TESTIMONIALS

*Names have been changed to respect the confidentiality and privacy of individuals

PSYCHOLOGICAL & BEHAVIORAL HEALING

Years ago, I had lots of unhealthy ways of coping with life but I was determined to find a healthier way through it.  By working with Emily, a wonderful Positive Psychologist/ Behavioral Healer, I have been able to heal many layers.  She also taught me about meditation and energy, as well as how to love myself, which was such a foreign concept at first, but now seems so natural.  - Olivia, 41

It is clear Emily came to the world to do this work as part of her life purpose and she completely does this from the heart. Words would never be enough to measure gratitude and the difference she has made in my life.
- Erika, 40, Business owner

You have been a strong force of evolvement for me since 2014. I'm grateful for your presence in my life. - A.S., 43, Entertainment industry executive

I learn from Emily. Every single time I communicate with her. Selena, 35, Psychology Coach 

I am so grateful to have found you, Emily.
- Wendy, 37, Business Owner, Design 

Emily is an amazingly great healer. She really puts her heart into guiding you in a way that takes into account who you truly are. She teaches you how to be loving and kind to yourself. Having that focus in mind has taught me that creating change can be something exciting and positive rather than a drag or something scary. She is a soul full of light and understanding. She is a true healer with her words and energy!          - Karen, 29,  Mental Health Coach

This process of working with you is helping me build lots of confidence.
- Ellie, 35, Mother and Chef

Emily is a rare breed of psychotherapist who does not focus on the usual parental cause and effects, but rather, the positive reinforcement of each experience. Every scenario has its own idiosyncratic benefit that many of us do not realize. She is able to draw out the hidden gem of a negative event to help me discover the silver lining. Coupled with an extinct gift, Emily has the uncanny ability to point out positive, neutral, and externally-influenced perspectives that even an overtly alert and optimistic person such as myself cannot see. I'm very fortunate to have her as one of my guides.
- H.L., 48, Film Producer

I love your advice and guidance because you simply open the portal of possibilities.
- Bianca, 29, Actress

You definitely changed my world by introducing me to yoga and positive psychology!!! 
- Lindsay, 28, Medical doctor

Emily, I love that you really care. Thank you for helping my daughter manage her anxiety. She enjoys sessions with you, and with your help, I have noticed her grow stronger and stronger.
- Peg, 44, Mother & Real-estate agent

You have helped me abundantly!
- Gregor, 40, Film director                                   

I want to thank you for the time you spent with me. Every little step I took and effort expended towards preparing for and taking the LSAT, and passing the bar was worth it.  I stopped using drugs, and I know for certain thatest working with you was the beginning of what has now proven to be a successful journey on getting to practice law! Truly, thanks for you…for helping me to see the good and potential within me that I was blind to, understanding what I needed to get out of my own way, helping me find honest reasons to be motivated, and for keeping my eye on the prize.
- Michael, 57, Attorney

Emily is a top-notch therapist.
- Max, 57, husband, retired accountant

Thank you so much for always helping me! These mental strategies really help me a lot.
- Madeline, 19, Actress

Your support was, without question, the inspiration, warmth and advice we needed to learn to move us forward through this difficult time.
- Helen, 59, Mother & wife, marriage celebrant

Emily has more knowledge on what is happening within the human brain than any professional I’ve worked with in the past. She knows how to communicate with me in the language I understand, and gives me practical tools I use on my own and that help me improve my performance.
- J.P., Professional MLB baseball player

Imagine digging your way through a labyrinth in darkness, when suddenly someone guides you out of madness by elaborating your own instincts. New perspectives are now seen, and then, it's dawn. This is what Emily gives me. New eyes. Every time.
- M.M., 38, Screenwriter

Thank you for all your help and always listening and responding to me!! I am trying my best to stick up for myself and give the little girl version of me what she needs. You have helped me in so many ways, I can't even describe! 
- Allison, 21, organic farmer

One year ago I graduated from University in England. I must say I
would have never managed without
your help over the summer! I have such good and warm memories of that summer thanks to you (even though, technically, I was at my worst, yet you gave me so much strength and hope, so many tools, and helped me learn how to think and live positively!). You and that time really changed my life. 
- Heidi, 22

Emily is wonderful and passionate and has opened me up to knowledge that will improve my life and career forever.
- Sarah, 32, attorney

I wanted to thank you again for our last session. It really helped. As a result, my Mom and I understand each other a lot better and have barely argued since. I am really glad to have met you.
- Gia, 20

Emily is the best therapist I’ve ever had.  - Elise, 60, Dental hygienist, mother

