Captivating Thought Leadership
International Thought Leaders Featured in the SOARING into Strength Positive Health Initiative
Since 2000, world renowned experts have enthusiastically joined the Soaringwords cause by sharing their insights and wisdom with the people we serve. Together, we are inspiring millions of people to experience greater physical, emotional, and mental well-being.
Tal Ben-Shahar
Tal Ben-Shahar
Tal Ben-Shahar has written several international best-selling books, including Short Cuts to Happiness, Happier, and Being Happy, which have been translated into 25 languages. When he
taught at Harvard University, his classes on Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership were among the most popular courses in the university's history. Ben-Shahar
received his PhD in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University and a bachelor's degree
from Harvard in Philosophy and Psychology. Ben-Shahar consults and lectures around the world to executives in multinational corporations, Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, and
the general public. Topics include leadership, education, ethics, happiness, self-esteem, resilience, goal setting, and mindfulness.
Judith Beck
Judith Beck
Judith Beck, is president of the Beck Institute and clinical professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania where she teaches psychiatric residents. She has worked as consultant for numerous National Institute of Mental Health studies; developed multiple child and adolescent assessment scales; and presented internationally on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She is also the author of numerous books including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Basics and Beyond (2nd edition); The Complete Beck Diet for Life; and Cognitive Therapy for Personality Disorders.
Stuart Brown
Stuart Brown
Stuart Brown is a psychiatrist, researcher, and the founder of the National Institute for Play. He is the author of Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul.
Elizabeth Cushing
Elizabeth Cushing
Elizabeth Cushing is the CEO of Playworks, which helps schools and school districts make the most of recess through on-site staffing, consultative support, professional development, and free resources. She has more than 25 years of nonprofit management experience with youth development and youth-serving organizations, and as a leader in the youth development field, is frequently invited to speak about Playworks’ scaling experience, and how play supports children’s development and wellbeing.
James Doty
James Doty
James Doty is a clinical professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is the founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford, of which His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the founding benefactor. Doty focuses his work on meditation, compassion, and self-compassion, topics which he speaks on internationally. He has served on numerous boards including Charter for Compassion International and the Dalai Lama Foundation. He is the author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart. He is the senior editor of the Oxford Handbook of Compassion Science.
Angela Lee Duckworth
Angela Lee Duckworth
Angela Lee Duckworth is the Founder and CEO of Character Lab, a not-for-profit whose mission is to advance the science and practice of character development. Her best-selling
book, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, was released in May 2016. The New York
Times called Duckworth "the psychologist who has made 'grit' the reigning buzzword in education-policy circles.” She is the Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania, where she studies grit and self-control. She was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2013.
Jane Dutton
Jane Dutton
Jane Dutton is the founder of The Compassion Lab and co-founder of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan. Her research and expertise lie at the intersection of strategy, management and organizations, and psychology. Jane is best known for her work on High Quality Connections, Job Crafting, and Compassion. She has published over 100 articles and book chapters, edited 13 books, and written two books for managers called Energize your Workplace: How to Build and Sustain High Quality Connections at Work and Awakening Compassion at Work. Jane has been awarded the Distinguished Scholar Award for the Organization Behavior Division, Organization and Management Theory Division, Organization Development and Change Division, and the Managerial and Organizational Cognition Division of the Academy of Management. At the Ross School of Business she has earned the Senior Scholar award and Researcher of the Year award. She was awarded the Scholarly Contributions Award for the Academy of Management.
Carol S. Dweck
Carol S. Dweck
The SOARING into Strength Positive Health Initiative workshop SOARING into Growth Mindset is based on the work of Dr. Carol Dweck. Carol S. Dweck is the Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford University. Dweck is known for her work on the Mindset psychological trait. She taught at Columbia University, Harvard University, and the University of Illinois before joining the Stanford University faculty in 2004. She is a Fellow of the Association for Psychological Science.
Rachel Epstein
Rachel Epstein
Rachel Epstein is the Director of the American Institute for Mental Imagery and teaches the institute’s core curriculum classes. She is also a holistic health practitioner with a private practice in New York City. For over 30 years, Rachel studied the western spiritual therapeutic tradition
with her late husband, Dr. Jerry Epstein, and also completed studies on mental imagery and dreams with the internationally recognized authority, Mme. Colette Aboulker-Muscat. Rachel co-authored We Are Not Meant to Die and Reversing The Trauma of War. She is a NYS licensed acupuncturist trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine and holds a juris doctorate from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.
