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Rewriting the Rules of Mental Health With Dominic Lawson

As we wrap up mental health awareness month, it’s a great time to talk with someone who is literally changing how we talk about mental health. This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Dominic Lawson, an accomplished, award-winning podcaster whose new show, Mental Health Rewritten, is tackling stigmatized mental health topics head-on. By taking on issues surrounding addiction and recovery, he is changing the way we talk about such things as sex, suicide, and cultural identity — and is teaching all of us about the role of empathy in overcoming shame. In this episode, you'll learn: The connection between addiction, recovery, and mental health. Why it’s important to break through shame and isolation. The role of family in mental health and addiction recovery. Visit Dominic’s website. Discover Dominic’s podcast, Mental Health Rewritten. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Dominic on Social Media: Instagram: @mentalhealthrewrittenpodcast and @therealdominiclawson Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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How to Create an Unstoppable Brain With Dr. Kyra Bobinet

Our brains are incredibly powerful, and the trick is to learn how to make them work for us, not against us. This week, host Paula Felps sits down with Dr. Kyra Bobinet, a physician, public health leader, and behavior change designer whose work focuses on how to build optimal health for a more fulfilling life. Her new book, Unstoppable Brain: The New Neuroscience That Frees Us From Failure, Eases Our Stress, and Creates Lasting Change explores a relatively new area of study that changes what we know about how our brain influences our habits, self-care, and addictions — and how we can use these findings to improve our well-being. In this episode, you'll learn: The role of the habenula in losing our motivation and managing failure. How growing up in trauma hijacks our brains and heightens our reactivity. How social media and doomscrolling affect your brain — and how an iterative mindset can help you get unstuck. Visit Dr. Kyra’s website. Discover Dr. Kyra’s book, Unstoppable Brain: The New Neuroscience That Frees Us From Failure, Eases Our Stress, and Creates Lasting Change. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Dr. Kyra on Social Media: LinkedIn: @kyrabobinet Instagram: @drkyrabobinet Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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A group of friends hanging out together.

How to Make Friendships That Last with Dr. Lori Whatley

By now, we’ve all heard how important friendships and connection are for our well-being, but sometimes we’re unsure where to find those connections. This week, host Paula Felps sits down with Dr. Lori Whatley, a clinical psychologist and author who specializes in the effects of digital usage on our relationships. Her new book, Happier Together: How to Find Your People and Make Friends That Last, walks us through how we can create new connections, deepen existing ones, and discover what we need from our friends. She’ll even tell us the exact number of close friends that we need for our well-being! In this episode, you'll learn: How to intentionally seek out friends. How to identify what you need in a friend. Tips for deepening your current friendships. Visit Dr. Lori’s website. Discover Dr. Lori’s book, Happier Together: How to Find Your People & Make Friends That Last. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Dr. Lori on Social Media: Facebook: @drloriwhatley Instagram: @drloriwhatley Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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A content person with a smiling brain.

Maintaining Your Mental Health with Deborah K. Heisz

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes it a great time to remind ourselves of some of the best practices to improve our well-being. Join host Paula Felps as she talks with Live Happy CEO and co-founder Deborah Heisz about some of the new research around happiness, why our mental health is at risk these days, and what we can do about it. In this episode, you'll learn: Why our happiness is declining and how the lack of civil discourse is exacerbating it. The dangers of toxic positivity. Tips for preserving your mental health in trying times. Discover more ideas for preserving your mental health in the book Live Happy: Ten Practices for Choosing Joy. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Live Happy on Social Media: Facebook: @livehappy Instagram: @mylivehappy Twitter: @livehappy Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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A man detaching himself from an anchor.

Detaching from Political Whiplash With Dr. Bob Rosen

We are living in rapidly changing times, and many people feel exhausted by the events that are unfolding. But this week’s guest says that letting go of our attachment to what’s happening could be the best thing for our mental health. Host Paula Felps talks with Dr. Bob Rosen, a bestselling author known for his work on leadership and personal development, about his latest book, Detach: Ditch Your Baggage to Live a More Fulfilling Life. He explains how we sabotage our happiness with unhealthy emotional attachments to events we can’t control and how his strategies can help us detach from the political whiplash we’re experiencing right now. In this episode, you'll learn: The 10 attachments that hold us back and block our joy/fulfillment. The role that fear plays in our attachments – and how to confront that fear. How looking at world events objectively changes our response to them. Discover other books by Dr. Bob Rosen. Visit Dr. Bob’s website. Sign up for Dr. Bob’s newsletter or discover free quizzes and assessments. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Dr. Bob on Social Media: Facebook: @bob.rosen.560 LinkedIn: @bobrosen Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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A man and woman dressed up as superheroes.

