Harvesting Happiness Podcasts

There are very few things in life that are within our control. Our perspective, perceptions, and the actions we take are the only things we truly have control of. If we want peace and joy, we must make them for ourselves. To explore how meditation and mindfulness practices can guide us toward our sacred sweet spot, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with three authors who use meditation practices as tools for a more satisfying and mindful life. Dr. Aria Campbell-Ganesh and Dr. Seth J. Gillihan, both psychologists, co-authored A Mindful Year: 365 Ways to Find Connection and the Sacred in Everyday Life, after the realization that we are in control of our own well-being and special moments can be celebrated every day. Yogi and meditator, Rebecca Pacheco is the author of the influential Still Life: The Myth and Magic of Mindful Living. She imparts her knowledge of mindfulness practices and how to adapt them to individual lifestyles.

Traumas we experience in the early part of our life can become fear and anxiety we carry with us into our adult lives. But, patterns and behaviors that once served as successful coping strategies can sabotage our intimate relationships with others and more importantly with ourselves. To explore the mechanisms of change afforded to us by neuroplasticity and intuition, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who share the knowledge that life transformations are possible through energy activation. Sarah Peyton is a neuroscience educator who teaches about the impact of childhood trauma on our brains and how we can transform self-sabotaging patterns that carry on into our adult lives. She shares examples from her book, Your Resonant Self Workbook, about how every person can tame their inner critic and change their life. Melanie Dean is a psychologist and educator who describes the quantum physics of healing and how people can get what they want by becoming in tune with their powe

The universe and our purpose in it remain vastly unknown. Many theories, beliefs, and reckonings exist about the “big scheme of things” but ultimately there are few concrete answers to our existential questions. To explore the impact space has on the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of humans, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two experts in outer space, professor of astroparticle physics and preacher, Heino Falcke and astronaut, Colonel Terry Virts. Heino Falcke created the first global telescope network to successfully photograph a black hole. He talks about his discoveries and his latest book, Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe, and Us. Colonel Terry Virts, a captain of the Space Shuttle Endeavor, shares how being in space has changed his spiritual outlook and about his book, How to Astronaut: An Insider’s Guide to Leaving Planet Earth.

A neurodivergent person is one whose neurological development is atypical. People with ADHD, Aspergers, and autism are generally considered to be neurodivergent. It is common for neurotypical thinkers to misunderstand those with neurodivergent perspectives in social interactions and in the workplace. To discover more about how and why we should embrace neurodiversity immediately, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who are experts on living with neurodivergent perspectives. As one of the first children to be diagnosed with ADHD, Joe Newman understands the misdirection of labels. He describes how he overcame them and how he helps parents foster a growth mindset by way of his acclaimed parenting methods as detailed in his book, Raising Lions. And, Eric Garcia recounts his research about living with autism in the United States. The research, originally part of a magazine article, led to his breakthrough book, We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation.

As the pandemic wanes and the world goes back to work, employees are re-evaluating their life and career goals. Furthermore, the great global reset has offered leaders the opportunity to transform and rehumanize workplaces by introducing healthy practices into the corporate culture. To explore the ways leaders can increase their chances of retaining and hiring the best and brightest thinkers and doers for their organizations by creating climates of wellbeing and joy, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who are experts in expelling toxicity from the workplace. Rosie Ward describes the key principles from her book Rehumanizing the Workplace: Future-Proofing Your Organization While Restoring Hope, Well-Being, and Performance and how individuals can ground and reset before reentering the workplace after the pandemic. And, Alan Willett, a Fortune 500 preferred consultant for leadership coaching, details the essential components of his two leadership books, Leading the Unleada

Happiness and joy are high vibrational states of being and with awareness and practice, we can move into those states at will. Two practices that enhance our ability to raise our energetic vibration are reverence and gratitude. To explore how we can extract support from the universe, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who energetically raise their vibrations and relish in peace and joy. Agapi Stassinopoulos is the Greek writer behind the classics Unbinding the Heart and Wake Up to the Joy of You. She shares tips on how to rediscover the positive energy of essential connection and joy. And, creator of the website Vibrate Higher Daily, Lalah Delia describes how she lives her life with mindfulness and intention to enlighten others.

