​Okay. So, I’m showing my age here, but there was this title song by Johnny Mercer and the Pied Pipers way back in the big band era of 1944. It topped the music charts that year and has been a cover song more recently for Paul McCartney in 2012, Barry Manilow in 2014, and Van Morrison in 2023. That means “Accentuate the Positive” is a music legacy. The first line is “Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative. That’s what it’s all about.”
          In Positive Psychology, a field heralded by researcher Martin Seligman in 2000, therapy interventions are all about accentuating the positive. In The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, I identify positive psychology as one of three primary treatment strategies artfully interwoven to comprise Mentalligent Psychotherapy (MPT).
          Our patients are stuck in the mire of trauma, heavy emotions, and multiple stressors. These are the sources of downward spiraling on their journeys. Clinicians who practice MPT become their guides on a healing journey, helping them get unstuck, and begin an upward spiraling on their path to the good life. We do that, in part, by helping them accentuate the positive in their lives and eliminate the negative.
          Our work is more than simply giving patients happy thoughts. Seligman chose the Greek word, eudaimonia, to capture the therapeutic emphasis of positive psychology. The word translates “human flourishing.” How expansive. How descriptive of focusing on living the good life.
          In my clinical practice, I encourage patients to complete two behavioral assessment instruments. One is from Arnold Lazarus’ work, The Multimodal Life History Questionnaire (MLHQ), while the other is Seligman’s Values-In-Action Inventory of Strengths (VIA-IS). The former helps patients objectify what’s wrong in their lives, while the latter captures what’s right. With these foundations, we can help our patients find their path out of the muck and mire of their lives and equip them with the resources to improve their stress management and strengthen their resilience.
          After giving your patient ample time to go down their rabbit hole of distress and despair, hearing their woe with active listening and empathy, give her an opportunity to settle. She will feel relief simply from getting it all out. However, settling is helpful but not enough. With mentalligent psychotherapy, you then switch to challenging them to flourish even in their despair.
          “So, Sharon. What you’ve shared with me is horrible. I can’t imagine going through it all.”
          “Tell me about it. Yeah. It was rough.”
          “Well, I have both a truth and a challenge for you.”
          “What’s the truth?”
          “It’s good news. You have absolutely no control over all this mess you are having to deal with. You do, however, have every control over how you respond to it all.”
          “Okay,” Sharon thought about the truth. “What’s the challenge?”
          “I wonder how you can find some good in all the bad you’ve had to deal with?”
          Human flourishing, eudaimonia, defines positive psychology and defines your taking control over your responses to adversity. By doing so, you will put yourself on a quest to find the good in the bad things that happen to you. Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative. That’s what positive psychology is all about.
Blessings,
Jon 

​Those British folks. They’re interesting, funny sometimes. They have slogans and ways of referring to things that are unique to them. The car hood is the “boot.” The subway is the “tube.” Just different, maybe quirky to me. But there’s one slogan that I’m adopting, “MIND THE GAP.”
          For the Brits, this slogan is cautionary. Every train and tube station in England has this slogan in bold colored, big font six inch letters painted on the platform next to the edge. When the train is in the station and dispersing passengers, they must “mind the gap” as they get on or off the train. You see, there’s a space between the train doors and the station platforms. When you mind the gap, you are less likely to misstep and injure yourself. So, Brits, mind the gap.
          I’m adopting this slogan, however, as a cautionary tale in the healing process on your journey in mentalligent psychotherapy (MPT). Part of your journey is embracing mindfulness as a context for healing. In my book, The Healing Journey: Overcoming Adversity on the Path to the Good Life, I introduce mindfulness to the reader.
          Many patients, especially newbies, at first see mindfulness as either Duh! Or gimmicky. They tend to dismiss it until they see the benefit as a gateway to emerging from a difficult past.
          “Okay, Sandra. Let me try another way to explain mindfulness, “I took a different tack.
          “I know, Doc,” Sandra started being dismissive. “It’s just being here. You, you know, present.”
          “Well, it’s more than that,” I added. “So, let me show you.”
          “Okay.”
          So, outstretch your arms, shoulder height, to each side.”
          “Like this?” Sandra followed my directions.
          “Yep. Now, from midpoint to your left hand represents your past. From midpoint to your right hand represents your future. So, bring both of your hands to meet in the middle, in front of you.” I paused as she did so. “If the movement of your healing journey is represented by your hands, where are you?”
          “Right now, with my hands together in front of me?” Sandra clarified, “I guess I’m right here, the present.”
          “You are more than just present. Your arms have erased your past and not anticipated your future. You are now free to focus your mind on your present. Not just here in body, but also in mind and spirit.”
          I then encourage my patients to use “mind the gap” as a cautionary catch phrase. Depression comes from allowing your past to consume you. Anxiety is generated by anticipating the future. Staying in your present allows you embrace your moment.
          Philosopher Eckhart Tolle puts it succinctly:
If your mind carries a heavy burden of the past, you will experience more of the same. The past perpetuates itself
through lack of presence. The quality of your consciousness at this moment is what shapes your future.
          I picked up a book of mindful sayings called Pausitivity: Take A Moment to Nurture Yourself (Compendium, 2011).
Tension is who you think you should be.
Relaxation is who you are.
          Being mindful releases tension and encourages relaxation. With this context, you healing journey begins.
Blessings, Dr. Jon