LEA WATERS

Session Title: Positive Education: Creating Visible Wellbeing in our students

Professor Lea Waters (PhD) is a psychologist, researcher, speaker and author who specializes in positive education, positive parenting, and positive organizations.

Professor Waters is the President Elect of the International Positive Psychology Association, has affiliate positions with Cambridge University and University of Michigan and is the Ambassador for the Positive Education Schools Association. Lea is a registered psychologist with AHPRA and has been a member of the Australian Psychological Society for 23 years.

In 2015 she was listed as one of Australia’s Top 100 Women of Influence by the Financial Review and Westpac Bank. In 2017, she has been listed in Who's Who of Australian Women. She has been in the Marques ‘Who’s Who in the World’ since 2009.

Her book ‘The Strength Switch: Using the new science of strength-based parenting to help your child and teen to flourish’ (Penguin Press) will be published mid-year in 2017 and is available now for pre-order on Amazon.

Professor Waters has been a researcher at the University of Melbourne for 20 years and has published over 90 scientific articles and book chapters. Lea the first Australian to be appointed as a Professor in Positive Psychology and currently holds the Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne. Lea is the founding Director of the Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne (2009 to 2016).

Lea is a highly regarded speaker and has received invitations to be the Key Note speaker at conferences across the world including the International Positive Education’s World Congress, the International Positive Psychology Association’s World Congress, the International Conference on the Science of Happiness, the Canadian Positive Psychology Association’s National Conference, the Mexican National Conference on Happiness and the New Zealand Positive Psychology Association’s National Conference.

A gifted teacher and facilitator, Lea has been awarded International and National Teaching Awards including the Management Educator of the Year (2004) by the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management and two National Teaching Excellence Awards from the Australian Government (2008, 2011).

Her Positive Education program, called ‘Positive Detective', is being used in schools in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Mexico, Finland, Ghana, Singapore, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand. Her Visible Wellbeing initiative is being run in schools across Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria in both the State and Independent Education systems.

Professor Waters featured in the ABC TV documentary Revolution School, is a regular columnist on psychology and parenting for the Guardian newspaper, and is regularly featured in the press and on radio. Her TEDx talk focuses on how we can spread positive messages through social media. You can stay connected with Lea via:
Twitter: @ProfLeaWaters
Instagram: @ProfLeaWaters
Facebook: Lea Waters
Website: Leawaters.com

Some of her most recent publications include:
Allen, W., Kern., P., Vella-Brodrick, D., & Waters, L. (2016). What Schools Need to Know about Fostering School Belonging: A Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review
Waters, L. (2016). The relationship between parent mindfulness, child mindfulness and child stress, Psychology, 7, 40-51.
Brunzell, T., Stokes, H., & Waters., L., (2016) Trauma-Informed Classrooms and Flexible Learning: Strengthening regulatory abilities and the readiness to learn. International Journal of Child, Youth and Family studies, 7(2), 218-239.
Keenan-Mount, R., Albrecht , N., & Waters, L. (2016). Mindfulness-based approaches for young people with autism spectrum disorder and their caregivers: Do these approaches hold benefits for teachers? Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 41(6) (Keenan-Mount = Doctorate student, 30%).
Waters, L. (2015). The Relationship between Strength-Based Parenting with Children’s Stress Levels and Strength-Based Coping Approaches, Psychology, 6, 689-699
Waters, L. (2015). Strength-based parenting and life satisfaction in teenagers, Advances in Social Sciences, 2, 158-173.
Waters, L. & Stokes, H. (2015). Positive Education for school Leaders: Exploring the Effects of Emotion-Gratitude and Action-Gratitude. Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 32, 1-2
Waters, L., & White, M. (2015). Case study of a school wellbeing initiative: Using appreciative inquiry to support positive change. International Journal of Wellbeing, 5(1), 19-32. 
Waters, L., Barsky, A., Ridd, A. & Allen, K. (2015). Contemplative Education: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Review of the effect of Meditation Interventions in Schools. Educational Psychology Review, 27(1), 103-134

BACK