On-Demand: Applying Positive Psychology to Clinical Practice: From Surviving to Thriving - 3 CEs

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• CE Hours Included: 3 Core (please see below for more information)
• Format: On-Demand Webinar (“Asynchronous”) ~ At your leisure to be viewed at your own pace. You may pause, rewind, and fast-forward at any point during the videos. You are in complete control of how you view this workshop. It also comes with a PowerPoint handout and multiple handouts & forms. There is a quiz at the end to ensure viewing and is required by all CE approval organizations.
• Investment: $87 (provides lifetime access!)
• Presented by: Ashley Smith, Ph.D. (see bio below)
• Instruction Level: Intermediate
• Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists, Psychotherapists, Other Mental Health Professionals
  
• This workshop is not yet available; by pre-registering, you will receive immediate access when it becomes available in November.

Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop in its entirety, you will be able to:

• Outline the PERMA theory of well-being.
• Apply evidence-based positive psychology practices and exercises in therapeutic work with clients.
• Discuss why intentionally pursuing wellbeing, in addition to symptom reduction, is important for optimal therapy outcomes.
• Utilize at least three specific positive psychology interventions.

Workshop Description:

Most clinical work focuses on reducing distress—but the absence of illness isn’t the same as health. This training introduces clinicians to the field of positive psychology and its evidence-based strategies for cultivating well-being. We’ll explore the science behind thriving, bust common myths about happiness, and break down the PERMA model of wellbeing with actionable tools for each domain.

You'll leave with practical, research-backed interventions you can integrate into your clinical work immediately—covering topics like gratitude, self-compassion, resilience, signature strengths, and optimism. Just as important, this session invites you to apply these tools to your own life, because thriving isn’t just for our clients. It’s for us, too.

Workshop Agenda:

Part 1 – Foundations of Positive Psychology (0:00–0:45)

• The Origins and Shift in Focus
  • What is positive psychology?
  • The difference between alleviating distress and cultivating wellbeing/what does it mean to thrive?
  • Why this matters for both clients and clinicians
• Common Myths About Happiness:
  • It’s about being happy all the time
  • Success = happiness/It’s based on external circumstances
• The Science of Wellbeing
  • The “second wave” of psychology: building lives worth living
  • Evidence-based and clinical implications

Part 2 – The PERMA Model (0:45–1:30)

Break down each element of PERMA with practical interventions

1. P – Positive Emotions
   • Broaden-and-build theory (Fredrickson)
   • Interventions: savoring, gratitude, joy journaling, three good things
2. E – Engagement
   • Flow theory (Csikszentmihalyi)
   • Finding flow in daily life and sessions
   • Helping clients identify flow activities
3. R – Relationships
   • Importance of social connection in mental health
   • Interventions: active constructive responding, appreciation rituals
4. M – Meaning
   • Viktor Frankl meets modern science
   • Creating a life with purpose and coherence
   • Exercises: “Best possible self,” legacy letter, values work
5. A – Achievement
   • Why goals matter (self-determination theory tie-in)
   • Setting meaningful goals that build confidence, not pressure

Part 3 – Positive Psychology Interventions (1:40–2:30)

Each segment will cover What, Why, How (What it is, Why it matters/science behind it, How to do it)

• Gratitude
• Strengths
  • VIA Survey of Character Strengths
  • Using strengths in practice (spotting, amplifying, deploying)
  • Strengths-based case formulation
• Optimism & Hope
  • Explanatory style (Seligman)
  • Best Possible Self exercise
  • Reframing techniques
• Self-Compassion
  • Kristin Neff’s components (mindfulness, common humanity, kindness)
  • Practices: Self-compassion break, be a good coach
• Grit and Resilience
  • Angela Duckworth on grit
  • Bounce-back factors in trauma and hardship
  • Growth mindset, post-traumatic growth

Part 4 – Clinical Considerations (2:30–3:00)

• Integration into Clinical Practice

Presented by: Dr. Ashley Smith

Dr. Ashley Smith is a licensed clinical psychologist and recognized expert in anxiety and related disorders. She has worked in children's hospitals, an anxiety specialty clinic, and private practice, providing evidence-based treatment for anxiety and OCD.

An adjunct faculty member at Kansas City University, Dr. Ashley has extensive experience training and supervising mental health professionals. She has authored peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and two books, including Childhood Anxiety Disorders. A long-time member of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, she was honored with their Special Recognition Award in 2023.

She regularly presents workshops and trainings at local and national levels, focusing on the practical application of cognitive behavioral therapy, positive psychology, and applied neuroscience to improve clinical outcomes. She is also the co-founder of Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength, an organization dedicated to making psychological tools more widely accessible.

3 "Asynchronous" Core CEs Included - Details by License Type Below:

• PSYCHOLOGISTS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For more detailed information on the current CE ruling in Georgia, or if you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
• COUNSELORS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP), ACEP No. 7153. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Please click here for more detailed information.
• SOCIAL WORKERS: TKT has applied for approval for this workshop through the Georgia Society for Clinical Social Work (GSCSW). If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.
• MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS: TKT has applied for approval for this workshop through the Georgia Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (GAMFT). If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.

To view our various workshop policies, including our multi-workshop discount & refund policy, please click here.

We are an approved vendor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for easy reimbursement of educational expenses for VA employees.

Neither the Knowledge Tree nor its speakers have received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program.