Lockdown: Character Strengths and Silver Linings
Your Guide to Applying Positive Psychology in Seclusion
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Overview
Rowan Mackey is joined by his father, clinical psychologist Chris Mackey as they discuss ways of applying character strengths and remaining optimistic during the time of COVID-19.
Visit each episode page for episode snippets and more.
Episode 1 – Finding Flow within Four Walls
In episode one, Rowan and Chris discuss what the podcast will be about, take a broad look at the character strengths and why they’re particularly useful and look at what opportunities the COVID-19 pandemic may present to us over the coming months.
Click here to visit the episode page
This Week’s Links
Click here to view the list of character strengths
Click here to view the blog post on character strengths
Click here to do the VIA character strengths survey
Episode 2 – Exercising in Exile
Rowan and Chris take on the topic of exercising under the current stay at home restrictions and social distancing. We look at why it’s particularly important to exercise during this current time, how the character strengths can apply to exercise and also look at exactly how habits are formed to ensure that changes we do make over the coming months are long-lasting.
Click here to visit the episode page
This Week’s Links
Click here to view an article on the benefits of physical exercise for your mental health
Click here to view the blog post on self-compassion
Click here to view the blog post on gratitude
Episode 3 – Quelling Quarrels in Quarantine
Click here to watch a video on managing anger and aggression
Click here to read an article on the bystander response to conflict
Episode 4 – Navigating the Noise of the News
This week, Rowan and Chris discuss ways of curating a news diet that’s healthy for our state of mind. We discuss why too much negative news is bad for us, how we can use the character strengths to improve our news diet with different sources, including new media, and why it’s worth taking this opportunity to reflect upon and expand the places where we seek our news.
Click here to visit the episode page
This Week’s Links
The Greater Good Science Centre (UC Berkeley)
Episode 5 – Speaking of Sport…
On this episode, Rowan and Chris ask the question, if sport is likely to be one of the first things to return, how can we best take advantage of it? We look at the importance of sport and the relationship between sport, the character strengths and our wellbeing.
Click here to visit the episode page
This Week’s Links
Presented Research into Character Strengths and the Western Bulldogs
John Landy Assists Ron Clarke After Fall and Still Wins Mile Race
Episode 6 – Expunging Anxiety
In recent years, positive psychology has changed some of the ways we think about anxiety, so we explore ways to look at anxiety more optimistically, including ways of using the character strengths to be more proactive against feeling anxious and offering support to those around us.
Click here to visit the episode page
This Week’s Links
Click here for the Bilateral Stimulation video
Click here for a video on how to manage panic attacks
Click here for an article on dealing with panic
Click here for an article on how to worry less
Episode 7 – Dealing with Depression
Click here to visit the episode page
This Week’s Links
Click here for the article outlining why you should never take your life
Click here for the video on dealing with suicidal thoughts
Click here for an article on dealing with suicidal thoughts
Click here for the existential depression in young men article
Click here for an article on taking on your inner critic
Click here for a video on where depression fits into the four stages of evolution
Click here for more free resources on depression
Click here for more free resources on suicidality
Click here to see our practice research
If this episode brought up any distressing feelings for you. You can reach out immediately to Lifeline on 13 11 14. Please also consider speaking with close friends or family, as well as your GP.
Episode 8 – Transcending Trauma
As always, we apply an optimistic framework to the topic to hopefully get across the idea that trauma is something that can not only be overcome, but can also provide us with an opportunity to learn and eventually prosper, despite what can often be such negative circumstances.
Click here to visit episode page
This Week’s Links
Click here for a video on how to face a driving phobia using the exposure therapy technique
Click here for an article on dealing with dissociative symptoms
Click here for an article on addressing avoidant tendencies
Click here for an article on common psychological reactions to traumatic events
Click here for a video on EMDR or bi-lateral stimulation
Click here for a video on how to deal with suicidal thoughts
Click here for a video on PTSD and how to treat it
Click here for an article on the impact of church-related sexual abuse
Click here for an article about an optimistic treatment model for sexual abuse
Click here for an article about trauma entitled “turning a bigger problem into a lesser one”
If this episode brought up any distressing feelings for you. You can reach out immediately to Lifeline on 13 11 14. Please also consider speaking with close friends or family, as well as your GP.
The Presenters
Rowan Mackey is a content producer and digital creative. After studying sports media and law at the University of Canberra, he found himself drawn to digital media after attending the first conference for podcasters in the southern hemisphere, We Are Podcast in 2016. He is also the principal of Easygoing Digital, where he has been involved in over 300,000 podcast downloads as a presenter and producer.
He currently produces the official Geelong Cats podcast, To the Final Bell and is a producer of the TV show Destination Happiness airing nationally in Australia on Channel 9 and Internationally with the Discovery Channel. He has also worked with notable organisations such as The Geelong Grammar School and Lyons Construction.
Rowan is the Digital Media Manager at Chris Mackey and Associates.
Chris Mackey is a clinical and counselling psychologist and Fellow of The Australian Psychological Society with 40 years’ psychotherapy experience. The second edition of Chris’s book, The Positive Psychology of Synchronicity: Enhance Your Mental Health with the Power of Coincidence, was released internationally in August 2019.
Chris is also the resident psychologist for TV show Destination Happiness, where he presents the “Happy Mind” segment, involving brief tips based on the science of positive psychology. He also writes a regular opinion column for The Geelong Advertiser and is the resident psychologist on K-Rock radio in the mornings.
Chris was the recipient of the 2019 Australian Allied Health Impact Award for his clinical research and training, media involvement and for authoring a book on positive psychology and synchronicity.
Get in touch with Chris and Rowan – podcast@chrismackey.com.au
Other Resources