Scientists, psychologists, philosophers, and artists have long contemplated the essence of what it means to be happy. As the stressors of the modern world intensify, people the world over are seeking new techniques for attaining wellness. In the Positive Psychology and Well-Being online short course from the Stanford Center for Health Education (SCHE), part of Stanford Medicine, you’ll learn how to become the best version of yourself by investigating the psychological, biological, and social principles of happiness.

Discover a holistic approach to wellbeing that incorporates the latest research from the fields of positive psychology, wellbeing theory, and the neuroscience of emotion. Over six weeks, you’ll uncover practical strategies for enhancing your own happiness every day. You’ll also explore how the ‘state of flow’, mindfulness and meditation, and spirituality can positively impact wellbeing, and examine frameworks for understanding the role that relationships and group dynamics have to play in your life. Guided by leading faculty and a diverse range of subject experts, you’ll also learn what it takes to build resilience in the face of adversity and develop your ability to author your own well-being journey by formulating a tailored approach for the future. Walk away with a practical skill set for making meaningful life changes that maximize your personal and professional happiness, and an official certificate of completion from SHCE.

This course will prove valuable to anyone interested in achieving happiness in a personal or professional context. Those tasked with promoting self-improvement, such as healthcare and lifestyle professionals, nutritionists, wellness coaches and teachers, psychologists, trainers, and nurses will discover practical techniques for fostering lasting wellbeing. Individuals in more corporate settings, such as team leaders, wellness managers, HR professionals, and those responsible for mentoring or training employees will also gain relevant strategies for enhancing happiness in their life and career. Due to its uniquely multidisciplinary approach, the course will appeal to a broad range of learners, from those interested in the neuroscience behind wellbeing, to those seeking to implement psychology-based concepts, to those simply wishing to lead a more productive and happy life.