Crappy to Happy

By Cass Dunn

A psychologist bringing you real talk, relatable and practical ideas to help you feel less crappy and more happy.

Cass Dunn shares her wealth of expertise as a Clinical & Coaching P

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FAQs about Crappy to Happy:

How many episodes does Crappy to Happy have?

The podcast currently has 239 episodes available.

Crappy to Happy episodes:

June 08, 2026Are you afraid to be content?
It's nice to feel content, peaceful and satisfied with life. But how long do you let yourself feel any of those things before you get twitchy?

Let's talk about why you might find it so challenging to allow yourself to feel content. It might be guilt, or a fear that you'll get complacent, a history of struggle that makes peace feel foreign to you, or a core belief that you're not worthy or deserving of ease.

Takeaways:

The difference between contentment and happiness
How our conditioning to strive and achieve makes rest feel like a threat
Why your brain might resist pleasant feelings
Why joy and peace can feel uncomfortable when you try to access them
The worthiness blocks that keep you from feeling okay with your own life
How waiting for the worst robs you of joy
Why cultivating contentment from the inside is the only version that lasts

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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21min
May 28, 2026Feeling Meh? How to Get Out of a Rut.
If you’re feeling a little bored and uninspired, I get it. I noticed recently that after 9 years of podcasting, ideas were not flowing and creativity felt like a chore. (This is normal of course.) But after spending two days out of the office at The Podcast Show last week, I’ve discovered renewed enthusiasm.

I realised that getting out of my bubble was exactly what I needed, so I’m sharing some ideas that might help you tap into some of that inspiration and spark up your interest and energy again. Whether you work for yourself, work from home, or just spend a lot of time alone at a laptop, there is some science that can point us in the right direction. I’m sharing some of that science, some practical ideas, and things that have helped me personally.

What you'll learn

What's happening in your brain when you're in a rut - and why pushing harder often makes it worse
Why getting out of your usual environment does more than change the scenery (there's actual neuroscience here)
How to engineer novel experiences without booking a flight (by all means, feel free to also book a flight)
Why being around people who can help is the first thing we cut when when we're busy - and why that's a mistake
Simple ways to shift your workspace and change your energy
Why your brain generates better ideas when it has space to breathe - and how to give it that
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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24min
April 14, 2026A Wearable for Deep Sleep, Mental Strength & Cognitive Health with Ariel Garten
If you've ever wondered whether your sleep tracker is actually accurate, or whether meditation is doing anything measurable in your brain, this episode is for you. Ariel Garten is the co-founder of Muse, the brain-sensing headband, and she's back on the show with a significant update on how the technology has evolved. The Muse Athena contains an entirely new technology called fNIRS that tracks real-time blood flow and oxygen delivery to your prefrontal cortex.

We get into why wrist-based devices like Oura and Apple Watch can only ever estimate your sleep stages - because they're guessing from heart rate and movement, not brainwave data, whereas the Muse measures deep sleep at 94% accuracy compared to a clinical sleep lab. It's Deep Sleep Boost feature uses barely-audible pink noise pulses to increase the amount of time you spend in deep, restorative slow-wave sleep. We also go into ADHD territory. Both Ariel and I are diagnosed, and we talk about what neurofeedback and meditation training can do for focus, executive function, and the near-constant urge to abandon tasks halfway through.

What you'll learn
Why wrist-based sleep trackers can't accurately measure deep sleep, and how EEG-based tracking changes the picture
What deep sleep actually does for your brain and body - and why it matters for memory, cognitive function, and reducing the risk of Alzheimer's
How the Deep Sleep Boost feature uses tiny pink noise pulses synced to your delta waves to deepen your sleep (and why your bed partner won't even hear it)
What your alpha peak frequency is, why it tends to decline with age, and how you can track and potentially maintain it through neurofeedback
What fNIRS technology is and why training your prefrontal cortex to demand more oxygen could be important for long-term brain health
How Muse's neurofeedback and meditation tools can support focus, attention, and executive function - and what this means if you have ADHD
The full range of content in the Muse app, including over 500 guided sessions covering sleep, stress, relationships, focus, and more
How the app's AI assistant, ENSO, can help you interpret your data, track trends over time, and find the right tools for your goals
Resources mentioned

Muse headband:
www.choosemuse.com/
(enter code cassdunn at checkout for 15% off)

Previous episode with Ariel Garten (2019)
https://www.crappytohappypod.com/wearable-technology-for-your-brain-with-ariel-garten/

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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44min
April 01, 2026How to Deal with Difficult People
Working title was “How to Deal with Ar5eholes” but I thought Apple might ban me.

