Cordele Glass Bio

Cordele Glass bridges the gap between the laboratory and the field by specializing in the application of developmental science within wild and natural environments. Cordele has worked as an outdoor professional, guiding and instructing in mountain biking, outdoor rock climbing, white water rafting, high ropes courses, environmental science, camping, and emergency response. These experiences provide a rich background for understanding and using natural experiences as a catalyst for growth, inspiration, and continued learning for his clients as well as himself. Cordele supports the natural exploration and learning that comes from outdoor adventures, but supplements it with conversations and approaches that are informed by years of studying the science of positive psychological development.

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.