Constructing meaning through adversity: Contributions to Positive Psychology and counselling practice

This Special Issue brings together Counselling psychology and Positive psychology in a dialogue shaped by both loss and legacy, following the passing of Anastassios Stalikas, a pioneer in the field. Drawing from conference contributions, the Ιssue explores how these traditions intersect across theory, research, and practice, with a particular focus on meaning-making, resilience, relationships, and human agency. The included studies move beyond individualistic models of well-being, emphasizing cultural context, relational processes, and narrative reconstruction. Articles address diverse populations and life stages, illustrating how individuals actively construct meaning, develop resilience through social support, and transform adversity into growth. Contributions on relationships highlight belonging, attachment, and family resilience as foundational to flourishing. Other papers examine counselling practice, positioning psychotherapy as a growth-oriented intervention that fosters emotional regulation, self-awareness, and adaptive life skills. The well-being of therapists themselves is also foregrounded, demonstrating how compassion satisfaction and reflective practice sustain empathic clinical work. Collectively, these contributions advance a culturally sensitive, contextually grounded Positive Psychology aligned with second- and third-wave approaches that integrate suffering, complexity, and social responsibility. The Special Issue thus honors Stalikas’ legacy while charting future directions for an inclusive, relational, and meaning-centered psychology.