Thank you for your interest in The Psychology of Wellbeing. My name is Jeremy McCarthy and I began studying psychology over twenty years ago, which is also when I started my career opening and operating spas in luxury resort hotels. People are often curious about why I would study psychology for a career in hospitality, but for me the two are incredibly related. The guests of a spa (or a hotel for that matter) may be attracted by the physical facilities, but their experience is either made or broken by the psychological impact we have on them. How did we make them feel?
The spa industry in particular, with its unique perspective on wellbeing, considers not only physical health, but a holistic view of a person that includes mental and spiritual wellness. When a spa does a good job of addressing the mental and spiritual needs of its customers, it fills an important void not being covered by many of our other healing institutions.
I recently completed my Master degree in Applied Positive Psychology at University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. My thesis was on “The Psychology of Spas and Wellbeing” and I uncovered a wealth of fascinating research through my studies. Today, I am applying what I have learned in psychology not only to spas, but to the hospitality industry in general, using research based methods to improve employee engagement and the guest experience. I see this blog as a playground for exploring ideas around the application of psychology to holistic wellbeing. It forces me to continue my studies, reading, writing, and staying abreast of the latest research in the fields of wellness and psychology. My true hope is that it will invite discussion and engagement with others in the fields of psychology, wellness, hospitality, etc. who have similar interests to mine.
You can engage in the dialogue by subscribing to the blog, reading regularly, and leaving feedback to encourage discussion about the research. You can also follow me on twitter or simply send me an email. I’m glad you’re here. Thanks for reading.
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Disclaimer: This is a personal weblog. The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. Expect errors, contradictions and wild inaccuracies . . . this is my forum for exploring ideas that are still incubating. Discussion and dissent are welcome, but please don’t hold me liable for anything that I say. I don’t claim to know anything.