After being evicted from our rental in the UK, I had to sell our house in Australia from the other side of the world. I did not expect the amount of conflict and tension I would have to manage (uncooperative tenants, RE agents not communicating and a selling agent in London applying pressure to meet an impossible deadline).

Let’s just say I was not always my best self. 😐 I reacted emotionally, sent emails I shouldn’t have, and felt like I couldn’t trust anybody.

Somewhere in the middle of it, while I was walking my dogs, where most of my better thinking happens, I realised there are useful lessons here, and they’ll be worth sharing once I’m through to the other side.

Well, I’m through to the other side! The house is sold. And I’m sharing five things that helped me navigate a high-conflict period without losing my mind or my values in the process. These are my go-to strategies for dealing with difficult people, managing your own emotional reactivity, and staying true to who you want to be, even when other people are being complete dicks.

What you’ll learn in this episode:
The one question to ask yourself first when you’re angry at someone else
How everyone -including the most difficult person in your life right now - is just trying to get their own needs met (and how understanding this can shift the whole dynamic)
Why email and text are the worst ways to communicate when there’s tension
How to hold your ground assertively and firmly without compromising your values and adding fuel to the fire
The woo woo things I do when I feel powerless and why it’s so helpful even if you don’t think it works

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
25min
March 11, 2026Reclaiming Sexual Pleasure in Midlife with Dr Maria Sophocles
If sex has slowly disappeared from your life - or started to feel like something you dread rather than look forward to - and you're not sure whether to blame your hormones, your relationship, your exhaustion, or just yourself, this episode is going to help.

My guest is Dr Maria Sophocles, a board-certified OB/GYN and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner who has spent 30 years working with women on the clinical frontline of this exact problem. She's the author of the brand new book The Bedroom Gap, and the creator of a TED Talk on midlife sex that has now been watched over a million times.

Maria coined the term "the bedroom gap" to describe the very real and very unspoken difference in sexual expectations and abilities between men and women in midlife. It's not just about low libido, but the physical changes happening in your body that nobody explains to you, the cultural messaging that tells women their discomfort doesn't matter, a medical system that created Viagra in 1998 but left women largely without equivalent solutions, and the shame that keeps so many of us from even raising the subject with our doctors.

In this conversation, Maria breaks down the physiology of what oestrogen loss actually does to your vagina, your bladder, and your capacity for arousal . We talk about vaginal oestrogen, why it's safe for virtually every woman on the planet, and why so many women never get offered it; and what to say to your doctor when sexual symptoms aren't being addressed.

In this episode, you'll learn:
What "the bedroom gap" actually is and why it tends to widen so dramatically during perimenopause and menopause
What oestrogen loss is really doing to your body - and why pain and dryness during sex are physiological, not a personal failing
Why vaginal oestrogen is considered safe for virtually every woman but is still widely under-prescribed
Why your HRT patch or gel alone is often not enough for sexual and bladder symptoms, and what to ask for instead
How Viagra, despite being a genuine breakthrough for some couples, also made the bedroom gap worse for a great many women
What the new FDA approval for female sexual desire actually means - and why it matters that it took this long
The real story on testosterone for women, why it's approved in Australia but not the US or UK, and what it can do
How porn has become the default sex educator for an entire generation, and the resources Maria actually recommends instead
What to say when you want to start a conversation about sex with a long-term partner, a doctor, or your adult daughter
Resources mentioned:
The Bedroom Gap by Dr Maria Sophocles - mariasophoclesmd.com/book/
Dr Maria Sophocles' TED Talk: "What happens to sex in midlife? A look at the bedroom gap" - ted.com/speakers/maria_sophocles
OMGYES (sex education resource) - omgyes.com
Erica Lust TED Talk on female-forward adult content - search "Erica Lust TED Athens"
Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski
Dr Maria Sophocles on Instagram: @MariaSophoclesMD
Dr Maria Sophocles on LinkedIn

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
41min
February 04, 2026Lessons I've Learned Since Being Evicted
We got evicted. The subsequent upheaval has revealed a lot to me about how my own nervous system patterns show up, especially when things feel uncertain or out of control. While my situation is personal, this experience is universal so in this ep, I'm sharing why our default stress response is often to push through, people please, overwork, or avoid decisions, even if we destroy ourselves in the process.

