Welcome from Elaine O’Brien, PhD, MAPP
As a pioneer fitness leader and passionate expert in the psychology of human flourishing, I specialize in positive health and human movement. My professional experiences, academic research, dedicated practice, extensive training, and teaching over 35+ years, have led me to create strategies that encourage people to live a life filled with movement, purpose, and vitality.
Here are some of the ways I’ve led people toward well-being and positive transformation, and my trajectory as a thought leader in human movement psychology, the art of fitness science, and positive psychology, the science of happiness and well-being.
As an undergraduate in the late 70s, I studied Psychology and Urban / Outdoor Recreation (double major: summa cum laude). Combining those areas led to my early bridging of psychology and well-being. During an Occupational Therapy clinical practicum, I observed psychiatric patients, and then those suffering with severe physical challenges. This powerful experience helped shape my whole-hearted work advancing mind-body-spirit research / theory / practices, the power of intention, kindness, brain science, and the value of positive human health.
Aerobics ‘n Rhythm: Dance Your Way To Fitness (and Positive Change)
After a year as a Psychology Graduate Assistant, tutoring special needs students in 1979, I took a pause in my formal Psychology studies when I answered an ad, auditioned, hired, and began extensive training to teach Aerobics ‘n Rhythm. I had the good fortune to train with Jackie Rogers, a renowned choreographer and official with the Imperial Society of Ballroom Dance. That artistic experience changed my life. Though I was not the best dancer, Jackie saw something in me. Perhaps it was my love for teaching, my perseverance, or the profound benefits of dance-fitness I was experiencing. Jackie invited me to perform, and to be a master instructor for her company. Teaching aerobics, and training instructors, lifted me out of some anxiety and depression, helped me feel stronger, clearer, stronger, mentally and physically. I trained, practiced a lot, and taught great people of all ages safe, effective, fun, fitness strategies and how to have a lifestyle filled with vitality.
I also attended a course in human motivation, and the benefits of exercise at Albert Einstein College of Medicine taught by luminaries like Dr. Dean Ornish, MD in 1979. I thirsted for more knowledge and attended early fitness conferences, including the first of IDEA Association for Fitness Professionals; I’m IDEA member #65 of now 275K members. I later presented at events and wrote about fitness leadership training, programming, and education, including for the IDEA Fitness Journal, Muscle Training Illustrated, and SHAPE.
During these early days of teaching, I discovered something else was happening. I observed some very positive changes in my devoted students. Even over the first 12 weeks of our Aerobics ‘n Rhythm fitness classes, composed of fun, choreographed aerobics, strength, flexibility, and balance training, people were achieving great results. Along with improved fitness, confidence, better rhythmic coordination, and posture, students were sharing positive health / medical outcomes, including reducing their high blood pressure so much that their M.D. took them off the medication.
Applying my background in psychology, I realized this was also a great chance to amplify social bonds through fitness. My adult students were soon connecting, laughing, sharing resources, being more positive, and resilient, often despite some shocking trauma and terrible losses. These relationship building exercises helped create links where people have supported as other, as individuals, as extended families, and as caring communities.
Since 1981, I have taught people of all ages, and trained thousands of instructors and fitness leaders in Aerobics ‘n Rhythm and other innovative specialty classes including Aqua Exercise, Arthritis Exercise programming, STEP training, Pilates, Flexacise, and Cross Training. I hold certifications in Health Coaching, Group Exercise, Personal Training and Lifestyle / Weight Management, Aquatics Exercise Association, and in Arthritis Exercise programming.
Shore Fitness, Performance, Innovation, and Giving
I started my company, Shore Fitness in 1981. We offered expert, high quality, fun-filled community aerobic dance classes, instructor training, and corporate fitness programs, encouraging people to dance their way to fitness and better health. In 1982, I was an Aerobics ‘n Rhythm Dance Captain for the Shore Fitness team and performed at a Giants-Jets halftime show. I later directed two large Dance-A-Thons, raising funds for the American Lung Association. In 1989, I created, produced and co-choreographed “A Giant IDEA for Better Breathing” the first National Football League Halftime Show Fundraiser at the Giants-Jets game. Giant’s Stadium was packed with over 50,000 in-person fans, and our inaugural event raised nearly $50,000.00. Adopted nationwide, my innovation went on to raise over $6 million for the American Lung Association patient service programs. Around the theme of using your healthy body to help yourself and others, in 2006, I trained with the “Joints in Motion” team, and completed the Dublin Marathon, walking / running to help to raise thousands for the Arthritis Foundation.
Leading Fitness Industry Standards and Programming
In 1986, I worked on the first fitness industry safety standards and certifications with the IDEA Foundation, now American Council on Exercise, and the Educational Testing Service, Princeton. Later, in 2009, I worked on advancing the first American Medical Association and American College of Sports Medicine joint program, “Exercise is Medicine®.” Around writing early articles and publishing, my Muscle Training Illustrated, “Elaine Tarantin Speaks,” highlighted top fitness industry trends and people in the 1990s.
National Aerobics Championship U.S Head Judge and International Speaker / Trainer / Host
For ten amazing years, and during its heyday, from 1984-1994, I worked for the National Aerobics Championship (NAC). I started as a local Technical Skill and Performance Judge, and advanced to become a U.S. Head Judge, officiating events throughout the U.S. and training judges in technical skills, performance, compulsory moves, championship feedback, setting standards, hosting and leading educational sessions for audiences. I wrote guidelines for NAC, and helped to ensure the quality of NAC events worldwide. I also officiated and trained athletes, coaches, and officials in Costa Rica, Sweden, Korea, Canada, and Mexico. I was honored to have served as a liaison, working with the NAC and then Soviet Union team athletes and coaches to prepare for the first World Aerobics Championship in 1995. During my tenure, I led training sessions for thousands of judges, athletes, and coaches, including innovating a leading-edge feedback model I developed based on positivity, authenticity, encouragement, and appreciation. Later, I coached athletes, including the first NAC Woman Masters Gold and Bronze medalists.
