It’s no secret that the pandemic has been challenging for everyone, both young and old. The trauma, loss and uncertainty of our world have led many of us to ask life’s biggest questions. Who are we? What is our higher purpose? And how do we not only live through but thrive in the wake of tragedy, division and challenges to our fundamental way of living? In this talk, Renowned Humanistic Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman gives you the tools to get back to leading a good, meaningful and purposeful life, as well as building resilience to handle adversity in the future. This keynote and/or Workshops can be customized for K-12 and higher education students, along with educators, administrators and anyone else who is trying to grow in our new post-pandemic world.

At work, we often feel a need to prioritize either productivity or wellbeing. But as Scott Barry Kaufman knows, these two priorities aren’t an “either or” scenario—in fact, they actually need each other. Drawn from Scott Barry Kaufman’s popular Columbia course on the Science of Living Well, this talk provides a theoretical and practical approach to well-being and self-actualization in a workplace setting. Thriving is a term that captures the optimal state of functioning of individuals, groups or organizations, with indicators such as self-actualization, meaning, engagement, health, growth, and creativity as well as other markers of being in a state of peak experience. Productivity, effective teamwork, strong leadership, and innovation are essential to the work we do. But when we prioritize basic human needs—like health, security, growth, meaning, mindfulness, self-esteem, connection, and more—our productivity, leadership, and teamwork improve in leaps and bounds. As Kaufman shows audiences, there are ways that we can cultivate a sense of well-being at work in ways that are growth-fostering and bring out the best in everyone. Drawn from his groundbreaking new research on the science of self-actualization, he’ll leave you with a new, actionable framework for enhancing productivity and wellbeing, and show how we don’t have to be set back by our setbacks, but can actually grow and thrive by leaps and bounds after trauma and setbacks.

Staffing shortages in healthcare are at an all-time high and clinicians & administration are being pushed to the limit, increasingly burned out. Many healthcare workers place the well-being of others before self, but to also ensure their own well-being and to provide the best care for their patients, healthcare workers need focus on themselves first. At work we often feel a need to prioritize our patients well being, over our own. But as Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman knows, these two priorities aren’t an “either or” scenario. A leading expert on unlocking the potential of all people, Dr. Kaufman applies the latest science of self-actualization to help you work through your stress and get on the path to self-awareness and wellness. Drawing from his popular Columbia course called “TheScience of Living Well", Dr. Kaufman will provide practical approaches to well-being and self-actualization in a workplace setting, through the appreciation of deep joy. The most profound moments of joy don’t come from the momentary highs, but from an biding sense that one’s life is meaningful and that we are a part of something greater than ourselves. In this talk, Dr. Kaufman will help remind you why you chose the healthcare profession and how find joy and reconnect to your self and your work, despite the challenges. He will present the human needs that lead to meaningful fulfillment, focusing on the needs for connection, purpose, and existential gratitude. We can find joy in the everyday moments of our lives by connecting with others, by reflecting on the meaning behind our successes as well as our hardest challenges, by living our purpose, and by savoring what we already have and experience on a daily basis. This talk will inspire you to see more possibilities in your life and work, expand your idea of what joy means, and actualize your greatest potentials.

What does it take to unlock your greatest creative potential at work and beyond? Drawing on his extensive research for the past 20 on years on what "creative people do differently" and his latest revision of Maslow’s famous "hierarchy of needs," Scott Barry Kaufman traces the main factors that allow people and organizations to maximize their creative potential. A leading expert in the exciting new field of human-centered education, Kaufman applies the latest science of positive psychology and self-actualization coaching to help all people get on the path to reach their full potential. Kaufman will help people increase the chances they will feel completely absorbed in their tasks and activities — while at work and in their daily lives so that they can be naturally more productive and find more meaning, creativity, and purpose in their lives.

What if we had schools where students were treated as human first, and all students were recognized for their unique potential? When we are young we don’t always know our own true potential and it’s impossible to have passion for what you can’t see. All people that work with our youth have the greatest opportunity to help our youth find their true potential and find their passion to learn and grow. In this program and using his wide and deep research in many SEL content areas Scott Barry Kaufman creates dynamic and insightful customized keynotes or workshops for all K12 Administrators, Educators, Students and even communities. A leading expert in the exciting new field of human-centered education, Kaufman applies the latest science of positive psychology and self-actualization coaching to help all students get on the path to reach their full potential. Imagine if our schools revolved around optimizing the human potential in every student, and took into account their basic needs as a human, not just their potential for doing well on standardized tests.

Patients aren’t the only ones who have been affected by COVID-19. The pandemic has taken a huge toll on the mental health of healthcare workers. In fact, 93% of healthcare professionals have reported experiencing stress and 76% said they were exhausted and burned out, according to a survey by Mental Health America. So, is it possible for those on the frontlines fighting this deadly disease to get back to feeling a sense of wholeness again? Renowned Humanistic Psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman says it’s not only conceivable for healthcare workers to bounce back in the face of significant changes in their lives but also thrive. In this talk, Kaufman provides the tools to help those who are experiencing burnout acquire greater meaning, reassess their priorities, build their resilience and feel more alive again using a framework of scientifically backed positive psychology and humanistic psychology interventions. If you are in the healthcare profession, this talk is for you.