Healthy relationships exist within a framework of wellness

In 1998, Dr. Martin Seligman used his inaugural address as the incoming president of the American Psychological Association to shift the focus from mental illness and pathology to studying what is good and positive in life. From this point in time, theories and research examined positive psychology interventions that help make life worth living and how to define, quantify, and create wellbeing.

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In developing a theory to address this, Seligman selected pillars of wellness that people pursue because they are intrinsically motivating and they contribute to wellbeing. These elements are pursued for their own sake and positively influence each other.