The Happiness Project became a household name in 1996 when the BBC broadcast a BBC QED documentary called How to be Happy. Five million viewers tuned in to watch three volunteers, Caroline, Dawn, and Keith, embark upon a unique 8–week happiness course, designed by Dr Robert Holden. Their progress was monitored each week by a team of independent psychologists and scientists. The results were remarkable. The scientists hailed the course as “a genuine fast-track to happiness.”
Caroline, Dawn, and Keith each made positive breakthroughs while on the course. Scientists continued to monitor their progress for six months after, and they concluded that, “The positive results were lasting.” How so? One reason may be that the scientists discovered the happiness course had changed the hard wiring of the brain. Professor Richard Davidson, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who measured the brain function of the volunteers over the course of eight weeks, concluded:
“This happiness training not only changes the way you feel;
it actually changes the way your brain functions.”
The How to be Happy documentary has since been shown in 16 countries to over 30 million viewers. Today, The Happiness Project is thriving. Each year we participate in a rich program of public workshops (including the 8-week happiness course), corporate consultancy (with brands like Dove and Virgin) media events, and ongoing research. Robert Holden, Ben Renshaw, Avril Carson, Ian Lynch and other members of the Happiness Project team continue to create new offerings—all of which you can read about at this website.
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Robert Holden
Ben Renshaw
Avril Carson
Ian Lynch
Robert Holden, Ph.D., is the Founder and Director of The Happiness Project and Success Intelligence. His innovative work on happiness and success has been featured on Oprah and in two major BBC TV documentaries, The Happiness Formula and How to Be Happy. Robert coaches leaders in the field of business, education, politics and healthcare. Notably, he has worked for Dove and the “Real Beauty Campaign,” and also for leading brands such as Virgin and The Body Shop. Robert is author of the best selling books: Happiness NOW!, Shift Happens!, and Success Intelligence. His new book, published in April 2009, is Be Happy. Visit www.robertholden.org for more information
Ben Renshaw specialises in the psychology, sociology, and spirituality of happiness in work, life, and relationships. As Co-director of The Happiness Project he has worked with organisations focused on enjoyment at work, in the health sector on the medicinal benefits of joy, and in education on the love of learning. He contributes to our annual public program of talks and seminars. In the media Ben has been a spokesperson for many national campaigns on happiness. He was the relationship expert on the award winning TV show Perfect Match. Ben has written six books including The Secrets of Happiness, and Successful But Something Missing.
Avril Carson is a long-standing member of the team on our Be Happy 8-week course and also our Coaching Happiness certified training. Formerly an actress with the Royal Shakespeare Company and presenter for the BBC, today she is a most engaging and thought provoking presenter. For 20 years, Avril has worked closely with top companies such as Rolls Royce, Virgin Media, and BMW, inspiring trust, affection, and loyalty in many of our clients. Current passions include studying the Enneagram, splashing paint on big canvasses, and working with The Interfaith Foundation.
Ian Lynch is the Business Manager for The Happiness Project. Ian and his team are the first point of contact for public enquiries, corporate events, and media work. Ian is the Events Manager and host for all of the public courses organized by The Happiness Project. Ian often acts as a spokesperson for The Happiness Project – often appearing on national radio, TV, and press. From time to time, Ian also presents his own workshops on happiness. He is a qualified life-coach, and he also supports the Ministry of Peace Initiative in the UK and runs Spiritual Groups for Men.
Public Courses
Our 8-week happiness course, now called Be Happy, is our signature event. This course is run every year in London, England. This event is always a highlight of our year. People attend Be Happy from all over the world. Each event is a unique journey.
Occasionally, Robert Holden, Ben Renshaw, Avril Carson, Ian Lynch and other Happiness Project team members present public workshops and talks on happiness and well being. These include a 3-day workshop called Happiness NOW! a 2-day workshop called Everyday Abundance, a 3-day workshop called Shift Happens! and a 2-day workshop called Love & Fear. See our Events Diary for forthcoming dates.
Occasionally, Robert Holden, Ben Renshaw, Avril Carson, Ian Lynch and other Happiness Project team members present public workshops and talks on happiness and well being. These include a 3-day workshop called Happiness NOW! a 2-day workshop called Everyday Abundance, a 3-day workshop called Shift Happens! and a 2-day workshop called Love & Fear. See our Events Diary for forthcoming dates.
