Course Syllabus

Positive Psychology A

Semester & Location:	Summer 2024 - DIS Copenhagen
Type & Credits:	Core Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	A course in Psychology at the university level
Faculty Members:	Eleftherios Saftis (current students please email using the Canvas Inbox)
Program Contact:	Department email address psy.cns@dis.dk
Time & Place:	Time: (flexible hours) Location:F24-206

Description of Course

Positive psychology has arrived and has shown its strong intentions of staying as a major player in modern psychology.  It can be seen by the increasing number of courses that are offered in the field but also by the increasing number of publications. Even though psychology has offered us great insights with regards to the development of pathologies/disorders and their treatment, scholars/professionals’ have been arguing that working exclusively within a deficiency model impedes broader development in understanding the way in which individual, communities, and societies tend to flourish.  From Foucault’s (1973) work on the critical analysis of how today’s medical conceptual frameworks define and determine human thought onto Seligman and Csikszenthihalyi (2000) which argue that psychology has tended to view humans through one lens spectacles and paid almost exclusive attention to deficiencies and pathologies.  

Positive psychology, on the other hand, has allowed psychology to provide a new framework on how to conceptualize and understand the contributing factors of what makes individuals, communities and societies flourish.  In a nutshell the aim of positive psychology is to study the other side of the coin and therefore address the full spectrum of human experience.

The three pillars of positive psychology are: Positive individual traits, positive emotions and positive institutions. The course is designed to take students on an exploratory journey in examining these three pillars.  By using these three pillars as a the building blocks of a series of lectures students will become equipped with the necessary knowledge base and practical application skills to work effectively with individual, groups and societies using a positive psychology framework.  The course offers opportunities for students to achieve and demonstrate learning outcomes that are simultaneously evidence based and self-directed.  Students will acquire a depth of understanding and a critical awareness in positive psychology.  Most importantly each individual student should be able to develop their own unique standpoint with regards to the theory and its application across a wide range of settings.

In this course each and every one of us has the equal and unique responsibility to facilitate the most optimal learning outcomes. Students are expected to:

• complete all reading assignments prior to coming to class
• contribute to class discussions and group activities
• draw upon your interactions and observations from daily life, to the theory, research, and practices of Positive Psychology in class
• work independently and be active in group work
• write down reflections throughout the course
• be punctual and attend all classes; missing classes without a legitimate excuse will result in a lower final grade

Learning Objectives

In this Positive Psychology course we will focus on the way the field is approached in a variety of contexts in which it is applied.

Regarding Theory and Research

1. Understand what positive psychology is and its philosophical underpinnings.

2. What constitutes happiness, well-being and living the “good life”.

3. Positive psychology within a clinical setting
4. Methodologies and techniques in positive psychology.

5. The application of positive psychology in organizations and communities.

On completion of the course, students should demonstrate:

• A comprehensive knowledge base of positive psychology theories and their application in individual, organizational, and societal contexts.
• The ability to analyze and apply a range of skills as potential future positive psychology practitioners.
• An increased level of self-reflection and an ability to analyze and critically debate the various theories and research explored in class.

Faculty

Eleftherios Saftis has a MSc. in Health Psychology (2000) and a BSc. (Hons) in Psychology (1997), both from City University UK/London. He also has a certificate in psychotherapy and counseling and is in the process of qualifying as a psychotherapist from the Centre for Freudian Analysis and Research. Terry has co-authored a number of journal articles on post-traumatic stress disorder. 

Before joining DIS Terry Saftis worked as the Clinical Director of Community Housing and Therapy, a leading UK charity running therapeutic community households for adults with mental health diagnoses. He has also managed two therapeutic community projects, one, being a project working with homeless veterans suffering from mental health difficulties and the other a project for individuals with a diagnosis of psychosis and personality disorder.  He has also worked as a psychologist in the Greek Army. With DIS since 2015.

Readings

Required Textbook (Available in DIS Library):

• Frankl, Victor E. (2006). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press
• Hefferon K. & Boniwell, I., (2011). Positive Psychology. Theory, Research and Application. UK: McGraw Hill.

