Positive Health: The Basics

This introductory book offers a clear guide to the new field of Positive Health which incorporates a shift towards perceiving body and mind as an integrated system. Topics covered include the social determinants of health and meaning as a factor contributing to health.

Dr Jolanta Burke is a Chartered Psychologist (BPS), an award-winning researcher specialising in Positive Psychology and a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Positive Health Sciences. She leads a Good Life research lab, and her team explores ways in which positive activities can be applied to maximise health and wellbeing impact. She was acknowledged by the Irish Times as one of 30 people who make Ireland a better place. For more information, go to: www.jolantaburke.com.

Dr Padraic J. Dunne is an immunologist (research scientist), a practicing psychotherapist, an accredited senior coach and a certified lifestyle medicine professional, based at the RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences (CPHS). As a Senior Lecturer (US: Associate Professor) and lead researcher of the Digital Health Research Group, he is interested in the development of health coach-led health and wellbeing programs for the general public, healthcare workers and citizens with a chronic disease diagnosis.

Dr Elaine Byrne has held academic positions at University of Pretoria in South Africa, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in Ireland and University of Oslo in Norway. Her research interests revolve around supporting healthy people in healthy societies and organisations, with a focus on areas such as addressing self-stigma around HIV, global health systems and health services research, and qualitative research methodology.

Prof. Ciaran A. O’Boyle is Director of the Centre and a Professor of Psychology at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences with over 35 years’ experience as an educator, researcher, and trainer. He established the RCSI Department of Psychology in 1985, the RCSI Institute of Leadership in 2005 and the RCSI Centre for Positive Psychology and Health in 2019.