Episode #4
S4 Ep4. ABC 1-2-3: Tiny Threads of Well-Being with Katie Ashburner
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of ABWilson’s Heart of the Matter, Aderonke Batamosi Wilson welcomes Katie Ashburner, a teacher, mother, well-being enthusiast, and the creator of Toowoomba Positive Psychology in Queensland, Australia. Katie reflects on the rich, demanding, and deeply transformative experience of raising three young children while building work that supports individuals, families, schools, and organizations. Her perspective is refreshingly human: she sees herself not only as a practitioner and teacher of well-being science, but also as a student and client of the very practices she shares. Katie explains that well-being is not one-size-fits-all. It is shaped by relationships, rest, nourishment, time in nature, emotional regulation, belonging, and the choices we make in everyday life. She shares how her more than decade-long career in early childhood and primary education taught her that meaningful learning begins with safety, trust, and relationships. While witnessing increasing pressure within education systems, she became motivated to explore how positive psychology could help people build resilience, connection, and the deeply human skills that technology cannot replace. At the heart of the conversation is Katie’s ABC 1-2-3 Framework, a practical “well-being anchor” designed to help people respond intentionally during challenging moments. ABC stands for Awareness, Behaviors, and Care. Katie invites us first to notice our needs and current reality, then consider which behaviors would be helpful or harmful, and finally act with care for ourselves and others. The 1-2-3 component expands the lens from Me, to We, to Us, reminding us that well-being is personal, relational, and systemic. The framework is designed to be accessible in many settings, from family life and classrooms to workplaces and leadership teams. Katie also shares the personal journey that led her more deeply into positive psychology. During a season of burnout, parenting young children, an international move during the pandemic, and immense personal change, she sought support and discovered the transformative potential of applied positive psychology. That experience reshaped her career and ultimately led her to become Australia’s first facilitator of the Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology program that had once helped her through a difficult chapter. One especially moving story comes from Katie’s work as a school leader. Rather than accepting a negative label placed on two students with behavioral challenges, she recognized their creativity, intelligence, and potential. By giving them meaningful responsibilities and opportunities to contribute, Katie helped them experience themselves differently. A simple five-minute phone call to tell one student’s mother about her son’s strengths became an unforgettable moment of validation and hope. It is a powerful reminder that people can be changed by being genuinely seen. Throughout the episode, Katie returns to the idea that well-being is built through “tiny threads” woven into daily life: a moment of self-compassion, a breath before reacting, a walk outdoors, an encouraging phone call, a shift in perspective, or the choice to savor joy instead of rushing past it. Her message is hopeful and practical. We do not need to be optimized at all times, and we do not need to purchase our way into wellness. We can begin by meeting the reality of the moment with awareness, care, and intentional action. https://www.abwilsonconsulting.com https://abwilsonphotography.com
