hope is a way of thinking

written and directed by
Betsy Kulman

edited by
Joseph Pattisall

original music
Michael Josephs

produced in partnership with
Office for Victims of Crime, USDOJ
PLAY NOW

A Tribute to Hope Research Center honors Dr. Chan Hellman and Dr. Angela Pharris, recipients of a National Crime Victims’ Service Award for Building Knowledge Through Research. They both see hope as a science – demonstrably teachable and measurable – and talk about the joy they experience training others how to implement and share this science and strategy of hope in actionable ways.

“

Hope is the belief that the future is possible. Hope is a cognitive process. It’s a mindset. Oftentimes we think about hope as an emotion or a feeling, but it’s actually a way of thinking. And the reason this is so important is because it helps us understand that hope can be taught.

Chan Hellman, PhD
Director, Hope Research Center
University of Oklahoma
You see children get better. You see people turn their lives completely around. When you get to sit in the front row and watch that happen, it’s a good life. Ultimately, hope is good for everybody.

Angela Pharris, PhD, MSW
Senior Researcher, Hope Research Center
University of Oklahoma
”

Every year during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, the U.S. Department of Justice recognizes individuals, organizations, teams, and programs that demonstrate outstanding achievement in support of survivors at the annual National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony in the nation’s capital.

Our partnership with the Office for Victims of Crime to produce videos for special events began in 1998. We created a signature style that enables the honorees, in their own words, to provide insight into what motivates them to do transformative work.