Lorrie Peniston

Lorrie Peniston is a leader in the integration of Positive Psychology with traditional psychotherapy: creating a hybrid approach to counseling and therapy for individuals, couples and families. Lorrie has nearly three decades of experience in various professional roles, working with adolescents, adults, couples and families.

Lorrie has worked in private practice for over twenty years and has also worked in inpatient and outpatient mental health and addiction programs, employee and student assistance programs, and has provided consultation to corporate, military and educational systems.

After eight years working in the United States, Lorrie moved to Bermuda in 1994 and worked as an Employee Assistance Counselor at Benedict Associates, Ltd. She then joined Transitions, Ltd. as a psychotherapist for ten years before opening her own practice, Synergy, Ltd., in 2005. In 1999, Lorrie was appointed to the Mental Health Review Tribunal in Bermuda in by the Minister of Health and Family Services, a position she still maintains.

In 2010, Lorrie became one of the first 200 people to graduate with a Master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology (MAPP) from the University of Pennsylvania, the academic home of well-being science. She is the author of The Flourishing Couple: Finding and Fostering the Best in Your Relationship, a program designed to cultivate relationship well-being in couples.

Lorrie received extensive post-graduate training in resilience and is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s elite resilience training team lead by Dr. Karen Reivich. The team provides resilience training internationally for a variety of institutions. For the last seven years the UPenn team has taught skills to enhance leadership and performance to US Army officers, non-commissioned officers, and Department of the Army civilians as part of the Comprehensive Soldier and Family Fitness program.

Lorrie has been trained in the Collaborative Law process. In spite of her commitment to work hard to help couples resolve issues, even the best efforts are not always successful in saving a marriage. However, maintaining a respectful and cooperative relationship is more likely for individuals using the collaborative process. The goodwill created in the process of therapy need not be destroyed by contentious litigation. As a coach to divorcing families, Lorrie can provide guidance and support for couples regarding the process of uncoupling, separation, co-parenting, and divorce. Lorrie is a member of the Collaborative Law Alliance in Bermuda and a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.