Required Articles and Other Media on Canvas:

• Refer to Course Schedule

Guest Lectures

Guest Lecture Nick Trigkatzis 

Topic: The elemental self

• Nik is an experienced shiatsu practitioner currently practicing and living in London. He qualified from the European Shiatsu School. Along with his practice, Nik attends an advanced course in Traditional Chinese Medicine aiming to qualify as an acupuncturist in the near future.
• His great interest in well-being eventually led him out of an early engineering career (MSc in Telecoms) and brought him into the world of complementary therapies. His goal is to provide his clients with relief and to help them embrace themselves as much as possible. He is also a Tai chi and Qi gong instructor. Finally, some of Nik’s interests include nutrition, martial arts, reading and music.

Workshop Rolando Yunquera

Topic: Positive development through expression

Through a dynamic two-hour workshop with a series of engaging activities, including theatre exercises, improvisation, and mindful reflection, you will explore the power of presence and interaction.

By the end of the session, you will leave with improved communication skills and a heightened sense of awareness - and - you probably had fun along the way.

 

About Rolando Yunquera:

 

Has a degree in social pedagogy from VIA University College Peter Sabroe. Graduated from Dell'Arte School of Physical Theatre, ICC Theater, IO Chicago and taken a large number of courses.

His classes are primarily based on Improv Comedy Theatre, but also inspired by classical drama/theatre techniques, Physical Theatre, Contact Improvisation, Wheel of Consent, Theatre of the Oppressed, Forum Play, and other methodologies like Access Consciousness, Family Constellation, Conscious Play and Circling.

Field Studies 

The Literature House 

The only literature house center in Copenhagen. Language and expression as a cultural exchange. 

I hope your flower blossom: 

Flitting between romantic obsession and botanical description, Raymond Wilson’s I Hope Your Flowers Bloom offers a raw, humorous and moving account of Raymond and Flo’s friendship, exploring healthy masculinity, self-worth, and working-class access to nature. Directed by Fiona Mackinnon, this 2023 hit of the Fringe is not to be missed.

Approach to Teaching

The class will be a mixture of lectures with PowerPoint presentations, group discussions and questions to reflect upon. A large component in this course is based on experiential learning, so students are expected to participate actively in class exercises, reflection and discussions. Students are expected to take active responsibility towards their learning.  Students are expected to follow the following rules in order to promote the best possible learning environment for all:

• Any personal information revealed in this class is confidential. You may share ideas and experiences with people outside the class, but no information referring to personal identities should be revealed. Any violation of this confidentiality will be taken seriously.
• Students should be able to feel confident in presenting their differing viewpoints even if those are different to other class members. Differences should always be approached with respect and students to be able to think about these differences in a reflective manner in relation to their own life experiences and how each one digests and processes the different theoretical perspectives presented.

Expectations of the Students

I expect you to have done the reading for each class and to come with notes and questions for me and for the other students. This will give us material to generate dynamic discussion. When responding to questions in class, make reference to our readings to support the points you are making.

Since your class participation is a major component of the course, you will need to be present and participating in order to receive full credit.  Absences without a legitimate, excuse, late attendance and lack of participation in class and group work will result in deductions to your grades.

Classroom etiquette includes being respectful towards other opinions and statements; listening to others and entering a dialogue in a constructive manner.

Evaluation

Grading

Method of Evaluation	Percent
Participation and Engagement	15%
Discussion Paper - Chasing Tracks of Happiness (based on theory and your observations)	25%
Group Presentation: Positive Psychology in Organizations/Communities	25%
Final Paper	35%

Academic Accommodations

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter on the first days of class. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support academicsupport@dis.dk

Policies:

Attendance:

You are expected to attend all DIS classes when scheduled. If you miss a class for any reason please contact the faculty no later than the day of the missed class. If you miss multiple classes, the Office of Academic Support and the Director of Student Affairs will be notified and they will follow-up with you to make sure that all is well. Absences will jeopardize your grade and your standing at DIS. Allowances will be made in cases of illness, but in the case of multiple absences you will need to provide a doctor’s note. 

Academic Honesty, Plagiarism, and Violating the Rules of an Assignment:

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of “F” and can result in dismissal. The students’ home universities will be notified. DIS reserves the right to request that written student assignments be turned in electronic form for submission to plagiarism detection software. See the Academic Handbook for more information, or ask your instructor if you have questions.

Policy on Late Papers:

Late papers will be accepted, but your grade for the paper will be reduced by half a letter point for each day that it is late. If the paper is an A you will get an A- and so forth. 

Policy for Students Who Arrive Late to Class:

Arriving late in a regular manner will result in a lower final grade.

Use of Laptops or Phones in Class:

Computers and iPhones are not allowed in class.