Certified Trainings
Join Robert Holden for a unique training in which he teaches you the essential principles and practices that are the heart of his work with The Happiness Project. Coaching Happiness is ideal for you if you have attended Robert’s public workshops and/or if you want to incorporate his models and methods into your own work.
Over five days, Robert will present fifteen 90–minute modules that give you a deep understanding of his innovative work on happiness—as featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and also famously tested by independent scientists for the BBC science documentary How Happy Are You? Coaching Happiness is a rare opportunity to experience Robert's latest thinking on happiness and success.
Over five days, Robert will present fifteen 90–minute modules that give you a deep understanding of his innovative work on happiness—as featured on Oprah, Good Morning America, and also famously tested by independent scientists for the BBC science documentary How Happy Are You? Coaching Happiness is a rare opportunity to experience Robert's latest thinking on happiness and success.
Conference Keynotes
Robert Holden, Ben Renshaw, Avril Carson, and other members of The Happiness Project team are often invited to present keynotes and masterclasses at major conferences worldwide. To date, we have given over 500 presentations on happiness to leaders in business, health, education, and politics. Our presentations have won a reputation for being entertaining and inspiring, practical and challenging. The goal is to inspire and entertain.
If you would like to inquire about booking one of The Happiness Project team for a presentation please Contact Us
If you would like to inquire about booking one of The Happiness Project team for a presentation please Contact Us
Good Health!
Each year, hundreds of doctors, nurses, psychologists, and therapists attend one of our professional keynotes or master-classes. We have worked closely with organisations like the NHS, MIND, BUPA, Royal College of Nursing, Bristol Cancer Centre, Samaritans, and Macmillan Nurses Association.
We have also worked with leading hospitals, like The Royal Marsden, and also The Good Hope Hospital where we designed a well-being program attended by all the hospital doctors and every member of staff including the night porters and janitors.
We have also worked with leading hospitals, like The Royal Marsden, and also The Good Hope Hospital where we designed a well-being program attended by all the hospital doctors and every member of staff including the night porters and janitors.
Enjoyment in Employment
The worlds of business, economics, politics, and law, love the work we do both with The Happiness Project and Success Intelligence. We are uniquely placed to consult on the relationship between happiness and success. Our major clients include Dove, creators of the “Real Beauty Campaign”, the BBC (5yrs), British Telecom (6yrs), The Body Shop (3yrs), Intercontinental Hotels Group, Virgin Media, Sony Corporation, Unilever, and Rolls Royce.
One of our most popular presentations is The Feel-Good Factor that examines how the “joy of work” creates truly inspired and authentic success.
One of our most popular presentations is The Feel-Good Factor that examines how the “joy of work” creates truly inspired and authentic success.
Higher Education
We have given presentations to many universities, colleges, and schools, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, University of Massachusetts, and Harrow School. In recent times, Ben Renshaw has worked on a major project with education leaders in Scotland that has won rave reviews. Ben Renshaw’s courses for teenagers, called “PRO-TEEN”, are also part of our heritage.
The Happiness Project is committed to supporting education professionals teach happiness and well-being in schools and colleges.
The Happiness Project is committed to supporting education professionals teach happiness and well-being in schools and colleges.
Sweet Charity
The Happiness Project has given presentations and aid to many brilliant causes over the years, including The Children’s Society, RNIB, Samaritans, Home Start, Oxfam and Comic Relief. Every year we give bursaries for our courses to professionals working in charity organisations. We have also donated hundreds of our books and CDs to many great causes, like the Prism program for wellbeing in prisons.
If you or your organization would like to benefit from our aid program, please Contact Us at our UK office.
If you or your organization would like to benefit from our aid program, please Contact Us at our UK office.
Media Headlines
In our very first Mission Statement, called Wholly Joyous, we pledged to “spread messages of joy unconditionally out into the world.” We are fast approaching 10,000 TV, radio and newspaper features worldwide. Our features include: The Oprah Show, LBC Michael Parkinson, Sky Selina Scott, BBC Ester Rantzen, BBC Tomorrow’s World, BBC Newsnight, Channel 4 Perfect Match, ITV South Bank Show, ITV Richard and Judy, BBC Radio Steve Wright, ITN News at 10, The Financial Times, and Cosmopolitan.