Beyond Gratitude Exercises: The Future of Positive Psychology Lies in Transforming Negative Emotions and Habits

This article argues that positive psychology interventions can be strengthened by incorporating therapy effectiveness factors from cognitive behavioral therapy, psychedelics, breathing techniques such as Holotropic Breathwork, and resilience research. Current interventions often yield only small effect sizes for well-being and fail to address unhealthy habits. The author proposes that integrating these methods could help transform negative emotions and dysfunctional thought patterns into positive ones, thereby enhancing well-being. Further large-scale validation is needed.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Innovations in the field of positive psychology are rare nowadays, so new research approaches are needed to develop the field further. In the article, the incorporation of therapy effectiveness factors into positive psychology interventions is suggested. Furthermore, it examines the benefits and limitations of the integration of cognitive behavioral therapy methods, psychedelics, breathing techniques like Holotropic Breathwork, or methods from resilience research into positive psychology interventions to enhance well-being. Current interventions often show only small effect sizes in the enhancement of well-being measures and are not designed to help people get rid of unhealthy habits, for example. Therefore, there is still great potential to help people improve their well-being, because all humans have unhealthy habits, negative emotions and dysfunctional thought patterns, which can be transformed into positive emotions with the right techniques. Further research is required to validate these approaches on a larger scale.