Overcoming the Victim Mindset With Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman

What if the only thing standing between you and a more fulfilling life was your mindset? This week, host Paula Felps talks with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman — a leading cognitive psychologist, professor at Columbia University, director of the Center for Human Potential, and host of The Psychology Podcast — about how today’s culture has helped foster a victim mindset. His latest book, Rise Above: Overcome a Victim Mindset, Empower Yourself & Realize Your Full Potential, explains what is driving a rise in victim mindset and how it impedes our development. He also tells us how we can start changing this mindset and take control of their lives. In this episode, you'll learn: How social media reinforces and rewards the victim mindset. The payoffs that keep us in a victim mindset. How overcoming the victim mindset creates full aliveness and cultivates a richer life. Discover other books by Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Tune in to The Psychology Podcast. Visit Dr. Scott’s website. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Dr. Scott on Social Media: Twitter: @sbkaufman Instagram: @scottbarrykaufman Facebook: @ScottBarryKaufman Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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A man acting on stage.

Happy Activist Sam Simon: Offering Hope for Those with Dementia

When Sam Simon’s wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, he used his theatrical experience to chronicle his journey as a caregiver. And when he was diagnosed with cognitive decline in 2022, he turned that into a theatrical experience as well. Today, his one-man play, Dementia Man: An Existential Journey, recounts his journey and reshapes the narrative for families living with dementia and cognitive decline, offering hope and encouragement along the way. In this episode, you'll learn: How Sam discovered the power of theater. How being on stage and talking about his journey has helped him see his condition differently. What others can learn about living with a terminal condition. Sign up for the weekly Dementia Man podcast. Visit Sam’s website. Subscribe to Sam's blog. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Sam on Social Media: Facebook: @dementiaman Instagram: @thedementiaman Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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Create Your Own Personal Holiday With Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming

We all have birthdays, but maybe we’re not getting as much out of them as we could! This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Tamar Hurwitz-Fleming, a birthday aficionado and author of the book and workbook, How to Have a Happy Birthday: Create Meaning, Fulfillment and Joy on Your Special Day. Tamar offers a new spin on how we approach birthdays and explains how we can use it as a yearly chance to drive lasting growth and change. In this episode, you'll learn: How Tamar discovered the transformational power of birthdays. What happens when you make your birthday an opportunity for growth. Simple ways to change how you celebrate birthdays. Get the free download, “5 Ways to Create Joy on Your Birthday” Discover the book, How to Have a Happy Birthday: Create Meaning, Fulfillment and Joy on Your Special Day Visit Tamar’s website. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Tamar on Social Media: Instagram: @Author.Tamar Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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A man meditating in a bubble while angry people surround him.

Mastering Your Mindset in Challenging Times with Michael Pilarczyk

In tumultuous times, mindset matters more than ever. So this week, host Paula Felps sits down with Michael Pilarczyk, bestselling author of the book Master Your Mindset: Live a Meaningful Life and founder of the Meditation Moments app. Michael shares how we can create a happier life — even in the most challenging times — by changing our mindset. In this episode, you'll learn: How to let go of negative thinking patterns. Why meditation can be done anywhere — and doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Simple ways to start mastering your mindset. Download the Meditation Moments app. Discover Michael’s book, Master Your Mindset: Live a Meaningful Life. Visit Michael’s website. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Michael on Social Media: Instagram: @michaelgeorgepilarczyk YouTube: @michaelgeorgepilarczyk Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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People holding hands around a world.

The Power of Social Connections With Dr. Felix Cheung

The release of the World Happiness Report each year offers insight into our global well-being. This week, host Paula Felps is joined by Dr. Felix Cheung, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and a faculty fellow at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. He’s also the Canada Research Chair in Population Well-being at the University of Toronto and one of the co-authors of this year’s report. Felix shares what the report tells us about social connections – and where the U.S. stands on this year’s list of Happiest Countries. In this episode, you'll learn: What a wallet taught researchers about well-being. The role that sharing meals with others plays in our happiness. Where the U.S. stands on this year’s list of happiest countries. Download the World Happiness Report. Visit Felix’s website. Follow along with the transcript. Follow Felix on Social Media: X: @felixckc Instagram: @pwb_lab Don't Miss a Minute of Happiness! If you’re not subscribed to the weekly Live Happy newsletter, you’re missing out! Sign up to discover new articles and research on happiness, the latest podcast, special offers from sponsors, and even a happy song of the week. Subscribe for free today! Interested in advertising or partnering with us? Complete this quick form. Don't miss an episode! Live Happy Now is available at the following places:  
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