Positive psychotherapy

Positive psychotherapy is a psychodynamic method of psychotherapy founded by Dr. Nossrat Peseschkian in 1968 in Germany. It is based on a positive conception of humanity, and has an integral and holistic approach. It is today spread in many countries. The main center is based in Wiesbaden, Germany.
The Development of Positive Psychotherapy
1. Positive Psychotherapy was founded in 1968 by Prof. Dr Nossrat Peseschkian.
2. The method of Positive Psychotherapy is based on a transcultural approach. “Positive Psychotherapy is a notable synthesis of psychodynamic and behaviour-therapeutic elements, making an essential contribution to unified relationships within psychotherapy” (Prof. G. Benedetti, Basel). The work involves the cross-cultural investigations in 22 different cultural groups.
3. Postgraduate and continuing education since 1971 and annually there after seminars and courses at the Academy for Continuing Medical Education at the Medical Association of Hesse, Germany. From 1974 - 2007 about 38.000 physicians, psychologists and pedagogues have been trained.
4. Lectures, seminars, workshops and courses conducted in the framework of a postgraduate program, continuing educations and congresses were held in 76 countries and territories around the globe.
5. Establishment of a global network of about 100 local, regional and national centres of Positive Psycho-therapy in 23 countries to date and International Centre for Positive Psychotherapy (ICPP).
6. Publication of 26 books, which are partly translated into 24 different languages. Approximately 260 articles have been published in scientific magazines. Other books on Positive Psychotherapy have been written by colleagues.
7. Quality Assurance and Effectiveness Study of Positive Psychotherapy including 450 patients, 37 thera-pists, over a period of 5 years.
8. German Association for Positive Psychotherapy established in 1978. Publications of the Journal for Positive Psychotherapy.
9. Establishment of Wiesbaden Academy for Psychotherapy (WIAP)
(triple licensed for postgraduate education of medical psychotherapists, psychological psycho-therapists and child & adolescent psychotherapists)
10. International memberships
• World council of Psychotherapy (WCP)
• European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP)
• European Wide Accrediting Organization (EWAO) - European Certificate for Psycho-therapy
• American Psychiatric Association
• International Federation of Psychotherapy (IFP)
11. Special program for supplementary courses for psychologists (Germany)
12. Annual International Training for Trainers of Positive Psychotherapy - IX. In Germany 2008.
13. Four World Congresses for Positive Psychotherapy
14. International Library with over 4.500 books
15. International Archives of Positive Psychotherapy
16. Establishment of International Academy for Positive Psychotherapy (IAPP) - Prof. Peseschkian Foundation in 2005
17. Awards and honors for example:
a. In 1997 Richard-Merten-Prize for “Computer Assisted Quality Assurance in the Positive Psychotherapy”, one of the highest rewards.
b. In 1998 Federal Medical Chamber of Germany awarded Prof. Dr. Peseschkian the Ernst-von-Bergmann-Plaque for continuing education of medical doctors.
c. Bundesverdienstkreuz am Bande (Order of Merit, Distinguished Service Cross of the Fed-eral Republic of Germany, 2006). This Order is the highest recognition of the Federal Re-public of Germany for those citizens who have acquired distinguished services and achievements in social-economical, political and spiritual fields as well as their particular services for the Republic, for example social charity and humanitarian helps.
d. Avicenna-Prize in June 2006, awarded by Association of Iranian Physicians and Dentists in Germany.
e. Encyclopaedia Iranica, a branch of Columbia University, New York, U.S.A., awarded Prof. Dr. Peseschkian in November 2006 at the Gala in Geneva, Switzerland.
Countries and Territories visited by Prof. Dr. Nossrat Peseschkian and other faculty members for Crosscultural Research and/or Lectures and Seminars about Positive Psychotherapy
Africa: Ethiopia - Egypt - Kenya - South Africa
America: Antigua - Alaska - Argentina - Bahamas - Barbados - Bermuda - Bolivia - Brazil -Canada - Chile - Mexico - Panama - Paraguay - Trinidad and Tobago - Uruguay - USA - Venezuela
Asia: Azerbaijan - China - Hong Kong - India - Indonesia - Iran - Israel - Japan - Kazakhstan - Korea - Lebanon - Macau - Malaysia - Nepal - Philippines - Singapore - Tajikestan
Australia and Pacific Regions: Australia - Fiji - New Zealand - Papua New Guinea
Europe: Armenia - Austria - Belgium - Belarus - Bulgaria - Canary Islands - Cyprus - Czech Re-public - Denmark - Finland - France - Georgia - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Italy - Kosovo - Lettland - Litauen - Luxembourg - Macedonia - Malta - Netherlands - Norway - Poland - Portugal - Romania - Russian Federation - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Turkey - United Kingdom - Yugoslawia
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Nine Theses for Positive Psychotherapy
1. The principle of „Self Help": The word „positive" in the name Positive Psychotherapy is derived from the word positum, i.e., from what is factual and given. Disorders and conflicts within a patient are not the only things that are factual and given. The patient also brings with him the capacity for dealing with conflicts. Patients not only suffer from the conflicts and disorders they have; they also suffer from the hopelessness which the diagnosis triggers in them. This one-sided view is historically and culturally conditioned. In the framework of PPT, the patient learns to give up his role as a patient and become a therapist for himself as well as for his environment.
2. The Microtrauma Theory: This approach focuses on the conflict contents as well as on the conflict dynamics. Not only the traumatic experiences, which an individual makes, lead to one-sidedness (pathology) but also the sum of everyday hassles. With regard to the content aspect: an inventory of conflict contents was developed, which pertains to the individual. This inventory can also be applied to interaction in the family as well as in society. The conflict contents represent the theoretical basis for the therapeutic Instruments used in PPT.
3. Transcultural Aspects: The transcultural frame of thought is the basis of PPT and Positive Family Therapy. This approach is applied for analyzing the person as a group member and as an individual. Every person is situated in and therefore influenced by the cultural setting where he grew up. In addition, he is also influenced by the specific family he was born into and by many of the individuals he encounters on his way through life. All these interactions contribute to an individual becoming a unique person. This uniqueness can lead to intra- and transcultural problems in dealing with his fellow man.
4. Uniqueness of the Person: The therapy must consider the needs of the patient and be adapted to each patient's uniqueness. Universal Character: Positive Psychotherapy views illness as being more than a mere feature of the individual person. Illness also reflects the quality of relationships within the family and society.
5. Concepts, mythologies, oriental Stories and folk wisdom are applied in specific therapeutic situations, hence including the use of Intuition and Imagination in the therapeutic process. Stories, which can be used as mediators between therapist and patient are an important help. Without attacking or devaluating the patient or his concepts and values directly, we can suggest a change of position to the patient with the help of these tools. This change of position finally allows the patient to see his one-sided concepts in relation to others, to reinterpret them, and put them into perspective through counter-concepts.
6. Positive Family Therapy is a special construct of therapeutic ideas. Although the family stands in the centre of attention, the therapy does not restrict itself to viewing the family as the only therapeutically relevant unit. Rather, it also tries to look at the family members as individuals and in addition considers social factors relevant for treatment. Finally, we encourage our patients to use the tools they acquired in PPT to actively shape their own environment.
7. The terminology of PPT was developed to be comprehensible for everyone, regardless of social class, education, etc.
8. Positive Psychotherapy offers a basic concept for treating all diseases and conflicts.
9. Metatheoretic Aspect: PPT offers a comprehensive concept within which various therapeutical methods and schools can be used to supplement each other.

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