<HTML dir=ltr><HEAD><TITLE>[Commpsych] FW: Announcing the International Positive PsychologyAssociation</TITLE>
<META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=unicode">
<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2900.3314" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV id=idOWAReplyText18341 dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>I couldn't agree more Heather :-)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>Darrin </FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><BR>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> commpsych-bounces@lists.curtin.edu.au on behalf of Heather Gridley<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wed 7/05/2008 8:50 p.m.<BR><B>To:</B> Amiee-Jade Pember; commpsych@lists.curtin.edu.au<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [Commpsych] FW: Announcing the International PositivePsychologyAssociation<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV id=idOWAReplyText23846 dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Hi AJ and everyone</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>A bit belated, but I have just responded to a query from a Social Work student about the legitimacy of this same invitation, so I thought I'd post my thoughts on CommPsych and see how others respond:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Dear xxxx</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>I have seen this invitation to join IPPA in a few places, and it's quite legitimate as an organisation that is gathering lots of interest internationally, especially while one of its founders, Martin Seligman, is here in Victoria spending time at Geelong Grammar (for a huge amount of money, I understand). It is refreshing to see a countervoice to psychology's tendency to pathologise and subdivide human experience into categories of disorder and dis-ease. I like Seligman's emphasis on what we <EM>do</EM> with our lives, as a basis for 'authentic happiness', rather than worrying excessively about how we <EM>feel </EM>from one moment to the next.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>Personally though, I have reservations about the Positive Psychology movement. Some of them are encapsulated by the very fact that Seligman spends time at Geelong Grammar and not, say, Braybrook or Broadmeadows or Frankston (or Wadeye or Yuendemu, for that matter) where a few realities would make 'learned optimism' a much more difficult task. I think the best way to 'teach' someone to be optimistic is to give them a real experience of success; otherwise it's a false promise. There have been links made between positive psychology and life coaching, a concept that I think is designed to market psychological services to people who have the least need of them but the greatest capacity to pay exorbitant fees.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2> </DIV></FONT>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>There have been other criticisms of the movement from those who see it as masking or denying 'negative' human emotions such as sadness, pain and anger. Our VU head of psychology, Jenny Sharples, wrote a paper in the Australian Community Psychologist a couple of years ago that included some references to these critiques - you can access it at: </FONT><A href="http://www.groups.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/ACP_18(3)a.pdf"><FONT face=Arial size=2>http://www.groups.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/ACP_18(3)a.pdf</FONT></A></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>Despite the theme on the IPPA website "Positive psychology is the scientific study of what enables individuals and communities to thrive", another concern of mine is that the movement is very much focussed on individuals rather than communities. There is very little reference to power dynamics or the structural/global causes of human misery. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial size=2>I hope this is helpful - I'd be interested to know what caught your attention about the invitation, and where it fits with your own work and life experiences.</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV id=idSignature12048 dir=ltr>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#000000 size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Heather Gridley <BR>School of Psychology <BR>Footscray Park Campus <BR>Victoria University <BR>PO Box 14428 <BR>Melbourne <BR>VIC 8001 <BR>Australia </FONT>
<DIV>TEL +61 3 9919 5224 <BR>FAX +61 3 9919 4324 <BR>MOBILE: 0419 113 731
<DIV>Email: heather.gridley@vu.edu.au</DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr><BR>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> commpsych-bounces@lists.curtin.edu.au on behalf of Amiee-Jade Pember<BR><B>Sent:</B> Fri 7/03/2008 12:15 PM<BR><B>To:</B> commpsych@lists.curtin.edu.au<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Commpsych] FW: Announcing the International Positive PsychologyAssociation<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>Amiee-Jade Pember</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>-----Original Message-----</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>From: Louisa REHAK [<A href="mailto:l.rehak@ecu.edu.au">mailto:l.rehak@ecu.edu.au</A>] </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>Sent: Friday, 7 March 2008 8:57 AM</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Subject: FW: Announcing the International Positive Psychology Association</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>FYI - Positive Psychology </FONT><BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Louisa Rehak </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>Postgraduate Support Officer </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>School of Psychology & Social Science</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Edith Cowan University</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>100 Joondalup Drive </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>Joondalup, Western Australia 6027</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Telephone: +61 8 6304 5301</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Facsimile: +61 8 6304 5834</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>________________________________</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>From: Kathryn RUSSELL</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Sent: Fri 07/03/08 8:24 AM</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>To: Louisa REHAK</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Subject: FW: Announcing the International Positive Psychology Association</FONT> </P><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>Louisa, </FONT><BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>This new organisation may be of interest to postgrads and staff interested</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>in positive psychology</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Kathryn </FONT><BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Kathryn Russell</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Phone: 0419 807 142</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Email: k.russell@ecu.edu.au</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>________________________________</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>From: Authentic Happiness [<A href="mailto:announce@authentichappiness.org">mailto:announce@authentichappiness.org</A>]</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Sent: Fri 7/03/2008 6:17 AM</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>To: Kathryn RUSSELL</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Subject: Announcing the International Positive Psychology Association</FONT> </P><BR><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>Dear Kathryn,</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>We are delighted to announce the founding of a new organization: The</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). The purpose of this</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>organization is to promote the science and practice of positive psychology</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>and to facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers and</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>practitioners around the world who are interested in this new field.