Dina Ramadan was drawn to a career in positive psychology because of its focus on resilience, strengths, flourishing, and post-traumatic growth.
“Navigating through personal traumatic experiences from my childhood, I discovered that the components that helped me through were the same components of positive psychology: mindfulness, self-compassion, cultivating inner-strengths, and fostering positive emotions (especially joy!),” she said.
These principles also profoundly influenced her parenting approach.
“This is where my passion lies—in empowering parents with the tools and insights of positive psychology to foster a nurturing and positive environment for their families,” she explained.
According to Ramadan, the Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) program at PCOM had everything she was looking for in a graduate program: a dedicated and supportive program director, outstanding and approachable faculty, and an engaging curriculum with real world application through its practicum component.
“I was excited for the opportunity to facilitate the Happier You workshops,” she said. “Additionally, the virtual format and class times were perfect for me; this flexibility allowed me to integrate my studies with the other responsibilities in my life.”
While there are many things Ramadan has enjoyed about the MAPP program, the most unexpected, she said, was the close-knit cohort that has developed even though many of her classmates have never met in person.
“We’ve built a supportive network where everyone actively looks out for one another, whether it’s by offering feedback, sending reminders, sharing resources, providing emotional support, or posting funny memes to ease the tension of looming deadlines,” she said.
Ramadan said she has also enjoyed learning motivational interviewing, deepening her mindfulness and meditation practice, and diving into all the research behind the positive psychology methods.
As for her future plans, Ramadan is applying the skills she has learned in the MAPP program by writing a book that merges positive psychology with strategies to help families avoid passing trauma onto their children. She hopes to provide coaching and offer workshops for parents to equip them with practical tools and strategies for cultivating a supportive and resilient family environment.
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend this program,” she said. “Not only does it offer academic excellence, but also a community that supports your personal and professional growth and development in positive psychology. As someone who has been out of academia for a long time, I felt welcomed from the very first moment.”
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