Neuroplasticity offers us the ability to change our brains and transcend stress, fear, and anxiety. By rewiring neural pathways, we can transform the emotional strain past traumas hold over our subconscious minds. There are successful methods to overcome patterns and behaviors that serve as blocks to our happiness. To ascertain the secrets to making monumental shifts toward contentment, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two neuroscience experts who reveal their strategies for rewiring the mind. Dr. Mike Dow has a mission to help people heal their brains by replacing negative experiences in their subconscious minds with emotionally charged positive ones. And, Don Goewey works within corporate America about how to circumvent stress and increase life satisfaction.

There is no perfect way to help children build resilient, empathetic, and emotionally secure foundations that support them through adulthood. There is no instruction manual and there is no definitive right way. One approach parents can take is to be mindful and compassionate, with themselves first and then with their children. To find out more about how parents can raise optimistic and self-assured kids, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two psychotherapists about parenting strategies that help create stability in a child’s life. Dr. Tina Payne Bryson describes enlightening approaches from her book, The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity, and Resilience in Your Child. And Dr. Shauna Shapiro discusses the five essential elements of mindful discipline from her book, Mindful Discipline: A Loving Approach to Setting Limits and Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child.

Financial fitness is different for all of us as we all have different needs and dreams. The concern we feel about having sufficient money to meet our needs or fulfill our dreams can be emotionally taxing. Partner that with the absence of a financial education and it becomes a profit-driven boon for predatory financial institutions. Understanding the basics of investing, which companies have an honest track record, and how to get out of debt can be life-changing for many. To better understand the psychological effects of how finances affect our lives and relationships, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two investors/authors about how they overcame their early beliefs about what their financial outlook could be. Danielle Town describes how she overcame her emotional trauma surrounding money as detailed in her book, Invested. And, Remit Sethi discusses strategies on how to grow what you already have from the second edition of his book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich.

The journey of our lives can be pockmarked with disappointment and trauma, as well as contentment and joy. It is the nature of our existence. Learning to cope with trauma and unmet needs without the use of addictive behaviors and substances can be trying and cause anxiety and depression. Often, what we cling to first to ease our pain may be the very thing we need to recover from later. Ultimately, internal work is the key to physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual recovery. To bring to light natural and expansive methods of addiction and trauma recovery, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two former addicts who transformed their lives and healed themselves through natural practices. Johann Hari shares the research he unearthed about the underlying causes of anxiety and depression while writing his book, Lost Connections. And, Noah Levine recounts the trauma at the base of his addiction to substances and the mindfulness practice that led him to heal himself and others by way of h

Finding true love is not a quest for the meek. Some men and women search for years for a partner in which to share their lives. But, not everyone can handle the task alone. Many single people employ counselors and matchmakers to increase their chances of finding the ‘one’ and to maintain a healthy relationship. To find out more about the business of connection, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two women who help men and women maintain healthy relationships and sustainable love. Dr. Jacquie describes communication methods for couples who want to reignite their love lives. And, Cristina Pineda is a matchmaker in major metropolitan areas. She and her team help men and women do the internal work necessary to find a healthy sustainable relationship.

Technology is both a vice and a virtue. It can help us manage our lives and accomplish tasks with reminders and to-dos. But, at what point do the dings and pings become more of a distraction than traction? How much of our time is dedicated to managing our digital devices versus tackling the true task at hand? To learn more, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen revisits the subject of digital distractions and speaks with two experts who share how to stay healthy and productive while using modern technology. Amy Blankson discusses key points from her book, The Future of Happiness: 5 Modern Strategies for Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Digital Era, and Nir Ayal shares insights, about how to balance productivity and well-being using the same technology designed to distract us, from his new book, Indistractable: How to Control Your Attention and Choose Your Life.

