Positive psychology and coaching psychology are growing up together.

Let’s flash back 20 years. That was the time when a new science of happiness, virtue, and optimal functioning — named positive psychology — was called for by Martin Seligman and colleagues. It was also the time when the first coaching psychologist, IOC Scientific Advisor Tony Grant, established the first coaching psychology unit, at the University of Sydney.

Since then an evidence base for both fields, positive psychology and coaching psychology, has grown quickly and matured. Now supported by the evidence:

• coaches use techniques grounded in positive psychology concepts
• coaches integrate positive psychology interventions into coaching programs
• a coaching specialty called positive psychology coaching is growing

What’s also interesting is that coaching is categorized as a positive psychology intervention in today’s featured article.