Shifting the Paradigm of Positive Psychology: Toward an Existential Positive Psychology of Wellbeing

Recent developments in positive psychology and wellbeing research highlight the tremendous capacity for individual wellbeing within the context of a cross-cultural, ecological, and complex model. In this chapter, we propose a paradigm shift toward existential positive psychology, which integrates the dark (negative psychology) and the bright (positive psychology) sides of life to provide a more integrative and comprehensive model of wellbeing. We explore the dialectical interaction between these poles of human experience, with a particular emphasis on the importance of embracing and transforming suffering for cultivating sustainable wellbeing. We highlight some of the innovative ways in which existential positive psychology differs from traditional positive psychology and summarize self-transcendence as the thread that runs through the existential positive psychology paradigm. Our chapter concludes with a brief discussion of some potential implications of existential positive psychology for research and interventions.