Last year was stressful for everyone in one way or another, and the new year has brought more uncertainty and unrest in its early days. That is leaving many people feeling not just stressed, but traumatized. In this episode, Dr. Karol Darsa — a licensed psychologist and the founder and executive director of Reconnect Integrative Trauma Treatment Center in Los Angeles — talks with host Paula Felps about how stress and trauma affect us and what strategies we can use to manage our feelings in a time of uncertainty. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between trauma and stress.

Right now, many of us feel like we just want someone to swoop in and fix the world. That’s where Franklin Rock comes in. Franklin Rock is a fictional character created by this week’s guest, physician Mark E. Klein. After writing two books on purpose and happiness, Mark took a new approach to the message and created a character who goes on a mission to fix the world. Little did Mark know that he had created the exact hero we need for 2021. On this episode, he talks about how this story came about, what we can learn from it and how Franklin Rock can give all of us a new perspective.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why worrying about our choices is an exercise in futility

As we begin 2021, many different emotions are at play. Whether it’s relief, anticipation, hope or even dealing with a sense of loss and grief, this is a time of reflection and a chance to look at what we want to create for the year ahead. This week’s guest is Carew Papritz, author of The Legacy Letters and a passionate advocate for civility and conscious living. He’s here to talk about how we can use this time as an opportunity to create personal change that will last a lifetime and define our personal legacy.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why this time presents such a wonderful opportunity for all of us.

With a new year on the horizon, many of us are thinking about our new year’s resolutions. But this year, what if you made a plan instead? This week’s guest, Brent Franson, is founder of Most Days, a life improvement platform designed to let you create healthy routines while also getting a social support system. He’ll tell us how his own struggles led to creating this platform and how he’s using it to help others address challenges like depression, anxiety, loneliness, sleep disturbances and more.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The importance of having a routine to address your personal challenges.

As Christmas arrives this week, most of us are experiencing the holidays in a very different way than we’re used to. In fact, for many, it doesn’t feel much like Christmas at all. This week, we’re joined by Dr. Jennifer Wegmann, a professor at Binghamton University and author of Resilience: How to Master Stress, Reduce Anxiety and Live Well. She’s here to give us some tips on how to redefine the holidays and make this time one of gratitude and renewal.  

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why it's important to change mindsets and expectations for the holidays.

It’s the holiday season, which means it’s time for Christmas music and holiday cheer. This week’s guest is Aneesa Sheik, a rising singer/songwriter who uses her music to deliver an inspirational message. Not only does she do that with her new single, Happy Little Holiday, but she strives to make all of her music uplifting and empowering. She’s here to tell us more about her music, what shapes the positive messaging in her songs and why she started a non-profit organization to reach patients in nursing homes and hospitals during the pandemic.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How music is such a powerful healing tool

It’s no secret that, here at Live Happy, we are fans of positivity. But why are people now talking about toxic positivity?

In this episode, author and therapist Dr. Lauren Cook joins us to talk about how this usually well-meaning approach to positivity can create a backlash. Toxic positivity is a form of happiness that can actually damage personal and professional relationships, so this episode looks at what it is, why it is harmful to us and our loved ones, and what we can do to overcome it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How to tell if you’re practicing toxic positivity.

Many of us would do just about anything for our pets. But have you thought about how much your pet is doing for you?

This week’s guest is here to tell us! Dr. Margit Gabriele Muller is a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and executive director at Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital. But she’s also a speaker, life coach and author of multiple books on animals, including her latest — Your Pet, Your Pill: 101 Inspirational Stories About How Pets Lead You to a Happy, Healthy and Successful Life. She’s here to explain what our furry, feathered and finned friends are doing for our health and overall well-being. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How pets are beneficial for our daily lives and our health.

This has been the most unusual and, for many, the most difficult year in recent memory. So what’s gratitude got to do with it? As we celebrate Thanksgiving this week, it’s the perfect time to talk about how important gratitude is – not only at Thanksgiving, but as a daily practice. Live Happy CEO and co-founder Deborah K. Heisz joins us to talk about gratitude and other practices to make this unusual Thanksgiving more meaningful.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why gratitude is more important than ever right now.

As we get older, it’s common to start thinking about what kind of legacy we’re leaving behind. But what if we started thinking about living our legacy instead of leaving it?

This week’s guest is Codi Shewan, author of Everyday Legacy: Living Your Life with Purpose, Right Now. Codi’s career in the funeral industry gave him unique insight into death and the realization that every day matters. Now, he explains how each of us can discover our own legacy and live it to the fullest.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What it means to live a legacy.