Faculty Publications

Integrating Flow Theory And The Serious Leisure Perspective Into Mental Health Counseling

Document Type

Article

Keywords

casual leisure, flow, mental health counseling, project-based leisure, serious leisure, serious leisure perspective

Journal/Book/Conference Title

Counselling Psychology Quarterly

Volume

28

Issue

1

First Page

97

Last Page

111

Abstract

This article explores how flow theory and the serious leisure perspective (SLP) can be integrated into mental health counseling. Although different counseling models have acknowledged the role of leisure in the counseling process, leisure is largely an unknown and superficial concept in the mental health counseling literature. Four broad-based pragmatic ideas regarding how flow theory and the SLP can be integrated into the counseling process include mental health counselors (1) understanding the concepts of serious leisure, casual leisure, project-based leisure, flow (enjoyment), and hedonistic pleasure; (2) becoming aware of various assessment instruments that measure flow and serious leisure; (3) using the provision characteristics of entering flow into the counseling process; and (4) empowering clients to becoming community change agents through serious leisure pursuit, resulting in flow experiences.

Department

Department of Health, Recreation, and Community Services

Department

School of Applied Human Sciences

Original Publication Date

1-1-2015

DOI of published version

10.1080/09515070.2014.944883

Link to Full Text

Comments?

Share

COinS