Podcast

Dan Tomasulo, Ph.D., is a sought-after speaker and author on topics including positive psychology, positive education and positive psychotherapy. His new book, American Snake Pit: Hope, Grit and Resilience in the Wake of Willowbrook, tells the story of the fallout after the closing of New York state’s most controversial state hospital for the mentally disabled. After a groundbreaking expose from Geraldo Rivera about the horrendous living conditions at Willowbrook State School, including overcrowding, patient abuse and questionable treatment methods, plans were made to close its doors. Dan, then a young post-graduate student, was hired to relocate and treat its most seriously disabled residents. What you'll learn in this episode: How storytelling can be used as a positive intervention. Why group therapy and role playing can be an effective tool toward positive mental health. How to practice a virtual gratitude visit. Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Read the first 2 chapters of American Snake Pit for free! Purchase his book American Snake Pit: Hope, Grit and Resilience in the Wake of Willowbrook.

Emily Larson is a researcher, instructor and practitioner in the fields of education and public policy. As director for the International Positive Education Network (IPEN), which was formed by Martin Seligman, Angela Duckworth and Sir Anthony Seldon, Emily is part of a movement that is turning the academic research surrounding positive psychology into practical lesson plans and interventions for educators and students. In this episode, Emily talks with Live Happy CEO and IPEN Advisory Board member Deborah K. Heisz about how positive education is changing the way students learn and tells listeners about the upcoming World Positive Education Accelerator (WPEA). What you'll learn in this episode: Why positive education is so important in today's world. How positive education changes the lives of students. What the World Positive Education Accelerator is and how you can get involved. Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Register for the WPEA and receive 15% with code WPEAHAPPY. Can’t attend the full conference? Single Day Tickets are available. Follow the event with #WeFlourish and find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram!

If someone’s ever told you to “take a hike,” chances are you never took it as seriously as Jennifer Pharr Davis. Named a National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Jennifer has hiked more than 13,000 miles on six continents. She was the first woman to set a Fastest Known Time on the Appalachian Trail, and during her time on the trails she has learned some incredible things about setting goals, bouncing back and pushing through. What you'll learn in this episode: How hiking can change the way you look at the world. Why connecting with nature is so important. How changing your focus can change your outcome. Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Follow Jennifer on Twitter and Instagram. Read an excerpt and purchase her book The Pursuit of Endurance.

Inspired by an unfortunate toxic work environment in her first job out of college, Christine Porath took on the topic of workplace incivility and its cost to both companies and employees. She’s been running with it ever since. Christine Porath, Ph.D., is an associate professor at the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and the author of Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace and co-author of The Cost of Bad Behavior. She works with leading organizations to help them create thriving workplaces. What you'll learn in this episode: What companies can do to encourage a culture of civility, including the benefits of creating workplaces where people can thrive. Steps to help you become more civil at work, including tips on how to respond to those ever-common scenarios of phone snubbing and rudeness in meetings. The economic and health costs of incivility in the workplace. Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Read more about Christine on her website. Purchase her book Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace. Follow her on Twitter.

Music has the power to change lives, and nowhere is that more evident than in the powerful SongwritingWith:Soldiers program. This unique program pairs members of the military with professional songwriters to craft songs about their experiences. Through their songs, they learn to release pain, tell their stories and build a strong bond with one another. Program co-founder Mary Judd and singer/songwriter Jay Clementi talk about the power of the program—and what it’s taught them. What you'll learn in this episode: What happens at a SongwritingWith:Soldiers retreat. Why the tools of positive psychology are such an important part of the retreats. How the program is changing—and even saving—lives. Links and resources mentioned in this episode: Follow SongwritingWith:Soldiers on Facebook and Twitter. Donate to this organization here. Listen to their inspiring songs here.