Harvesting Happiness Podcasts

The last few years have been topsy-turvy as far as human moral evolution is concerned. The global pandemic and civil unrest in many countries around the world have given rise to more questions than answers. Society’s moral fabric was torn politically and at the same time mended philosophically as we came to understand our interdependence. In the US, we took to our tribes, during the worst and the best of times. To discover the positives and negatives of our going tribal and how we might gain a better understanding of our place in the world, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two Philosophy professors and authors. Allen Buchanan recounts key chapters from his book, Our Moral Fate: Evolution and the Escape from Tribalism and discusses the shaky ground on which democracy sits. Simon Critchley shares philosophical takeaways from his book, Bald: 35 Philosophical Short Cuts, and what he thinks humans gained and lost during the pandemic, philosophically speaking.

We all have stories we acquire based on what happens to us as we live our lives. Some of us identify as mothers, fathers, artists, hustlers, hard-workers, and the list goes on. But, are those identities who we truly are? When we sit with ourselves in the present moment, is our identity our true essence, or simply an amalgamation of what happened to us in the past? To discern how we can perceive our true nature and commence on a spiritual journey, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who have studied meditation and philosophy in India. Sadhvi Bhagawati Saraswati exchanged her Western culture for eastern philosophy. She discusses the transformational journey that came from shedding her identities and embracing forgiveness from her book, Hollywood to the Himalayas: A Journey of Healing and Transformation. Peter Russell reveals the lessons in his book, Letting Go of Nothing: Relax Your Mind and Discover the Wonder of Your True Nature and unpacks the mantra let it go and let i

Becoming a caregiver for aging parents or someone you love can be a reversal of roles for you and the person you care for. Plus, if the person you care for has any form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, you will need to look at things differently. There will, most likely, be challenges and opportunities in relationships that may have never been addressed before. To gain a better understanding of the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual demands managing dementia can present, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors about their in-depth knowledge and personal experiences. Professor of Neurology, Andrew Budson discusses his latest book, Six Steps to Managing Alzheimer's Disease and Dementia: A Guide for Families. His straightforward research and clinical information serves to keep those in the caregiver role healthy. He also shares basic strategies to help stave off memory loss and dementia for all of us. Patti Davis is the author of Floating in the Deep End: How Caregiv

Secure, loving relationships are the cornerstone of happiness. The deeper and more intimate our relationships the less we have to resent and regret as we age. Many consider becoming an adult to be a number we grow into, but our chronological age differs vastly from what it means to mature. To explore processes that assist us in overcoming our childhood triggers and unconscious shadows, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two adults who examine what creates a purposeful life as we live and age. Dr. Connie Zweig is a retired therapist and Elder who explains the key processes from her book, The Inner Work of Age: Shifting from Role to Soul. Ira Israel is a Coach, Counselor, and Therapist who discusses what it means to be a successful adult and the goal of his book, How to Survive Your Childhood Now That You Are an Adult.

Who benefits from making Americans fat, tired, and sick? Big food and big pharma that’s who. Grocery stores are brimming with ultra-processed, sugar-laden alternatives to real food, and doctors benefit monetarily from dolling out pharmaceuticals that only treat symptoms, not illnesses. To determine what individuals can do to live a healthy life and make more nutritious food choices, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two doctors who have researched the effects of processed foods and sugar consumption. Dr. Robert Lustig uses six simple words as a golden rule when it comes to nutrition and health. He dispels common food myths and chronic diseases as detailed in his book, Metabolical. And, Dr. Robert Barrett discusses the dark sides of social media, smartphone use, and the real drug problem in the U.S., all from his latest book, Hardwired.

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.