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>This is a brand new organization, and we would like to extend a cordial</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>invitation to you to be among the very first to join. We have been hard at</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>work developing the infrastructure for what will without question be a major</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>international organization. Here are some highlights we wanted to share</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>with you:</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>-We have set up a website where you can find out more about IPPA and where</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>you can join today. Please visit www.ippanetwork.org</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=7031470&msgid=88104&act=&c=174806</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ippanetwork.org> to sign up as a</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Charter Member, Charter Associate, or Charter Affiliate.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>-IPPA is run by a Board of Directors comprised of leading positive</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>psychologists from around the world. Visit the website for a full list of</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>the members of the Board, which includes such founding figures as Martin E.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>P. Seligman and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>-On the website, you will see the categories of membership developed by the</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>IPPA Board of Directors. We're excited that there is a category available</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>for everyone, whether you are a researcher, a practitioner, a student, or</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>someone who just wants to keep abreast of the latest developments in</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>positive psychology.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>-You will also see the various membership benefits, including journals, an</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>IPPA Newsletter, and quarterly conference calls with leading figures in</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>positive psychology.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>-The First World Congress of Positive Psychology has been scheduled for June</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>18-21, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. IPPA members will receive a</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>discount on their Congress registration.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>-In the coming days, we will be adding more content to the website, so be</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>sure to check back often.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>If you have any questions about IPPA or your membership, please send them to</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>info@ippanetwork.org.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>Please help us spread the word about IPPA by forwarding this email to any</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>groups or individuals you think might have an interest in joining this</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>exciting new association.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>We look forward to having you join IPPA and to welcoming you into this</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>global positive psychology community.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>Very best wishes,</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>Ed Diener, President</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>International Positive Psychology Association</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>James Pawelski, Executive Director</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>International Positive Psychology Association</FONT> </P><BR><BR><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>This message was sent from Authentic Happiness to k.russell@ecu.edu.au. It</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>was sent from: James Pawelski, 3701 Market St, Suite 200, Philadelphia, PA</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>19104. You can modify/update your subscription via the link below.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Email Marketing Software <<A href="http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/144186">http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/144186</A>> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2> <<A href="http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/forward?m=88104&s=7031470&c=&cid=174806">http://app.icontact.com/icp/sub/forward?m=88104&s=7031470&c=&cid=174806</A>> </FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=2>Manage your subscription</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl?r=7031470&l=7052&s=&m=88104&c</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>=174806> </FONT><BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> </P><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>This e-mail is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient you must</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>not disclose or use the information contained within. If you have received</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>it in error please return it to the sender via reply e-mail and delete any</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>record of it from your system. The information contained within is not the</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>opinion of Edith Cowan University in general and the University accepts no</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>liability for the accuracy of the information provided.</FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>CRICOS IPC 00279B</FONT> </P><BR>
<P><FONT size=2>No virus found in this outgoing message.</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Checked by AVG Free Edition. </FONT><BR><FONT size=2>Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.6/1316 - Release Date: 6/03/2008</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>6:58 PM</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2> </FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=2>_______________________________________________</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Commpsych mailing list</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2>Commpsych@lists.curtin.edu.au</FONT> <BR><FONT size=2><A href="https://lists.curtin.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/commpsych">https://lists.curtin.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/commpsych</A></FONT> </P></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>