alan Carr is a true gift to those who want to get the most out of life. The book is full of reliable tools and recommendations based on real science that are easy to follow for those who truly want to enhance their wellbeing and live their life to the fullest. When you read the book, you sense that the author knows the topic and has real experience in helping people. Alan has great skill in summarizing various studies, like he has done so brilliantly in the past for professionals and students, and here he sums up and translates the scientific results and makes it accessible for the public. His background as a clinical psychologist and a researcher is very valuable and makes this book unique. Alan knows that there are no quick-fix solutions to the good life, but that sustainable wellbeing can be achieved through evidence based-positive psychology intervention. I highly recommend this book to all of those out there who want to live their life to the fullest." - Dora Gudrun Gudmundsdottir, PhD, President of the European Network for Positive Psychology, and Head of division, Determinants of health & Well-being, Directorate of Health, Iceland