Keynote: Was Dr Albert Ellis a Pioneer of Positive Psychology? Further reflections a decade later.

Time: 12.00 to 12.45 GMT (including 10 minutes Q&As)

Breakout room: 12.45 to 13.15 GMT

Keynote speaker: Prof Stephen Palmer, Ph.D., FAREBT Accred, Professor of Practice, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and Director of the UK Centre for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy


In 2014 I gave an AREBT conference paper asking if Dr Albert Ellis was a pioneer of positive psychology. This 2023 keynote paper will consider the evidence again providing an overview of positive psychology including the origins and development of positive psychology, floundering to flourishing concepts, key findings from the science of positive psychology, character strengths, the benefits of completing a Gratitude Journal, the PERMA framework, and HUTs to HETs in REBT/REBC. The keynote will conclude considering Al’s contribution to the happiness field, and finally asking the conference attendees if Dr Albert Ellis a Pioneer of Positive Psychology?


Professor Stephen Palmer PhD FAREBT is a Chartered Scientist, Chartered Coaching Psychologist, Registered Counselling and Health Psychologist. He is a BABCP and AREBT Accredited Therapist and Albert Ellis Institute REBT Certified Supervisor.

Stephen is Co-chair and Fellow of the Association for Rational Emotive Behaviour Therapy, President and Fellow of the International Society for Coaching Psychology, Vice President and Honorary Fellow of the Institute for Health Promotion and Education, former President and Honorary Fellow of both the the International Stress Management Association (UK) and Association for Coaching. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Royal Society of Biology. He is former Co-Editor of International Coaching Psychology Review, former editor and now Consulting Editor of the International Journal of Health Promotion & Education. He has written/edited 60 books including Stress counselling: A rational emotive behaviour approach (with Ellis, Gordon and Neenan), Counselling for Stress Problems (with Dryden), How to Deal with Stress (with Cooper), Coaching Psychology in Practice (with Green), and Handbook of Coaching Psychology (with Whybrow). His academic posts include being Professor of Practice at the Wales Academy for Professional Practice and Research, University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD), and Adjunct Professor of Coaching Psychology, Aalborg University, Denmark. Previously he has been a Director of the Coaching Psychology Unit, City University London; Honorary Director of the Coaching Psychology Unit at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil, and BABCP London Branch Co-chair. He is a Director of Studies and supervisor of PhD students at UWTSD.