The Wellbeing Formula - a new course at the Research School of Psychology

17 June 2019

A new course launched by the ANU Research School of Psychology explores the fundamentals of wellbeing and the formula for the ‘good life.’

PSYC1005  The Wellbeing Formula will introduce you to the psychological science and practice of wellbeing. In the course, we will draw on psychological theory, research evidence, and practical techniques to help you understand the factors that create flourishing individuals, communities, and societies.

This team-taught course brings together experts from different areas of psychology to examine the evidence for different models and factors contributing to wellbeing and happiness.

Among the key components of wellbeing that we will examine are:

  • experiencing positive emotions,
  • being engaged in life,
  • having positive relationships with others,
  • having a sense that your life is valuable and meaningful,
  • having a sense of being in charge of your own life, 
  • experiencing a sense of accomplishment,
  • having a sense of self-acceptance,
  • experiencing personal growth through life’s difficulties, and
  • optimising your physical health.

More than helping you to gain an intellectual understanding of the science of wellbeing, this course will also cover key strategies that will help you to understand the processes involved in enhancing your own wellbeing and that of others.

This course will move away from a more traditional focus on illness to one on health, from what causes us to experience distress to what protects us against distress, from a focus on eliminating problems to cultivating strengths, and from how our suffering can be minimised to how we can thrive.

See: https://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/course/PSYC1005