About Us

Our purpose is to provide high-quality, engaging and useful online courses that help you promote wellbeing in yourself, other people and our world.

Our courses focus on evidence-based practices and understandings, drawing on positive psychology and systems thinking, as well as cutting edge research from the fields of neuroscience, resilience training and health-related behaviour change.

Applying a holistic approach, we seek to support wellbeing at a range of levels – in our own lives (me), in other people (you) as well as in teams, communities, organisations and our world (us).

Some courses focus on practical change-making skills that grow our capacity to act for positive change, whether in our own lives, communities or organisations, or in addressing larger collective wellbeing issues like injustice and climate change.

College of Wellbeing was founded by Chris Johnstone in 2014.

Dr Chris Johnstone

Director and Trainer

Over the last 40 years Chris has taught self-help skills for resilience and wellbeing in a wide range of settings – as a medical doctor, addictions specialist, university teacher, freelance trainer, workshop facilitator, activist, speaker and coach. He has pioneered the role of wellbeing training in healthcare, adult education and the workplace. Now living in the north of Scotland, Chris set up the College of Wellbeing so that he can continue his training work from the comfort of his home. His books include Seven Ways to Build Resilience and Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in with Unexpected Resilience and Creative Power (co-authored with Joanna Macy, published in 18 languages and revised 2022)

Madeleine Young

Production Assistant

Madeleine plays a key role in supporting the production of many of our webinars and online courses, and has worked closely with Chris in the development of the Active Hope trainings, the Su Ha courses, the Journey Approach to Change and the Resilience Practitioner Training. She lives on a narrowboat near Oxford, UK, and looks after rescue horses. Her other work includes: facilitating Active Hope and The Work That Reconnects; training facilitators; Complementary Therapy, and Climb Coaching and Instruction.

Miriam Akhtar

Positive Psychology Trainer

Miriam holds the MSc in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) with Distinction from the University of East London, to where she now returns as an associate lecturer. She is a highly engaging speaker and has delivered keynotes at conferences and festivals throughout Europe. Chris and Miriam work together in leading the online Positive Psychology Foundations Training, and co-produced the Happiness Training Plan audiobook.

Carlotta Cataldi

Graphic Facilitator

Carlotta is a freelance graphic facilitator and recorder based in Barcelona, Spain, and active internationally. Both activities allow her to help organisations and groups of all sizes and sectors to work better together and reach a common understanding on complex matters. Her aim is to simplify the complex without reducing it. She likes to work in the field of sustainable development and collective leadership and collaborates with large corporations and small sized companies, NGOs and universities alike.

Melina Ponak

Practice Space Co-ordinator

Melina loves co-designing practice spaces because they are a joyous way for the learning and connections that emerge during inspiring educational experiences to continue growing into a sustainable movement. Melina studied the History of Ideas at McGill University and brings her varied experiences as an herbalist, storyteller, teacher, and educational program designer to the College of Wellbeing Practice Space. She lives near the temperate rainforests and beaches of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Cassandra O’Neill

Practice Space Co-ordinator

Cassandra brings her passion for learning to others through facilitation, teaching, and coaching. She loves hosting practice spaces where co-creation through conversation builds community and belonging. She brings over three decades of experience developing leadership within government organizations, social service agencies, and schools.   A career obsession with leadership led her to co-author the book Five Elements of Collective Leadership.  She lives within sight of mountains and cactus in Arizona, US, and is part of the team developing Su Ha Coaching.