Two Sylvias' Weekly Muse: November 27, 2022

Issue 31

Hello Muse Readers!

It’s the season of holidays, celebrations, giving, receiving, and gratitude. Most of us have read numerous articles on the benefits of “feeling grateful” and keeping a “gratitude journal.” This week, the Muse would like to share with you an interesting and insightful scientific study on gratitude conducted by two University of Indiana psychology professors, Joshua Brown and Joel Wong.

Brown and Wong began their study by focusing on how mental health professionals could help their clients derive the best possible treatment benefits in the shortest amount of time. In looking at supplementary practices to go hand-in-hand with traditional counseling methods, they zeroed in on the practice of gratitude because people who concentrate on what they are thankful for tend to be less stressed and happier.

Choosing 300 adults who were struggling with anxiety and depression, Brown and Wong broke them into three groups. Group 1 was instructed to write a letter of gratitude to someo…