Many of the behaviours we criticise ourselves for are actually safety strategies that we learned early to protect us when we feel emotionally unsafe. I break down the different nervous system stress responses and explain how they show up in everyday life, work, and relationships.

Most importantly, I share why self awareness alone isn’t enough to create change, and why working with your nervous system, rather than against it, is essential if you want to feel calmer, more grounded, and more in control of your choices. What you’ll learn:
How your nervous system prioritises safety over logic and long term goals
The four main stress responses and how they show up in daily life
Why pushing through discomfort often keeps you stuck
How people pleasing, overworking, avoidance, and perfectionism develop
Why insight doesn’t automatically translate into behaviour change
What it actually takes to make decisions from a calmer, more regulated place
If you’ve ever wondered why you keep repeating patterns you’re very aware of, this episode will help you understand what’s really driving them, and where to begin if you want something to change.

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
34min
January 15, 2026Letting Go and Starting Again with Tiffiny Hall
Tiff Hall has been part of Crappy to Happy since the very beginning, and she's a woman who knows reinvention better than most. She spent a decade building a powerful, values-driven fitness brand, showing up through pregnancies, injuries, illness, body changes and enormous personal pressure. And then she made a decision that surprised many people, selling TXO to 28 by Sam Wood and stepping out of her CEO role.

This is an honest conversation about identity, grief, relief, and the courage it takes to choose a new chapter even when the old one has been successful. We talk about the emotional impact of walking away from something you've poured your heart into, the backlash and disappointment from a community you genuinely love, and what happens when your capacity, your body, and your priorities shift.

Tiff shares how motherhood changed her, why stepping back is not giving up, and how returning to her roots as a trainer has reconnected her to what she loves most. We also talk about comparison, social media pressure, running an online business as a woman, and what it means to grow in a way that is sustainable rather than impressive.

What you’ll learn:
What really goes on emotionally when you sell a business you built yourself
Why stepping back can feel like grief and freedom at the same time
How motherhood, injury, and illness reshaped Tiff’s relationship with fitness
The hidden pressure of running a values-led business in a highly visible industry
Why being too accessible and too generous can clash with business sustainability
How comparison and social media exposure affect mental health
Why choosing less can sometimes give you more
If you’re in a season of questioning, scaling back, or reimagining what success looks like for you, you'll want to listen to this one.

Train with Tiff on 28 by Sam Wood
https://28bysamwood.com/

Follow Tiff on IG
www.instagram.com/tiffhall_xo

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
51min
January 06, 2026New Year, Same You: How to Set Goals You Actually Achieve in 2026
How do you embrace the "new year, new start" energy without overshooting your goals and setting yourself up to fail?

Every January we're bombarded with resolutions, routines, and lofty promises about who we're supposed to become; and every year, many of us quietly abandon them, feeling guilty, unmotivated, and like we've failed.

In this solo ep, I'm sharing my very deliberate anti-resolution approach to 2026, not because goals don't matter, but because the way we usually set them often does more harm than good.

With a background in coaching psychology and my experience of late diagnosed ADHD, this is an honest reflection on what did and did not work for me last year and the much simpler and more compassionate way I'm approaching my goals this year.

The secret is not doing more. It's doing less, with intention.

I explain why setting the bar lower can strengthen your self trust, why consistency matters more than intensity, and how choosing fewer priorities can help you feel calmer, more confident, and more fulfilled as the year unfolds.
What you will learn:
Why I'm not a fan of New Year’s resolutions
How unrealistic goals quietly erode your self concept and confidence
Why consistency beats intensity when it comes to habits and behaviour change
The surprising psychological benefits of choosing just one daily habit
What it means to go deep on one skill or area instead of skimming the surface of many
How focusing on completion, not busyness, can change how you feel about yourself
Simple questions to help you decide what actually matters this year
How to harness fresh start energy without setting yourself up to fail
If you are craving a calmer, more grounded start to the year, and you want goals that support your wellbeing rather than undermine it, this episode will give you plenty to reflect on.

