From Wellbeing to Thriving: How Positive Psychology is Shaping Modern Coaching Practices

As the demand for coaching in organizations continues to grow, senior HR leaders are increasingly expected to be discerning about the methodologies behind coaching engagements. It's no longer enough to offer support that simply mitigates stress or prevents burnout—today’s coaching must help individuals thrive. At the core of this evolution lies the field of positive psychology, which has deeply influenced modern coaching practices by shifting focus from pathology to possibility.

A Paradigm Shift: From Fixing to Flourishing

Traditional psychology has its roots in diagnosing and treating mental illness—understandably shaped by a 20th-century legacy marked by war, trauma, and recovery. In contrast, positive psychology emerged at the turn of the millennium as a deliberate pivot toward studying what makes life most worth living (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). This branch of psychology is grounded in the scientific investigation of human flourishing, and it offers valuable insights for coaching professionals seeking to support individuals in maximizing performance, purpose, and wellbeing.

Coaching, by design, is about helping people reach their full potential. It’s a future-oriented, action-based partnership aimed at amplifying strengths, clarifying goals, and achieving personal and professional breakthroughs. The alignment with positive psychology is therefore natural—and critical—for coaches working in high-performance settings and with senior leaders.

Evidence-Based Coaching: More Than Just Good Conversation

HR leaders are right to ask: How do we know coaching works? The answer lies in research. Evidence-based coaching integrates the latest psychological science into coaching practice, ensuring that tools and techniques used are effective, ethical, and tailored to individual needs (Grant, 2016). Positive psychology interventions (PPIs) are a key part of this evidence base, offering scientifically validated activities that support resilience, autonomy, creativity, and sustained high performance.

Here are two such practices making a measurable impact in coaching settings:

1. Gratitude Journaling: Building Cognitive Resilience

Gratitude journaling—the regular practice of writing down what one is thankful for—has shown significant psychological and neurological benefits. A meta-analysis by Dickens (2017) confirmed that gratitude interventions can enhance wellbeing, reduce depression, and build long-term resilience.

From a coaching perspective, gratitude journaling helps clients:

• Redirect focus from problems to possibilities
• Build emotional regulation and optimism
• Create a “bank” of positive memories for future use in difficult times
  

While the format of journaling (bullet points or prose) is flexible, research suggests the consistency and duration of the practice matter most. In fact, studies show that the most significant psychological gains occur after sustained journaling for more than four weeks (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).

The simple act of pausing to reflect on what’s working well gives the brain space to process challenges creatively and fosters an expansive mindset—a critical asset in today’s complex, ever-changing work environments.

2. Strengths-Based Coaching: Unlocking Self-Efficacy

One of the foundational pillars of positive psychology is the exploration of character strengths—the enduring, positive traits that influence how we think, feel, and behave. Coaches frequently draw on strength assessments (such as VIA Character Strengths or CliftonStrengths) to help clients identify their core capabilities and learn how to deploy them more effectively.

The value of this approach is clear:

• Knowing one’s strengths increases confidence and clarity
• Using one’s strengths has been shown to enhance performance, engagement, and job satisfaction (Seligman et al., 2005; Linley & Harrington, 2006)
  

A strengths-based approach in coaching helps professionals navigate ambiguity with greater agency. When a coachee is encouraged to recognize how their strengths operate in real scenarios—especially under pressure—they’re more likely to act with intention, resilience, and energy.

This approach also supports a virtuous cycle: using strengths enhances performance, which fuels engagement, which in turn sustains motivation and impact.

Thriving is Strategic, Not Accidental

For HR leaders shaping the future of talent development, the implications of these insights are profound. Investing in coaching rooted in positive psychology is not just about improving individual wellbeing—it’s a strategic move that drives organizational agility, innovation, and performance.

As we enter an era where employee flourishing is a key lever of competitive advantage, coaching must evolve beyond intuition and anecdote. Leaders should seek partnerships with coaching providers who:

• Use evidence-based methodologies
• Stay abreast of the science of thriving
• Are trained in positive psychology and coaching psychology
• Customize interventions to the context and goals of each individual and team
  

Coaching, when powered by the research and practices of positive psychology, becomes a transformative experience—not just a reflective one. It’s a discipline that helps individuals not merely survive their roles, but excel in them with clarity, courage, and connection.

Whether you’re seeking to develop your top talent, navigate cultural change, or build a leadership pipeline equipped for tomorrow, coaching grounded in science offers both the tools and the mindset to help people thrive.

If you're curious about how a BOLDLY coach can bring these evidence-based practices to your organization, we’d love to start a conversation. Contact us at connect@boldly.app.

References

• Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.
• Dickens, L. R. (2017). Using gratitude to promote positive change: A series of meta-analyses investigating the effectiveness of gratitude interventions. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(6), 575–586.
• Grant, A. M. (2016). What constitutes evidence-based coaching? A two-by-four model of evidence-based practice. International Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring, 14(1), 74–8
• Linley, P. A., & Harrington, S. (2006). Strengths coaching: A potential-guided approach to coaching psychology. International Coaching Psychology Review, 1(1), 37–46.
• Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55(1), 5–14.
• Seligman, M. E. P., Steen, T. A., Park, N., & Peterson, C. (2005). Positive psychology progress: Empirical validation of interventions. American Psychologist, 60(5), 410–421.