Courtney Ackerman

Courtney is a researcher and evaluator of mental health programs for the state of California and contributes regularly to the Positive Psychology blog.

She is the author of several books based on concepts rooted in positive psychology. She has a passion for taking research findings and translating them into concise, actionable packages of information that anyone can understand and implement.

Work Experience

Courtney E. Ackerman has spent the last few years working as a researcher for the State of California, but she isn’t limited by her 9-to-5 job. Courtney has been, among other things, a prolific writer for PositivePsychology.com, a published author of several positive psychology-related books, and a consultant for research projects.

For the State, Courtney conducts research and evaluation on innovative mental health projects and programs, contributing to the shared understanding of what works in preventing and treating conditions associated with unmet mental health needs. In her independent work, she mostly focuses on compassion, wellbeing, and survey research.

Titles, Training & Degrees

After growing up in Washington state, Courtney attended the State University of New York at Oswego, where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in psychology, cognitive science, and applied statistics.

After graduation, she made the trek to California to attend Claremont Graduate University. At CGU, her coursework and research focused on positive psychology, organizational behavior, leadership, human resources, program evaluation, and survey research methods.

She graduated in 2015 with a Master’s degree in positive organizational psychology and evaluation.

Author of Eight Books

Courtney is the author of several published books on positive psychology-related topics, including:

• My Pocket Positivity (link)
• 5-Minute Bliss (link)
• My Pocket Gratitude (link)
• My Pocket Meditations for Self-Compassion (link)
• The Book of Patience (link)
• Midnight Meditations (link)
• The Illustrated Book of Mindful Meditations for Mindless Moments (link)
• The Social Media Detox Tracker (link)

She is also the first author on a peer-reviewed article published in the International Journal of Wellbeing called Scaling The Heights Of Positive Psychology: A Systematic Review Of Measurement Scales, as well as a multitude of articles on this website that you can find below.

Why Should You Trust What Courtney Writes?

“I’m a researcher by nature and an academic by training, but I supplement the commitment to accuracy with a focus on practicality. My niche is in this gray area between theory and application, where things are not so abstract as to be inaccessible, but not so watered down that they could no longer be said to be based in evidence at all. I value practical, evidence-based information and advice in my own life, and I strive to provide the same for others.”

– Courtney Ackerman