For more on this topic:

What to Do Instead of New Year's Resolutions

Kickstart Your New Year by Setting Goals that Matter

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
31min
December 16, 2025How I'm Using AI to Massively Simplify My Business
AI is everywhere right now and it’s moving fast, from fake online personas and voice cloning to coaches selling AI versions of themselves. The pace of change is astonishing, and if you don't keep up, you'll be left behind. So what does this mean for small business owners, therapists and coaches?

In this episode, I talk through what I’ve been learning as I’ve gone all in on understanding the potential of AI and the role it can play as a complement to your expertise, not a substitute for it. When harnessed effectively AI offers a way to reduce burnout, remove administrative overload and free up hours of precious time that can be redirected to more meaningful, human centred interactions.

I'm sharing how I’m personally using AI in my business, why training AI properly matters, and where I believe the hard ethical lines still need to be drawn, especially when it comes to mental health and therapy. I think for any ethical business owner, there is an exciting opportunity right now to embrace artificial intelligence in your business and use it to make a meaningful difference in your own life and the lives of people you work with, without outsourcing your judgement, your values or your humanity.

What You’ll Learn
Why AI feels so uncomfortable for people and why that reaction makes sense
The difference between copy and paste prompts, custom GPTs and more advanced AI agents
How AI can genuinely reduce overwhelm for small business owners and solopreneurs (especially if you have ADHD!)
Why women appear to be slower to adopt AI
The ethical risks of AI being used as therapy and where things can go wrong
How you can train AI "Assistants" to sound exactly like you when they produce content
Why the future of work may actually place more value on real human connection, not less
How to think about using AI in a way that aligns with your values rather than eroding them

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod

This episode includes AI-generated content.
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
41min
December 03, 2025The ADHD Signs Women Keep Missing with Tracy Otsuka
Women with ADHD are still being overlooked, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed, and the consequences can be profound. In this episode, I sit down with Tracy Otsuka, ADHD Coach and bestselling author of "ADHD for Smartass Women', whose mission is to help women stop pathologising themselves and start recognising their inherent creativity, intelligence, and strength.

Tracy shares her personal story, beginning with her son’s diagnosis at age 12, which sparked her deep dive into understanding ADHD. What followed was her own late diagnosis, years of independent research, and the creation of a global community that now reaches millions.

We explore why girls and women often slip through the cracks, why inattentive ADHD can be so invisible, and how societal expectations create trauma that compounds symptoms. Tracy breaks down the differences between being a hyperactive ‘doer’ versus an internal ‘thinker’, and why so many clever, capable women spend years believing they’re simply not trying hard enough.

Most importantly, Tracy offers a different way of understanding ADHD; one that centres interest, creativity, dopamine, and authenticity rather than deficit and disorder.

What You’ll Learn
The surprising reason so many smart, capable women with ADHD remain undiagnosed well into adulthood
Why Tracy does not believe ADHD is a disorder, and what the research actually shows about mental health outcomes
How chronic trauma (including the trauma of feeling misunderstood) can masquerade as ADHD symptoms
Why women with ADHD often become perfectionists, people pleasers, or high achievers
How an interest-driven nervous system really works
Why your brain lights up for some tasks and completely shuts down for others (it’s not laziness)
The importance of designing your life around your strengths rather than forcing yourself to fit neurotypical expectations
Practical strategies for thriving with an ADHD brain — at work, at home, and in relationships
Resources mentioned in this episode

The A-OK Mind App:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/a-ok-mind/id6749597141

Cube Timer
Amazon UK: https://amzn.to/3KFIG3E
Amazon Australia: https://amzn.to/48zwY2C

Readwise:https://readwise.io

Connect with Tracy:
www.tracyotsuka.com

If you’d like more conversations like this, or you have questions you’d love me to explore in a future episode, you can submit them via www.crappytohappy.com

Beyond Confident 2.0 for Solopreneurs & Service Providers
Open for enrolment NOW.

Transform self-doubt & self-sabotage, rewire your nervous system for success, and do the inner healing work, while being supported to create a streamlined, profitable business that supports your lifestyle.

www.cassdunn.com/bc2

Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Connect with Cass:
www.cassdunn.com
www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo

Contact Crappy to Happy:

Email: [email protected]
www.crappytohappypod.com
www.instagram.com/crappytohappypod
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
...more
1h 6min

FAQs about Crappy to Happy:

How many episodes does Crappy to Happy have?

The podcast currently has 239 episodes available.

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