Raise the bar on your wellbeing

Lorrie Peniston has a masters degree in applied positive psychology from the University of Pennsylvania.

Its the icing on the cake as far as her accomplishments go.

The psychotherapist has spent nearly three decades helping people in need of counselling and in 2005 opened her own company, Synergy Ltd.

However, its her work with an elite team hired by UPenn thats now making the news.

Mrs Peniston provides resilience training for a variety of institutions through her work with the Ivy League school.

Its a theory she studied at UPenn under noted psychologist Martin Seligman. He links five elements to wellbeing:

positive emotion, which can only be assessed subjectively;

engagement, which is only measured through subjective means;

relationships that evolve from the presence of friends, family, intimacy, or social connection;

meaning from belonging and serving something bigger than oneself;

the accomplishment of something thats pursued even when it doesnt bring meaning or a positive emotion or relationship.

Mrs Peniston will share those lessons at a 7.30pm workshop at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute on June 4. Tickets, $35 or $60 for two, can be purchased at www.bdatix.bm or 232-8499.