Mental health and peace: a positive autoethnographic case study of Grant Rich

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to invite Dr. Grant J. Rich, a positive psychologist influenced by humanistic and existential psychology, to tell his story and to share his research in the field including his insight on mental health and peace.Design/methodology/approachA positive autoethnographic case study approach is used to enable Dr. Rich to narrate his story while also addressing topics within a Q and A format.FindingsDr. Rich narrates how his life and work has been enriched by intercultural, interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research. Mental health and peace can be closely related, and Rich narrates a range of ways he honed his peacemaking skills which he views as requiring a kind and gentle approach, but also courage.Research limitations/implicationsThis case study narrates the experiences, perspectives and insight of one person, and these cannot be generalized.Practical implicationsAs Dr. Rich states, "the world aches for peace now". Peace psychology can enable us to understand how to induce inner and inter-relational peace, and reduce conflict and violence, for better mental health. This involves a practitioner/activist approach, albeit the authors have much to explore and investigate as to how best to do this.Social implicationsSocial needs and outcomes are fundamental to advancing peace psychology's insights. A focus on multi-disciplinary collaborations, including with educators, social psychologists and sociologists, and the public is recommended.Originality/valueDr. Rich is a psychologist with a positive psychology orientation who has called for more qualitative and mixed-methods research in positive psychology. Here, he shares with us multiple insights and his research including in the areas of mental health and peace.