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Our mission is to help emerging adults live the BEST-life-possible.
Our vision is to be a different kind of clinic. One that goes beyond helping emerging adults cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. One that teaches emerging adults how to create lives filled with positive emotions, engagement, intimate relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. A clinic that helps people identify, pursue, and achieve their personal and professional dreams. A clinic that creates a community of kind, compassionate, generous, and loving people who are dedicated to helping others thrive. A clinic that provides cutting-edge workshops and trainings to students, professionals, and outside agencies. A clinic that helps emerging adults live with passion and purpose.
Schedule an appointment, a workshop, or training, or get more information:
To speak with a staff member who can help determine if the Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults would be appropriate for helping you thrive and create your best-life-possible, or to book a workshop or training, please contact Dr. Norman Miller by email (preferred) or by phone at 516-867-1129.
Please be aware that email messages are not encrypted and thus the confidentiality of these electronic transmissions is compromised. Voicemail messages are transcribed and sent to the Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults staff via unencrypted email as well.
Staff Psychologists
All clinical services are provided by Hofstra University doctoral students, under the supervision of Norman Miller, PhD, ABPP, a New York state licensed psychologist.
In his new book, Thrive, Dr. Jeffrey Froh presents his approach for how to live your best-life-possible in your 20s and beyond. Using science, stories, Scripture, and Greek mythology, Dr. Froh shows you why you’re born to thrive, and with 50 practical, science-based tips, he also shows you how to thrive.
What is Positive Clinical Psychology?
Positive clinical psychology uses empirically supported strengths-based strategies that help emerging adults not just survive – but thrive! When successful, people leave traditional therapy feeling less anxious, depressed, stressed, or angry. In short, they feel less "bad." But positive clinical psychology, based on the science of positive psychology, emphasizes that just because we experience fewer negative emotions and behaviors doesn't mean we’re flourishing. Therefore, beyond teaching people how to better cope with and manage their difficulties, therapists teach emerging adults the skills to experience lives filled with joy, gratitude, hope, love, and happiness.
Emerging Adults Today
Nearly 25% of emerging adults are "rudderless." They want to succeed. But, many spend more time and energy going faster instead of changing course to align with their mission. Emerging adults are finding it more difficult today than ever to identify their strengths and learn how to use them in service to others. Being generous with one's skills and talents not only improves our communities and society, but it also provides engagement with the world and a deep, enduring sense of purpose.
Areas for Improvement
Psychology's original mission wasn’t only to "fix" people who were languishing. It was also to identify genius and excellence and to enrich the lives of all people. At the Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults, therapists help emerging adults improve their lives, whether they’re struggling with a particular issue or looking for ways to thrive.
Well-being
- Accomplishment
- Assertiveness
- Career Counseling
- Character Strengths
- Communication Training
- Engagement with Hobbies, Relationships, and Work
- Flourishing
- Gratitude
- Happiness
- Mastering Mission
- Mindfulness
- Positive Health
- Positive Relationships
Ill-being
- Anger Management
- Anxiety
- Conflict Resolution Training
- Coping Skills
- Depression
- Phobias
- Stress Management
Individual Counseling for Emerging Adults
Mastering mission requires time in silence for self-reflection and values clarification. Our world, however, is filled with unnecessary distractions, leaving us with little to no time to find our place in the world. The Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults gives people that much-needed time. Providing a safe, nonjudgmental, and nurturing environment, therapists help emerging adults work through the anxieties and insecurities that restrain them from living their best-life-possible.
Difficulties managing school, work, and a social life often make it tough for many emerging adults to prioritize planning their futures, including choosing a romantic partner. Therapists teach skills to initiate and maintain strong, high-quality relationships, such as effective ways to communicate, express appreciation, and show love, as well as how to give support during stressful times and in day-to-day activities.
Speaking
We lead workshops with emerging adults and groups such as fraternities and sororities, Student Access Services, the Athletics Department, the Student Health and Counseling Center, Parent and Family Programs, and the Center for Career Design and Development. We also provide training to our community and related professionals. Based on the science of strengths and well-being, we discuss how people can become more focused, confident, independent, bold, impactful, and inspiring. We have yet to meet a group that couldn’t benefit from our training. Sample workshop topics include:
Location
The Positive Psychology Institute for Emerging Adults is located at Hofstra University's Joan and Arnold Saltzman Community Services Center, South Campus, at the intersection of Hempstead Turnpike and Oak Street in Hempstead, NY.
