Doors open at 10:30 am for coffee and conversation.
Sunday Gathering begins at 11 am.
Childcare is provided. Everyone is welcome!

Featured Speaker: Dean Long, “An Introduction to Positive Psychology”
Community Moment: David Ricks
Musical Guest: TBD

An Introduction to Positive Psychology:
Its History, Its Research and How People Benefit from Positivity

We all experience moments or periods in our lives of joy, engagement, love and serenity. But, they come and go. The key is to experience a greater number of these positive moments, and less negative ones. We need negative moments in order to maintain a realistic and beneficial perspective of the world around us. However, these negative moments can become excessive in size, and thus harmful to us.

We each have a tipping point – the ratio of positive thoughts and feelings compared to negative ones – in which we move from a state of languishing to a state of flourishing.

In the millennial issue of American Psychiatrist, the founder of Positive Psychology, Dr. Martin Seligman, and his research assistant, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, wrote the following:

“We believe that a psychology of positive human functioning will arise, which achieves a scientific understanding and effective interventions to build thriving individuals, families and communities.”

Increasing your positivity is like losing weight – it takes time and effort. But, like losing weight, it can significantly enhance the quality of your life.

About Dean Long:
Dean has spent all 30-plus years of his professional life in service-based industries – as a consultant, as a manager and as an account executive. In 2007, he founded his current small business and career coaching practice, Coach-to-Success, L.L.C. Through this practice, he helps his clients find greater clarity, focus and confidence, thus enabling them to realize joy, fulfillment and prosperity in their professional lives.

Prior to becoming a business coach, Dean’s professional experience entailed both the consulting engineering and financial services industries. He spent most of his years in consulting engineering in management. In doing so, Dean collaborated with clients in both the public and private sectors to meet a wide variety of project planning, design, and construction management needs. His experience there culminated in his three years of service as a branch manager, overseeing an office of over 100 employees.

Following a career change in 1992, Dean joined the investment firm of Morgan Stanley, where he spent nearly 14 years as a Financial Advisor, providing advice, guidance, education, and recommendations in helping his clients realize their financial goals and objectives.

Dean has a passion for leadership. He served as President of both the Small & Home Business Connection (SHBC) in 2009, followed by the Kansas City area coaching chapter, Heartland Coaches Association, in 2010