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.

  • Craft Fair

    A young woman I know was reading an advertisement for the recent Craft Fair held in Hamilton. It occurred to her that her friend’s mother was an avid craft fan and would undoubtedly love to go along, but probably couldn’t afford it. This was sad, since this friend’s mother was always doing things for other […]

  • Laughter is the Best Medicine

    Remember the old saying: Laughter is the best medicine? Well, it’s true. Gelotology – the physiological study of laughter – has shown that laughter reduces the levels of harmful stress hormones and increases the levels of Gamma-interferon, T-cells, B-cells, and other natural killer cells that fight tumours and viruses. Immunoglobulin A, which is found in […]

  • Happiness and altruism go hand in hand

    It was good to see people getting together in the spirit of giving, during the Telethon this weekend. There’s no doubt that doing something nice for somebody else makes you feel good. In fact, the pleasure seems to last even longer than doing something nice for yourself. Research has shown time and again that happiness […]

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  • A peaceful home – a recipe for happiness

    This week I’ve been reminded of the importance of a happy home, especially in times of stress. We can transcend virtually any difficulty if we can temporarily get away from the stress to reflect on our situation. Home can be the best place for this. However, sometimes instead we take out our frustrations on those […]

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  • Can we afford the luxury of happiness in a recession?

    Times are hard. Can we really afford to focus on happiness during a recession? Shouldn’t we be knuckling down and tightening our belts, putting on a brave face until things get better? To think this way is to equate happiness with comfort and prosperity, a common mistake in our capitalist culture. For decades advertisements have […]

Stephanie Hills

Promoting Individual and Social Happiness

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