CONSULTING

Our 19 new-hires had just begun a pre-service retreat in preparation for a year of community service with the largest health-focused AmeriCorps program in the nation. This meeting was one of the few opportunities I would have as the cohort’s program coordinator to establish trust among the service members. At the recommendation of the previous year's coordinator, I invited Emily to work with us during   the orientation. Her training couldn't have been better timed. The group was quiet and closed off to one another prior to Emily's presentation. But, her exercises created a dynamic such that, in the short run, people were immediately more open and communicative with each other.  In the long-term, the group continued to reference her work throughout the service year, commenting often that   her time with us was one of the highlights of the program.
- David Lavine, Program Director,    Alliance for Rural Community Health

I am grateful and appreciative, along with my fellow attendees, for your talk on Positive Psychology at our orientation. Thank you for giving us practical food for the soul.
- Kristin, 22, AmeriCorps

Our College was interested in implementing Positive Education into all aspects of school life at St. Mary’s. We learned about Emily vanSonnenberg and decided to invite her to Australia to speak to our staff about developing student positivity, resilience, determination, grit and self-belief. She graciously accepted our invitation and we were very grateful.What we were presented with was nothing short of fabulous--Emily was honest, knowledgeable, well organised and she presented information in an easy to access way. She was the real deal. So many of our staff commented later on Emily’s obvious love of what she was communicating and the relevance of positivity to all- not just our students. We would have loved for Emily to be part of our community for a longer length of time!What a wonderful young woman. What a wonderful message. Emily showed us ways of looking at what we do well and acknowledging this, as well as giving us the strategies to implement ways to improve our current practice.
- Anna Fontanelli, Mathematics Coordinator, St Mary’s College, Adelaide, South Australia

The positive psychology talks given by Emily stood out to me as being the most valuable material we were presented.     - Leon, 20, AmeriCorps employee

Listening to Emily’s talks about positive psychology were the highlights of the workshop.
- Rachel, 28, Americorps employee

Emily was the highlight of our workshop. - Paul, 24, Americorps employee

The positive psych workshops given by Emily were the best part.
- Tanya, 22, AmeriCorps employee

Emily was the highlight of our organization’s orientation retreat.          - Sasha, 21, Americorps employee

The positive psych workshop was absolutely invaluable, so if it's possible to bring Emily back again, definitely do it.
- Alex, 24, Americorps employee

I really enjoyed Emily's presentations and have thought of them often since leaving the retreat. I think they were very necessary.
- George, 20, AmeriCorps employee

I enjoyed having the Positive Psychology workshop and think that workshops like this (teaching useful life lessons/skills) would be a good way to encourage members to grow as people throughout the year.
- Aaron, 21, HealthCorps

Emily was the highlight of our workshop. - Paul, 24, Americorps employee

The positive psych workshops given by Emily were the best part.
- Tanya, 22, AmeriCorps employee
 

I am grateful and appreciative, along with my fellow attendees, for your talk on Positive Psychology at our orientation. Thank you for giving us practical food for the soul.
- Kristin, 22, AmeriCorps

TEACHING

I think so highly of you as a teacher and as a human. You have created such a special course, and I felt the careful thought behind the Discussion Board questions, Positive Intervention assignment, and readings. I motion that you create a Positive Psych II course online! Emily, you are making a difference in this world, and it is people like you who I am ready to surround myself with in life. Brilliant.
- Melissa, 26, consultant  

Heck, the class met personal needs I didn't even know I had.
- Jules, 35, university Media instructor and therapist

Emily did an extraordinary job of giving us all detailed, personalized feedback on top of the well-thought-out readings and assignments. Super helpful.
- Kristin, 44, university Humanities instructor

I have never taken such an interesting,   useful, and challenging class. It was well-built and easy to understand. Most of all, it is the only class that has ever had a direct, positive effect on my personal life! 
- Kurt, 32, Pro Golf coach

I’m grateful to have been a part of a class where it felt safe to open up and fun to learn. Emily is a wonderfully encouraging and superb instructor. Her openness and kindness have made me realize how much power every interaction contains to share a beautiful connection with someone. Prior to meeting her, I didn’t realize how uplifting that feels. I appreciate the time she takes to communicate with love and kindness, and hope I can share this gift with others. - Lila, 31, actress, director

Thank you so much for everything. You helped me find my way to some breakthroughs that will lead to more and more growth over time. I cannot thank you enough for your help. I have a word doc with comments you have made that I found insightful and uplifting. Your words will be with me for a long time and I am infinitely grateful.
- Jason, PhD. 34, Business owner

Being in Emily's Happiness class has improved my life and relationships in so many ways. This is primarily because I've invested the time and energy into the assigned interventions to make them successful and this has paid off tenfold! Emily, thank you for a remarkable class.  PLEASE let me know whenever you do any additional classes.  I’ll be the first to sign up.  
- Brian, 34, high school teacher & husband

Emily vanSonnenberg is a very special person and teacher. I consider Emily to be a highly effective communicator. I felt genuine interest from Emily in class participation, responsiveness to questions, etc. She gets high marks from me in every area.
- Michelle, 41, Phd. Economist

