Harvesting Happiness

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic-induced lockdown,

many people are starved for human connection. Online social

gatherings may not have been enough to regulate our emotions

the way that pure, screen-free human touch does. It may feel

uncomfortable to be in close proximity to others, shake hands, or

embrace friends and family. And, when we do reach out, what do

we say to those who are grieving the loss of social connection or

the loss of a loved one? To delve deeper into how we can be

better communicators, Positive Psychology Podcast Host, Lisa

Cypers Kamen, speaks with two professors whose work revolves

around the many aspects of human communication and social

well-being. Kory Floyd studies interpersonal communication and

its effects on mental and physical health. He describes the

impacts of the COVID pandemic and the loneliness pandemic on

our mental state and how we can create connection through

communication. Valerie Manusov studies how behavior is

interpreted and the meaning we give to other nonverbal

communication cues. She reveals the insights about conflict

resolution, the effective communication attributes of trustworthy

leaders, and the importance of listening

Plenty of information exists about how exercise can boost our

immune system and add years to our lives. Emerging research

shows that physical movement can also ward off dementia,

increase creativity, and help us manage stress. To work out how

movement and exercise may be the wonder drug to heal our

brains and reduce the need for pharmaceuticals, Positive

Psychology Podcast Host, Lisa Cypers Kamen, speaks with two

authors whose work focuses on the connection between how

moving the body can heal the brain. Dr. Jennifer Heisz describes

the research that inspired her book, Move The Body, Heal The

Mind: Overcome Anxiety, Depression, and Dementia and Improve

Focus, Creativity, and Sleep. During the conversation, she shares

the physiology behind why the brain makes it hard for some of us

to get moving and how moving more improves our mental health.

Journalist Caroline Williams details the evidence behind the

findings included in her book, Move: How the New Science Can

Set Your Mind Free, and shares the neuroscience of how dance

and movement can increase human connection and help us

manage stress.

A cancer or other life-threatening disease diagnosis is a difficult blow to the patient receiving the news. The next steps for the patient include sharing the weight of the news with friends and loved ones. For some, certain expectations of support accompany the disclosure. A response can be difficult because the right thing to say differs from person to person. Is it better in some cases not to say anything and just listen? Our individual personality traits make it difficult to apply a one-size-fits-all communication style to all situations. But, to explore how we can show up for loved ones as better humans, Positive Psychology Podcast Host, Lisa Cypers Kamen, speaks with two doctors who research the human condition and communication. Dr. Adam Stern shares his journey of seeing the doctor-patient relationship change when he received his cancer diagnosis as detailed in his book, Committed: Dispatches from a Psychiatrist in Training. Dr. Colter Ray studies how human beings support each other during difficult times and the metrics of an emotional scorecard. He shares his findings and offers guidance for those on the receiving end of hard news.

The term retirement planning is often used by financial institutions to describe the means necessary to sustain a quality of life after a person’s primary career has ended. This antiquated way of thinking worked for a while, but times are changing. Longer life spans afford people new opportunities to recreate their lives and careers to be more aligned with their authentic selves and to nurture their desires. Healthy 50-year-olds often live into their 90s, so why would one career be enough if there are 40 more productive years in store? To find out more about opportunities available during a second or third phase of life, Positive Psychology Podcast Host, Lisa Cypers Kamen, speaks with two authors who embrace new possibilities to reignite purpose and meaning in life. Darrin Tulley left his CPA practice to practice connecting with people to help them find their joy. Darrin describes the pillars of his book, Live Your Possible: Ignite Your Happy Authentic Self and Live a Fulfilling Life Rooted in Joy, Inclusion, and Love of Possibilities!, and shares the secret sauce of the path to possible. Former president and publishing director of Hearst Magazines, Michael Clinton shares statistics gleaned from his research while writing his inspirational book, Roar: into the second half of your life (before it's too late). Micheal contends that life after 50 is the perfect time to expand horizons and nurture and develop what is important to us.