Philosophically, AI is supported by Positive Psychology (Seligman, Steen, Park, & Peterson,
2005). At its core is the belief that by helping others build upon qualities that allow them to
do more, people can flourish. Flourishing is described by Keyes (2007) as a state with high
levels of subjective well-being and psychological and social functioning. The challenge is to
discover what helps people carry on under aversive conditions. This is done through
exploration of what we know, how we know it and how we acquire that information. AI
demonstrates belief in an individual’s ability to reach high, achieve what they set out to do,
find the positive in a situation, speak in positive ways, and collaboratively construct better
ways of living. Studies suggest this type of mental health promotion should be the primary
objective of treatment for mental illness (Keyes, 2007).