Can we boost our sense of happiness and overall well-being? Why do some individuals not only survive - but thrive - in the face of life's challenges? Dr. Sue Varma, a psychiatrist and cognitive behavioral therapist joins us on the publication day of her new book, Practical Optimism: The Art, Science, and Practice of Exceptional Well-Being to answer these questions and more. The conversation explores Dr. Varma's 4 Ms of mental health - mood, mastery, meaning, and mindset - and addresses what Dr. Varma learned from 9/11 survivors about how to be resilient, even in the wake of trauma. Before the episode ends, Dr. Varma details the daily habits that lead to lasting, positive change in our sense of well-being.
Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

158: Practical Optimism with Dr. Sue Varma

Raising kids can be a bumpy, stressful, and uncertain process – which is why Dr. Lisa Damour is here to help. The author of bestsellers Untangled, Under Pressure, and The Emotional Lives of Teenagers brings her sane, informed, and practical perspective to your timely and timeless parenting questions. Co-host and journalist Reena Ninan, a former White House and foreign correspondent, gets the answers parents need. In each episode, Dr. Lisa and Reena blend expert knowledge with their experience and struggles as parents themselves to tackle real-life questions sent in by listeners.

Kids & Family

Parenting

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

Sleep is essential for mental and physical health, but most teens don’t get nearly enough of it. Special Guest Lisa L. Lewis, journalist and author of "The Sleep-Deprived Teen: Why Our Teenagers Are So Tired, and How Parents and Schools Can Help Them Thrive," joins Dr. Lisa and Reena to answer listener questions about teens and sleep, tech use, summer bedtimes, school start times and more. Their conversation unpacks the results of the Stanford Sleep Study, and Reena finds out how Lisa L. Lewis helped change school start times in California. Tune in for expert advice and practical tips to ensure that our teens get the rest they need.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

168: Teens and Sleep, with Journalist & Author Lisa L. Lewis

How can adults steer teens away from marijuana in states where the drug is now legal? A parent writes in asking for guidance on raising teens in a community where pot use is wide-spread and normalized. To complicate matters, the parent uses recreational cannabis at home but worries, appropriately, about how early experimentation with the drug could compromise her teens’ safety and well-being. Dr. Lisa and Reena address several crucial questions: What are the risks associated with adolescent marijuana use? How do adults have effective conversations with teens about the potential harms of using pot? And how do we help our teens make good choices now that we are raising them in a cannabis-friendly world?

Listen to Reena's interview with Education Secretary Miguel Cardona on FAFSA:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnobVC432HE

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

167: Weed's Legal. How Do I Talk With My Teen About It?

How do you respond when your child is being bullied? A concerned parent writes in about her 12-year-old daughter who is being taunted by three older boys on the school bus. Dr. Lisa unpacks the dynamics of bullying and answers several key questions: What’s the difference between conflict and bullying? Why do kids bully? What is the impact of being bullied? How and when should adults step in? The conversation addresses the step-by-step process adults should consider when addressing bullying in order to not make the situation worse. Reena asks what adults can do to support children who are being mistreated by their peers and what really works to prevent bullying.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

166: My Kid Is Being Bullied. What Should I Do?

A parent writes in about her 17-year-old son who is reeling from a tough breakup with his long-time girlfriend. As the teen faces the transition to college and grapples with intense sadness his parents have several questions: Should they be concerned about his reaction? How can they support him, especially when he shuts them out? And must high school sweethearts part ways before college? Dr. Lisa describes the many ways that adults can help teens cope with heartbreak including offering empathy, providing comfort, helping the teen establish healthy boundaries with the ex, and more. Reena asks if there’s any way to prevent heartbreak in teens and the conversation covers how best to help young people navigate the loss of their first love.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

165: How Do I Support my Heartbroken Son?

Dr. Lisa and Reena respond to a letter from a parent who feels uneasy about her ten-year-old’s sudden interest in expensive skin care products. The parent finds herself stuck between two bad options: buying her daughter products that are costly and unnecessary, or being at odds with her daughter because she refuses to do so. Dr. Lisa and Reena unpack the many forces that come together - some new, some age-old - to drive the current trend of tweens and teens taking an interest in high-end skin care routines. Their conversation addresses how kids’ interest in luxury skin care can open up critical conversations about peer pressure, social media marketing, and unrealistic beauty standards.

Follow and subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can see all our latest video episodes: https://youtube.com/@asklisapodcast
And follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn @AskLisaPodcast, @Lisa.Damour, @ReenaNinan.
Checkout Dr. Lisa’s website for more resources: https://www.drlisadamour.com/

Ask Lisa is produced by: https://www.goodtroubleproductions.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

158: Practical Optimism with Dr. Sue Varma

Download our free app to listen on your phone