Hours and Services
The Saltzman Center is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. All therapy services are by appointment only.
Fees
The fee is $30 per session, including the intake. Payment is expected at the time the services are provided; MasterCard and Visa are accepted.
Research Studies
Our therapy is driven by science. When research studies are underway, clients may be offered the opportunity to participate.
Confidentiality
All services are provided in a professional manner and conform to the ethical standards of the American Psychological Association. Information will not be released without the informed written consent of the client, except where mandated by law or in life-threatening or abusive situations.
Positive Psychology Institute Workshop Descriptions
Positive Clinical Psychology
Positive and negative characteristics must be studied and targeted in treatment because they interact in predicting clinical outcomes. Indeed, ill-developed positive characteristics and emotions predict psychological disorders beyond the presence of negative symptomatology. By promoting positive characteristics and by emphasizing how to live the best-life-possible, positive clinical psychology's treatment approach transcends business-as-usual psychotherapy. Using innovative assessments and interventions, positive clinical psychology helps people function better — not just less bad! This workshop teaches clinicians how to use positive clinical psychology to treat a variety of disorders and, equally important, how to help people thrive.
Values Clarification
Values drive everything — our choices, actions, habits, character, and, ultimately, our destiny. Values clarification is a psychotherapeutic technique that helps people identify the values affecting their lives — for better or worse. If someone's value system is undefined, it can cause anxiety and distress, especially when making crucial decisions. In this workshop, we will discuss how to clarify your core values, as well as highlighting the major distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic values. Attendees will leave our workshop appreciating the importance of value-congruent behavior, bringing them one step closer to thriving.
Mastering Mission
Nearly 25% of emerging adults are "rudderless." They desperately want to succeed, but many spend more time and energy going faster with no direction instead of changing course to align with their mission. Emerging adults are finding it more difficult today than ever to identify their strengths and learn how to use them in service to others. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to find their calling and, more importantly, their mission. No more doing what you want to do. Start doing what you must do.
Energy Management
Energy management is similar to time management. Though discussed less, mastering energy management is more critical to thriving than time management — especially when identifying and pursuing priorities. Like time, energy is finite. Allotting that energy to best align with one's priorities is essential for living your best-life-possible. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to filter their priorities through a priority matrix, highlighting how to balance their energy expenditure between what is urgent and what is important. Only when we harness the power of energy management — by prioritizing, recharging, and setting limits on draining people, places, and things — will we realize our dreams.
Self-Care
Emerging adults live in a society that rewards them for being "go-getters" -- doing as much work as possible while wearing negligent self-care as a badge of honor. We believe this debilitating cultural message should be dismissed. Neglecting oneself can, and often does, create burnout — jeopardizing fulfilling one's fundamental physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to effectively create windows of life-giving time — time to rest, rejuvenate, and recharge — and how to use these windows in ways that will give their bodies, minds, and souls the peace and nourishment they so desperately crave, and need.
Assertiveness
Assertiveness entails standing up for yourself or others in a calm, firm, respectful way, without being aggressive or domineering. Finding the courage to advocate for oneself is a difficult, yet crucial skill to thrive. Being a "yes person" will create unnecessary resentment, anger, anxiety, and depression. Being assertive is immensely helpful, often building self-esteem and self-confidence. In this workshop, attendees will learn skills to balance courage with consideration — like having proper body language, communicating honestly and directly, and lowering one's anxiety with exposure to difficult interactions — to set appropriate boundaries and achieve one's goals.
Simplicity
Focusing on and appreciating life's simple aspects helps people create meaningful lives. The simple things in life often bring us the most joy, stripping away the nonessential and focusing time and energy on what matters most. There are several benefits to practicing simplicity in life, including having less stress and fatigue, achieving a healthy work-life balance, strengthened overall health, improved finances, and learning more about one's self. In this workshop, attendees will learn the importance of simplicity and practical tips for how to create lives filled with peace, zest, joy, clarity, and happiness.