Emily is such a genuine and intelligent person. I feel so lucky to have been able to take her class.
- S.M., 28, research assistant

The changes I've experienced since being in Emily's Happiness class are huge.  Everybody needs to take this course.       - Tori B., 48, Mental health counselor

Emily vanSonnenberg is an AMAZING, inspirational professor, and I think this is the most important class I've ever taken. The Positive Psychology class she taught was both thought-provoking and life-changing. I am extremely grateful for having had the opportunity to have taken this class.             
- Sue, 43, restauranteur

It was a pleasure to learn from Emily. She is very knowledgeable and passionate.
- Kris, high school psychology teacher & administrator, 41

Emily is such a genuine and intelligent person. I feel so lucky to have been able to take her class. 
- Sam, 28, HR executive

This class has been a wonderful journey that aims to teach people happiness. We definitely need it, and most people are either not aware that this class even exists or simply don't know how much it can offer them!

- Andy, 23, creative writing graduate student

Emily, your strengths are: great communicator, truly caring, very knowledgeable, and create intimate class discussions. I have always left class invigorated and with a happier outlook on life. Keep doing what you love and are good at, keep making a difference in people’s lives.
- Dana, 27

Emily vanSonnenberg is an amazing professor. She is wonderful, inspirational, though-provoking, pleasant, always approachable, helpful, and she organized and taught an extraordinary class.
- Ashley, 26, artist

Emily, you are great at making people feel comfortable enough to open up. 

- D. A., 25

TEACHING TESTIMONIALS: Meaningful Work
Munich University of Applied Sciences

This was my favorite university class! - Michael, 28

In Germany, we tend to say “Never change a running system” and in my opinion, your system is running very well. I enjoyed every course and that is why I am not afraid of saying that you shouldn't change anything. - Sam, 22

I really enjoyed the course, looking forward to it every time and had fun in the lectures. - Tobias, 22

It is effective to learn about the topic of Meaningful Work from a professor (vanSonnenberg) whose work is meaningful to her. - Jo, 25

This course helped me to understand what makes accomplishments and work meaningful, and to recognize and appreciate my accomplishments. - Jana, 23

Professor vanSonnenberg has an absolute passion for her job and the topic. She made the lessons and discussions feel intimate and human! I was never emotionally touched by a course like this before! - Hermann, 27

This class confirmed my thoughts of only doing the work you love or which helps you to reach that kind of work. - Brie, 25

Professor vanSonnenberg creates a fun learning atmosphere; she is open-minded and gives positive feedback to every student. This makes it easy to discuss and learn topics in class. _ Dagmar, 21

MORE STUDENTS' TEACHING TESTIMONIALS: Happiness
UCLAx

Thank you, Professor vanSonnenberg, for our amazing class! The most enduring thing that I have learned in this class is that I have control over my own happiness. I have realized that I have the power to change my situation and mentality to make a huge impact on my own happiness and growth. Having the knowledge that I can intervene in my own life to make it better has been a major growing experience for me.
- Camille, 36, mother & elderly caregiver
 

I cannot say more positive things about the professor for this course. Emily was very helpful, and always made herself available to answer questions. Professor vanSonnenberg is clearly passionate about the subject and encouraged us to apply our lessons to everyday life. She was also an extremely active instructor, participating heavily in class discussions and fostering thoughtful discourse among the students. Her passion and desire for us to do well made this class a highlight this quarter. - John, 45, consultant

This class should be offered again--and to all majors. The biggest problem with a repeat course would be finding a professor with as much enthusiasm, personal experience, and love for this class as Emily. Emily, you are a fantastic professor. Thank you!    - Tamara, 24, physician's assistant

This class has allowed me to understand why I am the way I am, and that my level of happiness can affect everyone around me. - Dylan, 19, musician

Thank you, Emily. This class has truly been eye-opening and life-enhancing. - Jessica, 28 assistant

Thank you Professor, it has been an honor to be part of this class and journey. - K.M., 29, researcher, entrepreneur

Emily, your work is a blessing to many. 
- Paula, 34, entrepreneur

I was impressed with the wide scope of course materials that have greatly reduced any future excuse I may have about not being happy! - Sara, 25, psychology graduate student & artist

Thank you, Emily, for all your guidance and support throughout the course of this class. You have been a terrific instructor - so incredibly knowledgeable, encouraging and supportive. I've learned so much throughout these past weeks and I look forward to continuing to apply this knowledge throughout my life. Thank you so, so much! - Shannon, 32, addiction & mental health counselor

I believe that this class not only taught us things, but it enabled us to teach ourselves individual lessons that are relevant to our own lives. - Alex, 47, mother & poet

The Happiness class taught by Emily should be more prominent in the curriculum and that the course has given me an education that I can apply to real life.
- Greg, 34, writer, researcher