Positive Psychology Science of Happiness
Creative Direction & Communications
RADIO & AUDIO
The spoken word is immensely powerful. One of Britain's foremost national treasures is BBC Radio 4. My dream as a child was to work for Radio 4. The dream came true!
My first proper job was at the BBC's World Service in Bush House. I realised what a lifeline the World Service is when I later returned with Terry Waite for whom it was a ray of light during his years of captivity. I took Terry to Bush House for Radio 4's Down Your Way.
I became a producer at LBC Radio, London's speech radio network and pioneer of the phone-in. I then moved to Bristol to produce BBC Radio 4's Punters, where listeners conducted their own investigations. I won a Sony Gold Award for an edition on the Kegworth air crash and the Medical Journalists' Gold Award.
Travel features became one of my specialities at BBC Radio 4. Highlights included exploring the lives of New Europeans, taking Ronnie Scott back to the jazz clubs of New York for Sentimental Journey with Arthur Smith, experiencing Alaska at 40 degrees below during the Off Season and getting a taste for Italian coffee in Cafe Days with Simon Parkes.
Of the documentaries I made for Radio 4 was to become an epiphany for me. In 1996 I made a programme on how to be happy. At the time there was very little research available on the science of well-being and Don't Worry Be Happy was one of the first programmes on what is now positive psychology. Happiness is the subject I now research, write about and coach in.
I undertake radio & audio projects on a freelance basis. The latest is a self-help CD The Happiness Training Plan, launched in spring 2008.