Emily Esfahani Smith
Emily Esfahani Smith
Emily Esfahani Smith is a journalist, author, and speaker. Her book The Power of Meaning, an international bestseller, has been translated into 16 different languages. Her TED Talk “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy” has been viewed over 8 million times. The former managing editor of The New Criterion, Smith’s articles and essays have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, and other publications. Her articles for The Atlantic, “There’s More to Life Than Being Happy” (about Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl) and “Masters of Love” (about romance and marriage), have reached over 30 million readers. She received her master’s degree in Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, where she continues to serve as an assistant instructor in Positive Psychology.
Barbara Lee Fredrickson
Barbara Lee Fredrickson
Barbara Lee Fredrickson is the Kenan Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She is also the Principal Investigator of the Positive Emotions and Psychophysiology Lab. Fredrickson is a social psychologist who conducts research in emotions and positive psychology. Her main work is related to her broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions, which suggests that positive emotions lead to novel, expansive, or exploratory behavior, and that, over time, these actions lead to meaningful, long-term resources such as knowledge and social relationships. She is the author of Positivity and Love 2.0, which discusses the supreme emotion of love, micro-moments of connection, and how love can affect your biological and cellular make-up over time. She was the Chairperson of the International Positive Psychology Association.
Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist, Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University's Stern School of Business, and author of The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern
Truth in Ancient Wisdom; The Righteous Mind: Why Good People are Divided by Politics and Religion; and The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure. Haidt's main scientific contributions come from the psychological field of the Moral Foundations Theory—the evolutionary origins of human moral reasoning on the basis of innate, gut feelings rather than logical reason. He has been named one of the "top global thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine and one of the "top world thinkers" by Prospect magazine. He is considered among the top 25 most influential living psychologists.
Julie Haizlip
Julie Haizlip
Julie Haizlip is a clinical professor of nursing and holds a joint appointment as associate professor of Pediatrics at the University of Virginia Schools of Medicine and Nursing. She serves as co-director of the University of Virginia Center for ASPIRE (Academic Strategic Partnership for Inter-professional Research and Education) and has worked with the UVA Center for Appreciative Practice since its inception. She has completed a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and has published and presented nationally on creating culture change in academic health care using applications of Positive Psychology. Dr. Haizlip is board certified in pediatrics and pediatric critical care and she has practiced as a pediatric intensivist for more than 10 years. Currently she maintains a practice with UVA Health Systems’ Pediatric Sedation Service.
Madan Kataria
Madan Kataria
Madan Kataria, is a physician and the founder of the Laughter Yoga movement which began in Mumbai, India, in 1995. He is a keynote and motivational speaker internationally and has been a featured guest on numerous platforms including The Oprah Winfrey Show, CNN, and ABC. He is the author of Laughter Yoga and Laugh for No Reason.
Peter A. Levine
Peter A. Levine
Peter Levine is a contemporary psychologist specializing in trauma and is recognized as the developer of Somatic Experiencing therapy. He worked for NASA as a stress consultant and has taught internationally at pain clinics, hospitals, and treatment centers. He has conducted research into trauma and oppression in Indigenous populations and is a member of the World Psychologist for Social Responsibility. He established the Foundation for Human Enrichment and is the author of the bestselling book Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
Shane Lopez
Shane Lopez
Shane Lopez was a psychologist who worked as a senior scientist for Gallup and as Research Director of The Don Clifton Strengths Institute. He was also a fellow of the American Psychological Association. His research focused on hope which aims to show that investing in one's future reaps immediate rewards. He was considered the leading expert in the world on
Hope and Hope Theory studying with his mentor C.R. Snyder. He is the author of Making Hope Happen and 103 articles and chapters in dozens of books
Vivek Murthy
Vivek Murthy
The SOARING into Strength Positive Health Initiative workshop Why Loneliness Matters is based on the work of Dr. Vivek Murthy. Vivek Murthy is a physician and former vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps who served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States. Murthy founded the non-profit organization Doctors for America. Murthy was the first Surgeon General of Indian descent and, while serving in office, was the youngest active duty flag officer in federal uniformed service. His latest book on loneliness provides understanding into this global epidemic and offers scientific approaches to mitigate the impact of isolation and depression.
Kristin Neff
Kristin Neff
Kristin Neff is the leading expert in the world on Self-Compassion and creator of the Self-Compassion scales, the leading empirical measurement tool. She’s an associate professor at the University of Texas at Austin's department of Educational Psychology. In addition to writing numerous academic articles and book chapters on the topic, she is author of the books Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself; and Fierce Self-Compassion. In conjunction with her colleague Dr. Chris Germer, she has developed an empirically supported training program called Mindful Self-Compassion, which is taught by thousands of teachers worldwide. They co-authored The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook as well as Teaching the Mindful Self-Compassion Program: A Guide for Professionals both published by Guilford. She is also co-founder and board president of the nonprofit Center for Mindful Self-Compassion.
Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D.
Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D.
