3 Hours / 3 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Gratitude, Optimism, and Joy: Implications for Health and Wellness is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD.

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Integrated Behavioral Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

Gratitude and wellness, gratitude and health have been linked for years now. Numerous studies have shown that people who regularly practice gratitude tend to have higher levels of happiness and well-being, lower levels of stress, and better relationships. Gratitude has been shown to boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, increase happiness and satisfaction with life, and reduce anxiety and depression. In addition, gratitude has been associated with increased physical health, better mental health, longer life, and a more meaningful existence. 

Intended for professionals, this program examines the impact these topics have on client-based populations. Intervention and treatment approaches are discussed through gratitude, optimism, and joy lenses. Empirically based research findings are discussed throughout this program.

Related topics discussed during the course of this program include:

  • Resilience 
  • Happiness 
  • Emotional intelligence 
  • Humor
  • Well-being
  • Self-compassion 
  • Positive psychology
  • Self-reflection
  • Metacognition 
  • Journaling 
  • Savoring
  • Healthy lifestyle practices
  • Positive coping strategies 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe gratitude, optimism, joy, and other related constructs
  • 2 Describe ways to promote gratitude, optimism, and joy among client-based populations
  • 3 Describe the causes and consequences associated with lower levels of gratitude, optimism, and joy
  • 4 Describe the relationship between gratitude, optimism, and joy and positive emotional, social, cognitive, and physical health outcomes
  • 5 Describe empirically based research findings

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health professionals seeking to incorporate gratitude and wellness strategies into their clinical practice. It is suitable for individuals working in psychotherapy, counseling, or behavioral health, and is relevant across various settings, including clinics, hospitals, community mental health centers, schools, and private practices. The training is appropriate for professionals at all career stages, from early-career practitioners to seasoned experts.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

    • Suitable for those new to gratitude and wellness integration as well as those seeking to deepen existing skills

  • Practice Setting

    • Psychologists, social workers, counselors, and other mental health professionals
    • Practitioners specializing in psychotherapy, counseling, or behavioral health interventions
    • Professionals working in clinics, hospitals, community mental health centers, schools, or private practice
    • Those interested in enhancing client well-being, resilience, and overall mental health through gratitude and wellness approaches

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD

Jerrod Brown, PhD, is the Treatment Director for Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., the lead developer of an online Master of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Forensic Behavioral Health from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), and the Editor-in-Chief of Forensic Scholars Today (FST) and the Journal of Special Populations (JSP).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Jerrod Brown, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Gratitude, optimism, joy, and other related constructs

  • Ways to promote gratitude, optimism, and joy among client-based populations

  • Causes and consequences associated with lower levels of gratitude, optimism, and joy

  • The relationship between gratitude, optimism, joy, and positive emotional, social, cognitive, and physical health outcomes

  • Empirically based research findings

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
View Certificates

CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0356 and the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.