Eldercare is often over-medicalized and approached as a service in long-term and late-life care facilities. But, this method of care can stunt the mental faculties of those whose cognitive abilities are waning. Stories from more mature family members can ripen the lives of younger members of our families and society as a whole. So, why aren’t preventative measures and creative solutions common in the realm of elder care? To better understand the cognitive process of aging, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two doctors who strive to maintain mental wellbeing in their aging patients. Dr. Dan Gibbs is a retired neurologist with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease who describes key learnings from his book A Tattoo on my Brain: A Neurologist's Personal Battle against Alzheimer's Disease. And English Professor, Dr. Anne Basting describes her work in reimagining late-life and long-term care based on a creative approach as detailed in her book, Creative Care: A Revolutionary Approach to Demen

One of the most complicated relationships in our lives is the one we have with our mother. At conception, our bodies are intrinsically connected to our mother for the first nine months of our existence. At birth, and throughout the rest of our lives, we are emotionally affected by the nurturing, or lack of it, we receive from our mothers. Do we have unrealistic expectations of what a mother should be? Why do we remember the traumatic experiences from our childhoods rather than joyful ones? To unveil the process of nurturing our traumas and soothing our nervous system in times of stress, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two doctors who coach people through the trauma of early childhood experiences. Dr. Judith Ruskay discusses key takeaways from her work and book, The Girl in the Red Boots: Making Peace with My Mother. And, Dr. Patti Ashley shares methods for reducing body trauma during times of stress and fear.

The COVID pandemic has most of us thinking about having our physical systems vaccinated. But, what about the disease of disinformation? Is it possible to inoculate our minds and make them immune to untruths and bad ideas that spread through social networks? Is there a proven method to keep probable mind parasites at bay? To better understand how to thwart misinformation and converse with those whose minds have been targeted by pirates, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two doctors who specialize in disarming disinformation. Andy Norman created a new spin on aged philosophy to vaccinate minds. He shares key takeaways from his book, Mental Immunity. Climate Scientist John Cook designed a cartoon and game based on a ‘Crazy Uncle’ amalgam to teach our minds how to have conversations with people who think differently than we do.

People feel happier when they are emotionally engaged in meaningful conversations and when actively invested in learning something they care about. Successful people are not only knowledgeable about facts and figures, they also have multiple intelligences in several modalities. To discover how we can redesign our post-pandemic future to bring forth a more meaningful and happier life, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors whose latest books focus on creating emotional connection through communication tools. Fred Dust discusses his book, Making Conversation: Seven Essential Elements of Meaningful Communication and details the benefits of deeper, meaningful conversations in society. And, Dr. Thomas Hoerr describes the framework of his book, Taking Social- Emotional Learning Schoolwide: The Formative Five Success Skills for Students and Staf, and how it can positively affect teachers, faculty, students, and learning.

For most people, finding happiness and meaning isn’t the first thing that comes to mind when they think of work. But what if it was? What if individuals funneled their creativity and a little of their personal magic into designing a new work-life that was meaningful and fulfilling? To extract advice about designing a life of meaningful work, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who have channeled their creativity into new careers and serve others through their books. Dr. Katharine Brooks revamped the famous career guide, What Color is Your Parachute? for 2021 and wrote two additional books during the pandemic. And, Forensic Psychiatrist, Dr. Amber Fossey found herself with a substantial Instagram and Etsy following when she tapped into her creative inner child. Her sense of childlike wonder is accompanied by her poetry and illustrations in the book, Be Wild Be Free.

Food history is our history, there is no untangling the two. Industrialized food processing may be whittling away at our appreciation of how deeply certain foods are rooted in our families and culture but not everyone forgets. There are people who still lovingly employ age-old methods of food cultivation. In this episode, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors and chefs who translated their life journeys into recipes and their recipes into cookbooks. Katie Quinn’s hands-on approach has given rise to the revered tradition of fermentation. She shares highlights from her food adventures as documented in her book, Cheese, Wine, and Bread: Discovering the Magic of Fermentation in England, Italy, and France. And, Mandy Lee shares her experience of fusing foods from the East and West while living in a polarized, authoritarian culture from her personal story inspired cookbook, The Art of Escapism Cooking: A Survival Story, with Intensely Good Flavors.