Hong Kong children get help from a centre that uses positive psychology

Counsellors traditionally treat problems such as anxiety or depression as they arise. But instead of focusing on the condition, a positive psychology movement led by pioneers such as Dr Martin Seligman believe helping people change their habits of negative thinking can improve how they feel, too.

Justine Campbell is an avid advocate of this idea. That's why she set up Mindquest Group, an emotional well-being centre in Kennedy Town that adopts this approach to take youngsters and adults "from being just OK to living life to its fullest".

"People think when you're practising positive psychology, you are happy and carefree, and live without anger and frustration all the time. But … if you have negative emotions, it means you are alive and normal," Campbell says.

"Whole-person education is critical to equip individuals with the resources to be able to ride the inevitable waves of life. We do not know what the future holds for our children, but we can prepare them by empowering them with the necessary tools like resilience, self-efficacy, optimism, collaboration skills and mindfulness."

A former marketing executive, Campbell began exploring positive psychology to help her oldest son, then four years old, when he was struggling to fit into his new environment after the family relocated to Hong Kong in 2007.

For almost a year, she took monthly trips to Australia to train with a neuro-psychologist specialising in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).