Dancercise Research: A Positive Legacy of Well-Being
In 1991, I was asked to create a tri-community program to reduce the risk of addictive behaviors in adults and seniors. My simple innovation, based on fitness and behavioral economics, was recognized by the state of N.J. for its excellence and innovation. A community dance program, Dancercise, connecting people to each other, music, safe, fun dance movement and resources packed a powerful punch. Later, in my 2015 doctoral “Psychology of Human Movement” dissertation, I co-investigated our program with Dr. Erica Tibbets, Smith College. Study participants (attending classes twice weekly, from 5-20+ years) demonstrated feelings of positivity and well-being by virtue of Dancercise, and importantly so did their families!
Back to school: University of Pennsylvania, University of Oslo, and Temple University
I felt I needed to validate the observations I was seeing in my dance-fitness program, and went back to graduate school after 25 years. I am happy and honored to be one of the first 100 people in the world to earn a 2008 Masters in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) at the University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, I studied with giants in the field, including Drs. Martin Seligman, Chris Peterson, and Angela Duckworth; in 2010, I studied “Positive Psychology Across Cultures” at the University of Oslo Norway, with Dr. Antonella Delle Fave, M.D., and first president of the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). I earned my PhD in 2015 from Temple Kinesiology in Human Movement Psychology.
Inspiring Positive Health and Flourishing Acknowledgement, Writing, and Leading Presentations
At Penn, I helped Marty Seligman see the value of (positive) physical vitality, and how it led people to greater well-being, flourishing, and vitality. Marty kindly acknowledges me for my contributions to Positive Health and to the MAPP program in his 2010 book, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being (pgs. 268 & 269). In 2009, via Marty, I worked with scholars to help develop the first white paper on Positive Health in cooperation with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. I served as MAPP Alumni class representative from 2017-2020, as the Editor-in-Chief of MAPP Magazine from 2018-2019, and in 2020 co-created an online program, for the Penn MAPP Alumni Association, Body Full of Joy to encourage people to “move your body and love your mind.” I’ve presented my work, including at Penn, for the American Psychological Association, and for the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). I am a member of IPPA’s Positive Health and Well-Being (HWB) Leader team since 2017, hosting and co-producing IPPA PHW webinars. In 2020, I joined the Positive Global Health Institute Advisory Board to advance practices around medical wellness in action, how to bring joy to medicine, and Revitalize: Managing Stress for Good.
Positive Movement Matters: Psychological Skills Training, Mental, Physical and Social Well-Being
In 2010, I began my PhD work in Kinesiology: the Psychology of Human Movement at Temple University, and also presented Positive Psychology at two universities in China with the MAPP “All Star” team. I earned my doctorate in 2015, under the direction of Dr. Michael Sachs, another giant in my eyes. At Temple, I taught the Psychology of Movement and Fitness Leadership classes for allied health and medical students. My studies and presentations at Temple included (Positive) Psychological Skills Training, focused on stress management. For my doctoral research, I demonstrated how participants in a long-running dance-exercise program for senior women, based on positive exercise practices (PEP) experienced mental, physical and social well-being, as well as a positive legacy effect as mentioned above. This research can be replicated.
Positive Psychology, Fitness, and Positive Movement Presentations
Since 2008, I have spoken on Positive Psychology, Fitness, and Movement Psychology at conferences, congresses, and universities, throughout the US, Canada, France, China, Hungary, and Portugal. In 2022, I will be presenting my research for the European Conference on Positive Psychology, Iceland. As a professional fitness instructor, trainer, and coach, I had the opportunity to work with instructors, and lead leadership workshops, master classes and teach technical skills, presentation, and positive exercise to professionals and students in Mexico, Korea, Sweden, Costa Rica, England, and throughout the U.S.
Your Body Can Be A Path To A Better You
Your body is important to how you think, feel, and behave. My work with both individuals and groups is in creating strategies so people can experience optimal health, greater fitness, and positive performance. I will help you achieve greater mental health, physical well-being and vitality. My professional practice bridges the gap between positive psychology and movement science, promoting psychological agility and vibrant physical well-being, especially as we age.
Through my professional writing, speaking, teaching, and fitness program design, I have led thousands of people, and organizations, large and small, to move toward flourishing. Let me put my expertise to work for you. Why not live your most vibrant, happy life! Let me show you how you can:
Live your most vital, happy life. Savor the good, and put your “negativity bias” in check.
Build in intentional movement as a zesty habit to shape up your life every day.
Invest in quick Energy Breaks anywhere. Move, dance, play for positive emotional health.
Play with “meaning in motion” to help you feel great and connect with a greater purpose.
Apply psychological skills to ease your mind, and elevate your mood.
Based on your unique personality, hopes, and needs, co-create a fun fitness strategy that keeps you motivated.
Go beyond resilience to embody a soaring legacy of well-being that elevates and inspires those around you.
My passion, and dedicated work over the past 35+ years has helped tens of thousands of people experience mental and physical well-being. As a fitness industry pioneer and recognized leader in the psychology of well-being and happiness, I have learned it’s possible to live a life filled with vitality, gratitude and love at any age. I am here to help you achieve your best health, vibrant, physical well-being, loving relationships, and happiness like never before.
Elaine O’Brien, PhD, MAPP
