Navigating a Loss of Direction: Rediscovering Your Path Forward with Purpose

Does what I do matter? Rekindle your sense of direction by nurturing your purpose. 

Harness the research-backed power of purpose–an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is both personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world, potentially changing the lives of others. 

This new interactive workshop series is based on our new Family Well-Being for the Greater Good: A Science-Based Workbook for People Supporting Parents that explores how to care for caregivers, which includes you! 

Zoom 

Tuesday, January 27, 2026

10am to 11:30am PT

(Last day to register is January 26th at noon PT)

Why Join?

• Learn about the latest science behind the development and potential benefits of purpose in adults (yourself and the parents you support) and children;

• Try actionable practices to nurture purpose within yourself as a practitioner, as well as learn about purpose practices for parents and children that you can incorporate into your programs.

What’s Included?

• 90-minute facilitated session with the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley 

• A deep dive into the science of purpose with a group of like-minded parenting professionals 

• Resources and takeaways that you can use to support your well-being and the well-being of the families you support. 

Who Should Attend?

Parenting practitioners–this broad community of people supporting parents includes parent educators, social workers, faith leaders, nurse practitioners, physicians, psychologists, school-based parent and family engagement specialists, counselors, or other community workers or professionals serving families. 

Meet the Facilitators

Maryam Abdullah, Ph.D., is the Parenting Program Director of the Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at the University of California, Berkeley. She is a developmental psychologist with expertise in parent-child relationships and children’s social and emotional development. At GGSC, Maryam’s role is to develop resources for professionals and organizations providing parenting education to foster parents' well-being and to help parents nurture compassion and resilience in their children. She also shares the latest developmental science findings on Greater Good, the GGSC's online magazine, which offers science-based insights for a meaningful life. Maryam has been invited to share research findings on parenting and children's social and emotional development with The Washington Post, BBC, CNN, NPR, and more. Prior to joining GGSC, she was an Assistant Project Scientist at the University of California, Irvine Child Development School in the Department of Pediatrics, a school-based behavioral health program where she supported parents and children, and conducted intervention and evaluation research.

Laura Guzman, Ph.D., is a social and personality psychologist who has worked with the Greater Good Science Center since 2019. Her work explores pathways to well-being by identifying and addressing barriers to opportunity for individuals from marginalized backgrounds and by studying how self-transcendent emotions—such as compassion, awe, and moral beauty—can support moral growth and more collaborative communities. At the GGSC, Laura develops research-informed resources for parents, educators, and practitioners that translate psychological science into everyday practice. She has taught courses at UC Berkeley on the science of happiness, emotion, and social psychology, and her research has been published in journals including Journal of Moral Education, Teaching and Teacher Education, and Basic and Applied Social Psychology. Before earning her Ph.D., Laura taught math and science in a high school classroom, an experience that continues to shape her commitment to making science useful, accessible, and meaningful for families, educators, and youth.

We have tried to make this programming accessible to many income levels; if the cost is prohibitive to you, please reach out to us at ggscparenting@berkeley.edu to discuss options.