Healing with Happiness PSS is a JOYGYM program developed specifically to provide large scale low cost psychosocial support for the HIV and palliative care sector.

The program has enjoyed great success and has been presented and well received at numerous international conferences.

Program Description

Healing with Happiness™ PSS is an evidence based organization-wide psychosocial support program for care organization management, employees and persons in care that can replace debriefing and other psychosocial support interventions.

This powerful and economical happiness and positive psychology based program includes comprehensive monitoring and evaluation.

Who Participates

All management and employees of an organization from head office through branches and sub-organizations participate in the program, including care workers and their support team (managers, supervisors, social workers, nursing staff, support group leaders, drivers, cooks, cleaners and regular volunteers). These are called the primary participants.

Primary Participants

Primary participants receive one day intensive training (normally in groups of 15-35 people) that

  Teaches how happiness and unhappiness, impact on all aspects of life

  Provides techniques to build and manage happiness and unhappiness for a better life

  Teaches the skills needed to participate in daily 15 minute peer-to-peer Healing with Happiness™ therapy sessions

  Empowers participants to provide Healing with Happiness™ therapy to downstream participants.

Healing with Happiness™ therapy is provided by primary participants to all adults and children in care, their families, support groups and community groups.

The program is proven to increase happiness and

  Quickly and dramatically reduce stress, depression, grief, trauma and burnout

  Boost emotional intelligence

  Improve personal relationships

  Increase resilience and coping

Participants report dramatic reductions in stress related health problems including sleep problems, headaches and migraines, body and neck/ shoulder pain, digestive problems and in stress related medical conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.

Organizational Benefits

Organizations implementing the Healing with Happiness™ program have seen increases in productivity including a more than 50% increase in home care visits and similar reductions in absenteeism.

Dramatic decreases in staff conflict and improved cooperation and teamwork are consistently reported.

Significant increases in both quality and quantity of care provided are reported.

Dramatic reductions in stress, anxiety, depression, trauma and grief are reported and significant increases in happiness.

Improved adherence to medication and better self-care is reported with and dramatic increases in energy, vitality and support group attendance.

Studies show that major reductions in stress and depression can slow HIV progression and reduce mortality while significantly improving quality of life.

Benefits for OVC

Dramatic reductions in stress, anxiety, mood swings, depression, trauma and grief and improved relations with caregivers, foster parents and other children
are reported.

Disciplinary problems and bullying are reduced.

Better self-care, hygiene, cleanliness and presentation are reported with increased energy, happiness, joy and hope for the future.

“Thank you so much. You’ve given these children their childhood back. They are now happy fun loving kids.” - OVC center manager