Harvesting Happiness Podcasts

Latest Episodes:

Mindful Mental Healthcare Management with Dr. Stuart Eisendrath MD & Dr. Ron Frey PhD Jul 06, 2022

Show notes

Human beings require interpersonal relationships to be fulfilled in life. But many who suffer from bouts of depression find it difficult to take the necessary steps to get motivated or to communicate their needs with others. Researchers are studying how to create mindfulness techniques that can break cycles of depression for willing participants. To find out more about the mindfulness- healthy mind connection, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors who promote being in the present moment and who practice mindful mental healthcare management. Dr. Stuart Eisendrath describes his alternative method to mindfully manage depression. And, Dr. Ronald Frey, whose book, Feeling Better: Beat Depression and Improve Your Relationships with Interpersonal Psychotherapy, shares his externally referenced relationship-based approach to overcoming depression. Dr. Stuart

Healthy Minds in a Digital World with Rachael Katz MS, ED, Helen Shwe Hadani Ph.D. & Amy Adams MSW, PPSC Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

Social connection is fundamental to the human experience. Our minds are incentivized to connect with other humans by the release of warm and fuzzy pleasure-inducing chemicals that encourage us to communicate with and touch other humans. Mimicking this strategy is how technology companies commandeer our bodies and minds to keep us transfixed on their product. Unfortunately, their products only feed us half of the normal biological reward and it can negatively impact our mental health. To decode the intense draw technology has for humans, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with three experts in emotional and social learning skills about how to create and maintain a healthy mind in a digital world. Rachael Katz and Helen Hadani describe the theory of mind and other findings from the book they co-authored, The Emotionally Intelligent Child: Effective Strategies for Parenting Self-Aware, Cooperative, and Well-Balanced Kids. And, the co-founder of the non-profit Healthy Screen Habits, Amy Adams, shares how technology hooks us, why teenagers are the most susceptible to the draw, and how a family tech plan can maintain balance in the home.

Get Tougher: Smart Moves for Resiliency and Performance with Daya Grant PhD & Steve Magness Jun 22, 2022

Show notes

Many humans are unaware of the depths of their physical and mental strength. When confronted with a task they fear, some use substances to mentally dull themselves while others say they are unable to take action. If the tools for reaching our next level of performance are all straightforward and free, why aren’t more of us shifting to become more resilient and tougher? To reveal the secrets of high-performing individuals, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two experts in performance consulting about how we all can get tougher with a few smart moves for resiliency and performance. Certified Mental Performance Consultant, Dr. Daya Grant shares the neuroscience of yoga and why we all should be motivated to meditate. Then, Podcast Host and performance expert, Steve Magness, discusses the central tenet of resilience and key principles from his book, Do Hard Things: Why We Get Resilience Wrong and A Surprising Science of Real Toughness.

Rising Adult Professionals: Stand- Up, Stand-Out, and Succeed with Julie Lythcott-Haims & Mark Zides Jun 15, 2022

Show notes

Today’s job market is a stark contrast to the job market of 20- years ago. Millennials and Gen Z’ers who are entering the workforce have different ideas about what makes a successful career and a happy work life. Young adults who are empowered with the right tools to problem solve for themselves will be major assets for the organizations they join. How long they maintain a position will be up to the organization to foster their talent and the ability of the young adult professional to rise to find different opportunities within the same organization. To discover how young adults entering the workforce can build a foundation of trust and commitment to achieve work/life success, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors about how young adult professionals can stand-up, stand- out, and succeed. Julie Lythcott-Haims is a New York Times bestselling author and former Stanford Dean of Freshman. She explores the role parents can play in raising empowered young adults and other reflections from her book, Your Turn: How to Be an Adult. Mark Zides is the CEO of CoreAxis Consulting and a serial entrepreneur. He discusses the core concepts he provides to young adults in his book, The #PACE Process for Early Career Success.

From Survival to Success: Exploring Resilience & The Immigrant Experience with Justine Gatt PhD, Lan Cao & Harlan Lan Cao Jun 08, 2022

Show notes

Moving residences, whether elective or forced, is known to be one of the most stressful things humans can do. Dealing with the trauma of new places and new faces can be difficult for both parents and children. Why do some people bounce back after a change and others sink into themselves? What about when a family moves into a different culture? How do individuals maintain a sense of well-being in the face of 180-degree life change? To determine the role genetics and environment have in calculating survival or success, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with three women about the resilience across cultures and the immigrant experience. Justine Gatt is the Lead Scientist at Gatt Wellbeing and Resilience group. She describes the multiple studies she has been a part of that measure wellbeing and resilience in various cultures and with varying stressors. Mother, Lan Cao and Daughter, Harlan Lan Cao, co-authored Family in Six Tones: A Refugee Mother, An American Daughter. Each describes how her experience differed from the other in school, society, and when writing the book.