Ryan M. Niemiec, Psy.D., Education Director of the VIA Institute for Character, is a leading figure in the education, research, and practice of character strengths and in positive psychology/well-being. He's an award-winning psychologist, bestselling author (The Power of Character Strengths, #1 new release on Amazon, and The Strengths-Based Workbook for Stress Relief), international workshop leader (giving over 700 talks), and the creator of Mindfulness-Based Strengths Practice (MBSP). Ryan has penned over 80 scholarly or peer-reviewed articles. He was granted Fellow status of the International Positive Psychology Association in 2017.
Elaine O’Brien
Elaine O’Brien
Elaine O’Brien is a fitness leader and expert in the psychology of human flourishing, specializing in positive health and movement. She is a public speaker, writer, and certified health coach. She holds a Masters of Applied Positive Psychology and PhD in the Psychology of Human Movement. She is a member of the International Positive Psychology Association Leader Team and is the author of Positive Movement, Flourishing Lives.
John J. Ratey, M.D.
John J. Ratey, M.D.
John J. Ratey, M.D., is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain (2008), which describes the positive benefits that exercise can have for learning and for people with anxiety, depression, and ADHD. In 2014 he co-authored the book Go Wild: Free Your Body and Mind from the Afflictions of Civilization, which discusses new evidence and case studies about the benefits of living according to the needs of our core DNA in the areas of food, exercise, sleep, mindfulness, being outside, being with others, and our central nerve well-being.
Jan Stanley
Jan Stanley
Jan Stanley is a consultant and facilitator in the fields of Positive Psychology and Organizational Development. She coaches leaders in organizations devoted to prosocial change and helps individuals, teams, and communities increase well-being through intentional practice. She specializes in the use of modern ritual to discover meaning and joy in work and in life. In addition to her private practice, she is a faculty member in the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Applied Positive Psychology program and a facilitator for the university's Penn Resilience Program.
Michael Steger
Michael Steger
Michael Steger is Professor of Psychology, and the Founding Director of the Center for Meaning and Purpose at Colorado State University. For more than 15 years, he has researched how people flourish by living a meaningful life. He earned his doctorate in Counseling Psychology and Personality Psychology from the University of Minnesota in 2005. He has published more than 100 scholarly journal articles and book chapters, and three books, including The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of the Psychology of Positivity and Strengths-Based Approaches at Work and Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace. He provides keynotes, lectures, workshops, and consulting around the world on the topics of meaning, purpose, psychological strengths, meaningful work, and creating a happy workplace.
Margarita Tarragona
Margarita Tarragona
Margarita Tarragona is a psychologist who specializes in applied positive psychology for professionals and education systems. She is the president of the Mexican Positive Psychology Society, is on the International Positive Psychology Association board of advisors, and is an honorary fellow of the Center for Positive Psychology of the University of Melbourne. She co-founded Grupo Campos Elíseos in Mexico City; is adjunct faculty at the Wholebeing Institute; and teaches at the Certificate for Positive Psychology in Latin America program. She is the author of Positive Identities: Positive Psychology and Narrative Practices.
Richard G. Tedeschi
Richard G. Tedeschi
Richard G. Tedeschi, along with his colleague Lawrence Calhoun, pioneered the term and exploration of Post-Traumatic Growth, an area of research they developed that examines personal transformations in the aftermath of traumatic life events. They co-authored hundreds of scholarly articles and dozens of books, including Post-Traumatic Growth: Theory, Research, and Applications. Dr. Tedeschi serves as a consultant to the American Psychological Association on trauma and resilience, and as a subject matter expert for the US Army’s Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program. He is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and serves as Graduate Coordinator for the MA Psychology program. He is a Licensed Psychologist specializing in bereavement and trauma.
Dan Tomasulo
Dan Tomasulo
Dan Tomasulo is a core faculty member at Columbia University's Spirituality Mind Body Institute (SMBI) and an assistant instructor to the founder of Positive Psychology, Martin Seligman, at the University of Pennsylvania's Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program. A licensed counseling psychologist with over 25 years as an experienced clinician, he is the creator of Interactive-Behavioral Therapy, the most widely used form of group therapy for people with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities. Dan is also the author of several books, Learned Hopefulness, American Snake Pit, and Confessions of a Former Child: A Therapist's Memoir.
Karen Warner
Karen Warner
Karen Warner is CEO and Founder of Tangible Group, an executive coaching firm that helps people realize their full potential at work, so they can achieve great things in their careers – and in the world. Karen is a graduate of the Master of Applied Positive Psychology program at the University of Pennsylvania. Her focus area is in scaling positive interventions to improve wellbeing at the collective level. She became a Sudden Caregiver when her husband Joel received a life-altering diagnosis and is the author of The Sudden Caregiver Roadmap.
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