Materialism
Materialism is a tendency to consider material possessions, image, status, and wealth as central values. Those who struggle with materialism might explain love in terms of material items, and value a new car, designer shoes, or technological device over friendships. Highly materialistic individuals tend to believe owning and buying things are essential to achieve life goals such as happiness, success, and desirability; however, they often sideline other important goals and relationships and miss out on personal growth opportunities. This workshop will highlight ways to place less emphasis on materialism and more emphasis on meaningful and self-fulfilling aspects of life.
Unconditional Self-Acceptance
Unconditional self-acceptance (USA) is a foundation for how you see your worth by acknowledging and accepting yourself unconditionally, rather than rating and negatively judging yourself based on discrete behaviors or attributes. This allows us to strive for our goals without self-hatred, shame, or anxiety, giving us the ability to work toward self-betterment in a healthy manner. The aim of USA is to stop berating and condoning ourselves when we face challenges and failures, and instead pursue acceptance to allow us to employ positive change, learning, and growth. In this workshop, we will discuss skills to practice more regular USA in all domains and life circumstances in order to help individuals become the best versions of themselves.
Loving Wholeheartedly
Loving wholeheartedly is physically and emotionally giving your all to doing, supporting, or loving someone or something. It's loving the other as other. People who struggle with this level of dedication will likely have difficulty committing to school, jobs, relationships, experiences, and things that enrich their lives. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to create a life filled with wholehearted living and how to cultivate the courage, vulnerability, compassion, and connection needed for this level of caring and love.
Gratitude
Gratitude is a life-orientation to seeing life and our blessings as gifts that are unearned and that should never have been known. People who struggle with finding things to be grateful for will likely have difficulty infusing their lives with positivity, compassion, and real, genuine relationships. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to create an attitude of gratitude, how to use gratitude to strengthen relationships, and how to use gratitude to find their calling.
Authenticity
Living authentically is allowing yourself to be seen — really seen — and running the risk of criticism and rejection. That is a small price to pay when the other outcome is living fake. Being authentic requires living a life that satisfies our true wants and needs rather than the demands and expectations of society or our upbringing. Someone who is not living authentically may be giving their power away by putting things off, putting themselves last, or casting judgment on themselves. In this workshop, attendees will learn how to find and embrace their strengths, things that make them uniquely themselves, so they can act accordingly and live a more meaningful life. Attendees will also learn how to be real with themselves and regulate the anxiety and fear that comes from being in the game — and not on the sidelines.
Transitioning for High School Seniors (spring only)
Senior year of high school is a time when many students encounter major decisions and opportunities that affect their future. Some students plan to enter college, while others go out and get jobs. For many, this transition will be their first experience in the world of adulthood. Attendees will learn skills to clarify their goals and values, identify their strengths, and find their mission. Practical tips will also be given for building confidence, responsibility, self-care, positive relationships, and healthy work habits.
Transitioning to College or Work (fall and spring)
Transitioning to college or work can be a big adjustment for many high school graduates. Emerging adults are entering an unfamiliar environment filled with different and new opportunities. This transition can be both exciting and overwhelming. Indeed, between 2011 and 2016, emerging adults reported a 51% increase in anxiety and a 95% increase in depression. Thus, transitions can be overwhelming and, for some, paralyzing. Transitions can also, however, be incredible opportunities for growth. This workshop gives attendees tips on how to clarify their goals and values, identify their strengths, and find their mission. Practical tips will also be given for building confidence, responsibility, self-care, positive relationships, and healthy work habits.
Transitioning for College Seniors (fall and spring)
Senior year is a period of major life transition for many students. It is a time when many begin planning for life outside of college, preparing for their careers, searching for job opportunities in pursuit of their goals, and getting more serious with cultivating warm, nurturing romantic relationships. Navigating these decisions can be stressful and overwhelming. This workshop gives strategies and skills to help students successfully prepare for their transition to life outside of college, such as how to select careers that are congruent with their personality, talents, strengths, interests, and values. We also discuss how to navigate family relationships during this transition, how to be financially responsible, and how to find love — in the right places.