During and after the pandemic, Linda Martin noticed increased stress levels and a disconnectedness in the workplace as people struggled with a new way of working. After seeing workers experience feelings of isolation and difficulty aligning their work and home lives, Martin decided to take action.
“I wanted to learn skills to help people thrive, flourish and improve overall well-being,” she said. The desire to make a positive impact in the workplace was just part of Martin’s reason for deciding to pursue a Master of Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) degree.
Martin, who holds a BA in Counseling Psychology, is also the mother of a young adult daughter on the autism spectrum.
“I believe there is a lot of opportunity to further explore how positive psychology interventions can promote and improve well being through strengths-based approaches and improve the quality of life not only for those on the autism spectrum but also across the neurodiverse population,” she explained.
That two-fold motivation ultimately led her to PCOM.
“The MAPP program and PCOM checked all the boxes,” Martin said. “The application process was streamlined and easy to follow and being able to participate in an online program while working full time is what made graduate school possible for me.”
As a student, Martin has been particularly impressed with how each of the courses connect with and build off each other.
“You are able to take the things you learn in one class and apply it to another,” she explained.
The MAPP program faculty, she added, is incredibly supportive and offers a tremendous amount of academic and experiential knowledge.
“I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the benefits of mindful self compassion in Dr. Hickman's class as I was able to apply what I learned with this practice to all areas of my life,” she said. “His class opened up a whole new world for me and I am grateful it was part of the curriculum.”
Martin also praised Dr. Scott Glassman, the MAPP program director.
“[Dr. Glassman] not only put together an incredible curriculum and staff, but also leads by example with kindness, compassion, recognition and unending support,” she said.
As for her fellow students, Martin expects those relationships to continue personally and professionally beyond graduation from the program.
“Our cohort has been one of the most stimulating elements of the program as everyone brings something unique to the table and they all are incredibly supportive and have so much to offer,” she said.
Martin’s future plans include using her new skills to improve overall well-being and foster human strengths within the workplace.
“The well-rounded and well-crafted curriculum is applicable to many academic and career paths,” she said. “This program has led to significant growth within myself and how I both see and interact with the world around me.”
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