Drawing from the motivation science of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), in this session, we will address the basic psychological needs in life which determine your motivational processes. Self-Determination is a leading theory in human motivation that explains how people as active organisms, have evolved tendencies toward growing, mastering ambient challenges, and integrating new experiences into a coherent sense of self. Giving a great theoretical and applied framework towards existential and positive psychology, SDT helps us to look deeper into how these natural developmental tendencies do not operate automatically, but instead require ongoing social nutriments and supports. Therefore, by understanding why you do what you do,  you will be able to find out what supports and frustrates these psychological needs that can impact your motivation and wellbeing. We will discuss the ways to be more mindful of factors within and beyond your daily encounters in every domain of life (at work, family, education, health behaviors, romantic relationship, etc) as a self-leader and when leading your relationships. We will elaborate further on how supporting others’ psychological needs can be a benefit to you, in turn, to enhance your well-being as well. In short, you will have a relatable overall understanding for yourself and others in terms of human motivation, development, and wellness as a way of positive intervention.

Özge Kantaş

Özge Kantaş, Ph.D. is a social and personality psychologist, and a psychodramatist. She loves researching human motivation for its sustainable well-being outcomes in real life. After working with Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, the co-founders of Self-Determination Theory at the University of Rochester, Özge now works as an Assistant Professor of Psychology at St. John Fisher College in Rochester/New York where she teaches classes in the intersection of trauma, psychopathology, and social psychology from a human motivation perspective. She is also the founder of PsychoSocial Consultancy. In her entire work, well-being is not busy-ness; it is a business. She is leading groups and working with teams, implementing interventions, teaching and communicating about psychological science, and giving consultancy to organizations and individuals at NGOs, schools, universities, start-ups, projects, policymakers, societies, institutions, and companies. Pairing up with her business partners, Özge is passionate about advancing mental health in the workplace, helping for a better understanding of user experience/motivation, and creating a human-centered product/service development.  Working with World Human Relief, American Group Psychotherapy Association, and American Society for Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, she voluntarily serves for improving community mental health and well-being, developing trauma-informed leadership, promoting group psychotherapy for public visibility, and evidence-based research on psychodrama.