Beginning with the investigation of early friendship formation, Cordele earned his undergraduate degree from UCLA in Applied Developmental Psychology where he specialized in supporting a healthy early childhood. This interest in early positive development led to further explorations into the rest of the human lifespan, eventually leading to a graduate degree in Positive Developmental Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. Studying under Positive Psychology luminaries, including a founder of the field Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi, Cordele focused on applying key concepts like flow, creativity, mindfulness, and resilience into his repertoire of outdoor adventures.
Today, Cordele focuses his efforts on seamlessly blending the fields of adventure and Positive Psychology with his company Upward Acts, which offers evidence-based techniques to improve well-being and quality of life. He uses natural and wild experiences to help people explore these techniques in workshops, trainings, and individualized coaching.
Cordele’s articles for Positive Psychology News can be found here.