Wellbeing, Thriving, Flourishing — The Difference a Word Makes

Wellbeing, Thriving, Flourishing: Three Words We Keep Using as if They Mean the Same Thing? | The Flourishing Journal Flourishing Science Wellbeing, Thriving, Flourishing: Three Words We Keep Using as if They Mean the Same Thing? On wellbeing, flourishing, and thriving, and why mixing them up changes how we research, counsel, and help people. VC Victor Counted, Ph.D. Professor · Author · Psychologist · June 2026 · 7 min read A friend of mine treats the word ‘thriving’ the way most people treat the word ‘fine.’ It comes up every time we connect, unplanned, almost a running joke between us by now. He has a point. Three words show up…

Continue ReadingWellbeing, Thriving, Flourishing — The Difference a Word Makes

Three Mental Health Crises in Our World Today

Three Crises in Our World Today — The Flourishing Journal The Flourishing Journal Three Crises in Our World Today Identity, loneliness, and meaning look like three problems. I want to tell you why I think they are a problem of belonging. VC Victor Counted, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Psychology, Regent University · Faculty Affiliate, Harvard Human Flourishing Program I have spent most of my adult life studying what makes people flourish. I have also spent most of my adult life trying to flourish. Some seasons it was easier. Some seasons it was not. What I can tell you is this. Something is hurting people in our day that was not…

Continue ReadingThree Mental Health Crises in Our World Today

Executive Functioning and Human Flourishing

The Question That Changes Everything | The Flourishing Journal The Question ThatChanges Everything For decades, science has asked what is wrong with the way we think. What happens when it finally starts asking what it takes to truly thrive? VC Victor Counted, Ph.D. Professor · Author · Psychological Scientist March 2026 8 min read There is a question most of us have asked ourselves at some point — quietly, privately, usually in the aftermath of something we did not handle well. A conversation that went sideways. A goal abandoned halfway through. A promise to ourselves we could not keep. The question surfaces in the gap between who we intend to…

Continue ReadingExecutive Functioning and Human Flourishing

What are the psychological mechanisms of human flourishing?

The Four Pathways of Human Flourishing | Victor Counted Flourishing Science The Four Pathways of Human Flourishing Victor Counted, Ph.D. Psychological Scientist & Professor What does it mean to truly flourish? And more precisely — what are the internal pathways through which flourishing actually happens in a human life? These are not merely philosophical questions. They sit at the heart of a growing scientific conversation that is reshaping how psychologists, clinicians, and scholars understand human thriving. Tyler VanderWeele of Harvard's Human Flourishing Program has made a compelling case that flourishing is cultivated through four primary pathways: work and vocation, religious or spiritual community, family relationships, and education. These domains represent…

Continue ReadingWhat are the psychological mechanisms of human flourishing?

Five simple ways to deal with anxiety

Photo by Kat Smith: https://www.pexels.com/photo/greyscale-photography-of-woman-wearing-long-sleeved-top-736843/ Anxiety is a common mental health problem, affecting around one in five people. It can be a debilitating condition, causing people to feel anxious and stressed all the time. It can be hard to understand how to deal with anxiety, but there are a few simple techniques that can help. Here are five research-informed techniques that I’ve found to be particularly helpful for managing anxiety: Relaxation technique — One of the best ways to relieve stress is to do something relaxing or meditative, such as taking a hot bath, reading a good book, or meditating. Mindfulness meditation has been shown to be particularly effective for reducing anxiety…

Continue ReadingFive simple ways to deal with anxiety