Happiness is a positive mental and emotional state — the presence of positive emotions and the absence of negative ones. Meaning, on the other hand, is bigger; it lies in connecting and contributing to something beyond the self.

Carl Jung, one of the great pioneers of psychology, said, “The least of things with a meaning is worth more in life than the greatest of things without it.”

Our society promotes the idea that the purpose of life is the pursuit of happiness in the form of pleasure-seeking/getting what we want. Recent research defines the difference between seeking happiness and seeking meaning, and how it affects our wellbeing, even down to the cellular level.

This workshop, led by licensed mental health counselor and registered nurse Alison Issen, will review this research and offer tools to create habits that enhance our sense of meaning in daily life through tapping into or increasing our sense of belonging, of feeling purposeful, of embracing our stories and ego transcendence.

This program is presented by Alison Issen and is hosted by the Winter Park Health Foundation.

About the Presenter:   

Alison C. Issen has a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology from the University of Central Florida, and is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, as well as a Registered Nurse. Alison recently retired as the outpatient counselor at Orlando Health/UFHealth Cancer Center. For several years, Alison coordinated the Sage-ing Center, a program that encourages and supports adults of all ages, and particularly those in the second half of life, to inventory, evaluate, and intentionally plan a life of purpose, learning, fulfillment, and community service. Alison brought this comprehensive program to the hospice several years ago and developed Hospice of the Comforter’s Quality of Life Education Program. Alison has taught psychology at the college level and has worked in the field of health and wellness for over 35 years, including over 10 years as a hospice nurse and counselor. Her specialty areas include stress management, grief and loss, end-of-life, aging and relationship issues, Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, and Positive Psychology. Beyond her professional life, Alison is an “extreme gardener,” volunteers at a local animal shelter, and performs with local singing and theatre groups.