Character strengths are the key to unlocking your potential to do good that you may never have heard of before. We sat down with one of the founding fathers of the field of positive psychology, Dr. Neal Mayerson to break down the science, and how it’s changing lives around the world.

Nearly 25 years ago, Neal and a select few colleagues practicing in the field of psychology were using all the available tools of the time to help their patients be free from the effects of mental health struggles, and it still wasn’t enough to satisfy them. They felt their patients needed not only less depression and anxiety, which they could sometimes achieve, but more fulfillment, purpose, and happiness. So they set out to discover a better way. The result is the field of positive psychology, and the development, through years of scientifically validated research, of 24 unique character strengths that exist in all people across space, time, and culture. Once you learn about the strengths that naturally come to the forefront in your own personality, you can harness them in ways that can change your life, and the lives of others. In the first part of our conversation, Neal goes in-depth on his personal experience developing this field of science, and how it is used every day in educating people about being an upstander here at the Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center.

Questions about character strengths and being an upstander? Email us your thoughts [email protected]

Episode Resources:

Learn more about The Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center – holocaustandhumanity.org

Take the character strengths survey for free: Assess Your Character Strengths | Personality Assessment (holocaustandhumanity.org)

Visit the VIA Institute on Character: VIA Character Strengths Survey & Character Reports | VIA Institute

Thanks to the Mayerson Family Foundation for supporting this episode: Home - Mayerson Foundation

This episode is part of the Cynthia & Harold Guttman Family Center for Storytelling  https://www.holocaustandhumanity.org/storytelling/

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