Fostering Hope and Spiritual Development
Introducing Dharma Drama (™) and Awakened Encounter
Program Description:
This microcourse is part of a 3-course microcredential, the Hope Leadership Program.
Is hope something you have—or something you can grow?
What keeps us moving forward when life gets hard?
In this inspiring and experiential session, we’ll explore hope as more than just wishful thinking. It’s a vital psychological resource, a character strength, and a key ingredient for lasting well-being. But how is hope different from optimism or faith? And how can we intentionally cultivate it?
Through a blend of science, practice, and spiritual reflection, you’ll learn to:
- Understand the “hope circuit” in the brain and how it impacts resilience.
- Practice powerful interventions like Hope Breath (a modified Tonglen technique) and Future Best Self visualization to boost motivation and clarity.
- Explore the connection between spirituality and character strengths, and how their integration can lead to greater inner peace and wholeness.
- Apply spiritual and psychological tools together to foster deeper well-being, resilience, and a renewed sense of purpose.
This session is ideal for clinicians, educators, spiritual leaders, and seekers who want to help themselves and others tap into a more hopeful, purpose-driven life.
What would your life look like if hope were a daily practice?
Are you ready to combine science and spirit to build a stronger, more grounded you?
Join us—and discover how to lead with hope.
Dates & Registration
Dates: April 18 - 19, 2026
Times: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Format: In-person
Location: Teachers College, Columbia University
Price: $695
This microcourse is part of the 3-course Hope Leadership Microcredential. To learn more about the full microcredential or the individual microcourses, please click on the links below:
| Microcredential | The Hope Leadership Program | November 1, 2025 - April 19, 2026 |
| Microcourse 1 | Positive Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Role-playing | November 1 - 2, 2025 |
| Microcourse 2 | Psychodramatic Approaches to Self-Regulation and Exploration | January 17 - 18, 2026 |
| Microcourse 3 | Fostering Hope and Spiritual Development | April 18 - 19, 2026 |
For more information, questions or to register: Email tcacademy@tc.columbia.edu
Faculty
Dr. Dan Tomasulo
Academic Director— Spirituality Mind Body Institute Coordinator / Core Faculty SMB MA program
Dan Tomasulo, Ph.D., TEP, MFA, MAPP is a licensed psychologist, speaker, author of several books on positive psychology and mental health, and the Academic Director and core faculty at the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, Teachers College, Columbia University. He speaks about alleviating depression with positive psychology and hope worldwide and is a board-certified Teacher, Educator, and Practitioner of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy.Dr. Tomasulo holds a PhD in psychology, an MFA in writing, and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a Review Editor for Frontiers in Psychology special section, Positive Psychology, and the Journal of Positive Psychology.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:
- Define hope within positive psychology, distinguishing it from optimism and faith.
- Understand the Gallup framework of followers' needs (hope, trust, compassion, stability) and hope's role as a primary need.
- Learn and apply Hope Breath, a modified Tonglen meditation for emotional self-regulation and hope cultivation.
- Utilize Future Best Self (FBS) visualization and writing as an intervention to foster hope and future orientation.
- Explore the synergistic relationship between spirituality and character strengths for enhancing well-being and achieving wholeness.
- Identify and integrate spiritual practices with character strength interventions (e.g., strengths-spotting, spiritual role models) to deepen personal and collective peace.
- Use transformational techniques from various spiritual practices to upregulate positive emotions while downregulating negative.
Who Should Attend
Counselors, educators, coaches, spiritual leaders, and anyone passionate about empowering human potential through an integrated mind-body-spirit approach.
Upon Completion
Participants who successfully complete this program will earn a verified Certificate of Participation and an official Digital Badge—valuable credentials that showcase your commitment to professional growth and can be shared on LinkedIn or digital portfolios. View our sample program badge and certificate below.
In addition, NYS certified Psychologists and Mental Health Counselors will be eligible to receive NYSED CEUs for Psychology or Mental Health Counseling upon successful completion of this program.
Important Notice: This is a non-credit program. Completion does not provide academic credit toward any degree program at Teachers College or other institutions. No transcript credit will be awarded.