Integrating Positive Psychology Into Counseling Psychology Doctoral Education

Abstract

Strategies for integrating positive psychology theory and practice into the existing counseling psychology training program model within the framework of the Counseling Psychology Core are proposed. The three main clusters (i.e., Foundational, Functional, Organizational) and subcategories of the Counseling Psychology Core Competencies provide the framework for integrating positive psychology approaches into doctoral education. Integrating positive psychology and counseling psychology increases counseling psychologists’ familiarity with positive psychology treatment approaches, and maximizes counseling psychologists’ ability to promote empirically based positive psychology interventions designed to assist individuals, communities, and organizations in achieving positive life outcomes.