SEARCH Wellbeing
Six Evidence-Based Pathways to Student Flourishing
What is the SEARCH Framework?
SEARCH is a research-based wellbeing framework developed by Professor Lea Waters specifically for supporting students' holistic development and flourishing. Standing for Strengths, Emotional Management, Attention & Awareness, Relationships, Coping, and Health, it provides an integrated approach to student wellbeing that goes beyond academic performance to nurture the whole person.
Unlike one-dimensional approaches, SEARCH recognizes that student flourishing requires development across multiple interconnected domains. It's not enough to be academically capable if you're constantly stressed, isolated, or unaware of your own strengths. True wellbeing emerges when all six dimensions work together synergistically.
💬 The Power of One Question at a Time
Think about how a simple question can illuminate your path: "What strengths did you use today that made you feel energized?" or "How do you notice when stress is building up before it becomes overwhelming?"
Student wellbeing isn't developed through lectures or checklists—it emerges through reflection and self-discovery. FlourishTalk brings the six SEARCH dimensions to life, helping students explore their unique pathways to flourishing one meaningful question at a time.
🎓 Developed for Students, Based on Science
Professor Lea Waters, a leading positive education researcher, created SEARCH by synthesizing decades of research in positive psychology, student development, and wellbeing science. It's now used in schools and universities worldwide to support students in not just surviving but thriving through their educational journey.
💪 Strengths
Identifying and leveraging your unique capabilities, character strengths, and natural talents to live and learn authentically
🧠 Emotional Management
Recognizing, understanding, regulating, and expressing emotions in healthy, constructive ways
🎯 Attention & Awareness
Cultivating mindfulness, present-moment focus, and meta-awareness of thoughts, feelings, and patterns
🤝 Relationships
Building meaningful connections, experiencing belonging, and developing social and interpersonal skills
🛡️ Coping
Developing resilience, managing stress effectively, and bouncing back from challenges and setbacks
💚 Health
Maintaining physical wellbeing through nutrition, exercise, sleep, and overall body care
Who Benefits from the SEARCH Framework?
Students of all ages, but also anyone seeking holistic development:
- University and college students navigating academic pressure while developing their identity
- High school students building foundation skills for lifelong wellbeing
- Young adults in transition between education, work, and independence
- Parents and educators wanting to support student flourishing comprehensively
- Professionals who want to apply evidence-based wellbeing principles to their lives
- Anyone feeling unbalanced and wanting to identify which life dimensions need attention
Why SEARCH Matters for Wellbeing
Research consistently shows that wellbeing isn't just about fixing problems—it's about building capacities across multiple domains. The SEARCH framework helps you:
- Identify and amplify strengths: Build on what's right rather than only fixing what's wrong
- Develop emotional competence: Navigate the full range of human emotions skillfully and constructively
- Cultivate presence: Learn to be fully engaged with life rather than lost in worry or distraction
- Build meaningful connections: Create the relationships that research shows are fundamental to happiness
- Strengthen resilience: Develop the capacity to bounce back from inevitable challenges
- Honor the body: Recognize how physical health underpins all other aspects of wellbeing
📊 The Evidence
Studies using the SEARCH framework show that students who develop across all six dimensions experience:
- Higher academic achievement and engagement when applying their strengths
- Greater life satisfaction and wellbeing across all SEARCH dimensions
- Better stress management and resilience through effective coping strategies
- Stronger social connections and support networks contributing to belonging
- More positive self-concept and confidence from strengths awareness
- Reduced anxiety and depression through emotional management and mindfulness
How FlourishTalk Brings SEARCH to Life
Understanding SEARCH conceptually is one thing—applying it to your daily life is another. FlourishTalk provides thoughtfully designed questions that help you:
Assess Your Current State: Discover which SEARCH dimensions are thriving and which need attention through reflective questions that reveal your actual patterns.
Set Targeted Development Goals: Rather than vague aspirations, identify specific areas like "strengthen my coping strategies" or "build more meaningful relationships."
Track Growth Over Time: Revisit SEARCH questions periodically to notice development, celebrate progress, and identify areas for continued focus.
Facilitate Meaningful Conversations: Use these questions with mentors, counselors, peers, or study groups to discuss wellbeing in structured, meaningful ways.
Understand Interconnections: See how the six dimensions influence each other—how attention affects emotional management, how relationships support coping, how health enables strengths use.
Explore All Six SEARCH Dimensions:
Ready to SEARCH for Your Path to Flourishing?
Begin exploring all six dimensions of student wellbeing—one question at a time