Roberto Martínez: "Positive Psychology provides a broader view"
Not all areas of applied psychology are oriented to the treatment of psychopathologies. A clear example of this we have in Positive Psychology, from which the objective is to help people take advantage of their talents and their sources of potential, going beyond overcoming discomfort.
In this interview with the psychologist Roberto Martínez, this professional tells us about his experience applying this form of psychological intervention from Positive Psychology.
- Related article: "On happiness: what is it that we all seek?"
Interview with Roberto Martínez: Positive Psychology and its applications in mental well-being
The psychologist Roberto Martínez is an expert psychologist in Positive Psychology and Scheme Therapy. He has his main practice in Montevideo, where he serves adults and adolescents. In this interview he tells us about the theoretical-practical principles of Positive Psychology and its application in therapy and psychological assistance.
What is it that, from your point of view, characterizes Positive Psychology and distinguishes it from other areas of activity in Psychology in general?
I believe that Positive Psychology provides a broader and more inclusive view of the person, their reality and their potential. A look that not only sees and attends to what is happening in the person's life and worries them, but also goes further, sees the potential, the resource, what has worked for him in the past and now is not using.
To what extent is there a clear line between what is a psychological problem, on the one hand, and a need for personal development or the use of our potential and talents, for the other?
I do not see a clear line that separates one from the other, except in cases of really serious disorders. Various studies on depression confirmed that classical therapies achieve acceptable results for reducing symptoms, but this was not reflected in the person feeling better or more satisfied with life.
We must treat the disorders, collaborate with the client to overcome this situation, but as psychologist, I think we should go a little further, helping that person to be better, with more wellness.
Well-being in general is related to a greater sense of life, commitment and personal fulfillment. These types of interventions are those that drastically reduce relapses and allow the intervention to be sustainable over time.
Sometimes it is said that Positive Psychology tries to completely eliminate "negative emotions", those that cause you discomfort. Myth or Reality?
It is a myth. The emotions They are divided into positive and negative with a didactic purpose but all of them are useful and if after several million years of evolution we keep them, it is because they definitely have a utility.
Positive Psychology precisely tries to value all emotions, understand their meaning, be aware of them and understand their magnitude. Positive Psychology has marked a true therapeutic milestone by identifying and promoting positive emotions as a resource to treat people, couples and organizations.
Today we know that positive emotions favor creativity, broaden our consciousness and favor social interactions, generating a barrage of neurotransmitters that promote well-being in the moment and allow generating a kind of "reserve fund" for hard times.
It is said that positive emotions produce a "cushioning" effect that is especially useful in the tough times that life has.
All emotions have a use, a meaning, a purpose. Sometimes, for different reasons, people tend to interpret them in a non-adaptive way, underestimate or overestimate them and this is usually a source of psychological discomfort.
What do you think are the main utilities and benefits of Positive Psychology applied to psychological assistance for people who come to the consultation?
The main benefit is to help the person to see themselves from the resource; that with what you have, with what you know, we can organize it in a way that makes you feel better, face in a way more satisfying day-to-day challenges and achieve a fuller life, a life that deserves to be lived, as He says Martin Seligman.
The people who come to my office usually have a fairly clear idea of what is wrong with them, what they have problems with, and some are even clear about the origin of these problems. Despite that knowledge, they are no better.
When I ask them about their talents, their strengths, those things they excel at or simply enjoy doing, there is usually a surprised and silent face. From a young age we are told what to improve, to reinforce those points that we have in deficit, but little is indicated to us to improve our talents and strengths.
At other times, people come with a very strong emphasis on what happened to them in the past, which, although it conditions, does not necessarily determine.
How we are today depends largely on what we do today and what we plan to do. Naturally there are exceptions and more in psychology that is not an exact science, but it is a science with all of the law.
We can work thinking about the future, there are strengths such as hope or optimism that are very powerful and help a lot to overcome difficult moments.
The people I work with usually finish the processes we undertake with greater self-knowledge, they know each other better, that allows them to make better decisions, for example. They also end up knowing what their preferred ways of dealing with difficulties are and if these ways help or prevent them from feeling better, we review and modify them.
There are no wrong ways to cope, just like what we were talking about about emotions. The problem is usually in the rigidity, in the use of only one or two ways of coping with everything that happens to us. Many people are unaware that there are options, so the value of psychoeducation as a therapeutic tool in my way of working is very important.
In general, our work modality encourages the person to know himself more, this benefits his self-esteem, improves their self-concept (what the person thinks they are) and all this combined promotes a higher level of realization personal.
And what are the main uses of Positive Psychology in the field of personal relationships? For example, in couples therapy.
When we go from waiting for the other to improve what they are not good at to recognizing their strengths and using them to their advantage, all interpersonal relationships take a 180º turn. We stop waiting for the other to change and we start to value what he has and what he stands out for.
We go from demand to appreciation and acceptance. Receiving approval and appreciation from our spouse, coworker or colleague immediately disarms any defensive posture and encourages dialogue. It is precisely in this dialogue where we can go little by little adjusting those details that are sometimes really key and condition the relationship.
The couple therapy It is one of my favorite areas of attention from the framework of Positive Psychology, because many of its concepts were already used in it (use of the resource, test what worked, assessment of positive exchanges, etc.) long before the official presentation of Psychology Positive.
What do you think are the main profiles of people who can benefit from Positive Psychology?
Actually, I think we can all benefit from what Positive Psychology comes to propose: a broader vision of the person. A person with problems, sufferings and fears, but also with strengths, resources and expectations.
Adults, adolescents and couples are the ones I work with on a daily basis and where I see and see the change and not only improvement is verified, but personal development, the realization that makes the wellness.