Religiously Curious and Spiritually Independent with Rabbi Rami Shapiro PhD, Amy-Jill Levine PhD & Marc Zvi Brettler PhD Jun 01, 2022

Show notes

Walk into a Christian church that preaches from the Old Testament and then walk into a synagogue that teaches from the Hebrew Bible, the scripture should be similar, right? Well, not exactly. Even though both books are known to depict the same stories, many factors go into how we interpret them. Certain works may be highlighted in one religion or omitted by another. To explore the intricacies of religion and spirituality, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with three authors and religious scholars about the purpose of religion, religious texts, and spirituality. Rabbi Rami Shapiro is a highly decorated, yet unorthodox Rabbi who has studied many religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, and is a Mason in the Scottish Rite. He joins Lisa to discuss the fine points of his book, Judaism Without Tribalism: A Guide to Being a Blessing to All the Peoples of the Earth, and to share spiritual practices that can be used to elevate us all. Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler discuss, the role of women in the bible, the different versions of the Bible, and the innumerable and diverse interpretations of individual religious texts based on research gained while writing, The Bible With and WIthout Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently.

Warehouses of Experience: Brain, Body, and Trauma with Dr. Paul Valent MD & Dr. Thomas Verny MD May 25, 2022

Show notes

Have you ever read a book or heard a story of an unusually cruel or violent person and wonder what makes them capable of such atrocities? A sound hypothesis would be that the person had a very difficult and painful childhood, suffering abuses beyond normal coping mechanisms. But, new discoveries suggest that stress and trauma can be passed from one generation to subsequent generations through RNA and DNA. Making humans truly an amalgam of their ancestors. To discover the impact our family of origin has on our cellular makeup and disposition, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two doctors who have a unique history about their fascinating work and the application of it to the healing and recovery process. Dr. Paul Valent specializes in the harm people inflict on one another and why they do it. He is the author of Heart of Violence: Why People Harm Each Other which he discusses in detail. Dr. Thomas Verny is a clinical psychiatrist who has made strides in the discovery of cellular memory and how stress affects generations. His book, The Embodied Mind: Understanding the Mysteries of Cellular Memory, Consciousness, and Our Bodies investigates the storage of memories outside the brain, the impact of organ transplants, and epigenetics

Psychology of Money: Finessing Financial Security with Michelle Singletary & Scott Nations May 18, 2022

Show notes

These days, more often than not, financial market headlines include the terms ‘market crash’, ‘bubble bursting’, ‘inflation’, or ‘downturn’. What do these terms mean for long-term investors or for those who don’t invest but are impacted by job loss or economic hardship? How can everyday Americans attain enough financial security to be happy? To get expert advice about staying financially healthy, Positive Psychology Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two economic experts who talk about the psychology of money and how to achieve financial security. Michelle Singletary is a well-known financial advisor and a syndicated columnist for the Washington Post and other high-profile news outlets. She discusses tips for creating a savings cushion in the case of an emergency and how financial security means paying for basic needs first. The information is from her book, What to Do with Your Money When Crisis Hits: A Survival Guide. Scott Nations is the president of a financial firm and a regular contributor to CNBC. He talks about his book, The Anxious Investor: Mastering the Mental Game of Investing, and the human behaviors that lead us to either be averse to risk or embrace it.

Mythology of Otherness: Building Resilience, Forgiveness, and Connection with John Crowley PhD & Wendy Sanford MFA May 11, 2022

Show notes

When we take a moment to go through the thought experiment of putting ourselves in the shoes of another, the perceived lines of differences begin to fade and we gain a better understanding of the other person and ourselves. Being mindful of our feelings and emotions allows us to decenter and observe the mind’s automatic responses so we can preserve our well-being and make better choices. To discover the daily practices that help us open our minds to healing, Positive Psychology Podcast Host, Lisa Cypers Kamen, speaks with two guests who study the brain’s socio-evolutionary abilities and limitations. John Crowley promotes mindful meditation to reduce stress and overcome automaticity. Wendy Sanford shares the personal journey that inspired her to write, These Walls Between Us: A Memoir of Friendship Across Race and Class, about stepping out of her white privileged upbringing.

Human Healing: Restorative Practices for Real People and a Better World with Elena Mustakova EdD & Jason Gots May 04, 2022

Show notes

o get in touch with our spiritual side we must clear out, bypass, cleanse, and filter through all of the programming that has told us to be strong, get over it, and feel shame. For humanity to heal, we need to gather quiet moments, reflect on our experiences, and work together in a compassionate, understanding, and principled way. We have the unique opportunity to make the most of our one shot at this conscious life. To gather the tools needed to help us on our healing journey, Positive Psychology Podcast Host, Lisa Cypers Kamen, speaks with two authors who observe and report on how to heal the human experience. Elena Mustakova summarizes the highlights of her book, Global Unitive Healing: Integral Skills for Personal and Collective Transformation and reminds us that it is OK to reclaim our spirituality. Jason Gots shares the inspiration behind the writing of his book, Humanity Is Trying: Experiments in Living with Grief, Finding Connection, and Resisting Easy Answers, and describes how suffering can be a gateway to healing.