Happy Nation is based on two basic ideas

  1. Focussing on what makes us happy can bring us to greater heights of joy and fulfilment than focussing solely on the problems we wish to solve. This is the philosophy inherent in Positive Psychology.
  2. Happiness, like any other emotional state, is not an isolated phenomenon – it affects, and is affected by, the people around us. To reach fulfilment we must work towards enhancing the happiness of all, using love, compassion and gratitude. This social happiness philosophy is consistent with the principles of Deep Ecology.

Stephanie Hills has thirty years’ experience working with people in distress, both as a social worker and a counsellor.

A large part of her work has comprised using narrative and art therapy to help people move on from depression. While still helping people facing difficulties, Stephanie’s work has broadened to include the promotion and enhancement of individual and social happiness.

Using the principles of Positive Psychology and Deep Ecology, she assists individuals and groups to improve their functioning in various life spheres, taking into account the social, cultural, economic and environmental context of people’s lives.

  • Helpful neighbour

    A woman who lives alone writes: “My neighbour was doing some work in his garden and noticed water seeping out of the ground along the boundary line. He investigated and found it was a leak in my water pipe. I was out at the time and came home to a note on my door saying […]

  • Secret Gardener

    My friend Mavis looked out her window the other morning to find her unruly rose bushes had been expertly pruned. It turned out the phantom pruner was Margaret Liddell, who writes the gardening column for Urban Country. Margaret keeps an eye on a number of elderly people’s gardens, and when she sees they need some […]

  • RAK Day

    September 1st is Random Acts of Kindness Day! This is a wonderful excuse to be kind to a stranger or do some unexpected favour for a neighbour, friend or workmate. RAK day was started in New Zealand in 2004 when Josh de Jong sat in a cafe watching an incident of road rage and thought […]

  • The sense in humour

    Don’t you love being around people with a sense of humour? Some people seem to have the natural gift of finding something to laugh about, even when things look glum. Being around funny people helps us to take life a little less seriously. Humour not only lifts our mood – it also changes our perspective. […]

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  • An honest lawyer

    A businesswoman, looking for a lawyer for her firm, was interviewing the first applicant. “In a business like this, our personal integrity must be beyond question,” she said. “Mr. Peterson, are you an honest lawyer?” “Honest?” replied the job prospect. “Why, I’m so honest that my dad lent me fifteen thousand dollars for my education […]

Stephanie Hills

Promoting Individual and Social Happiness

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