Tracking Happiness Podcast

From Chaos to Clarity: Overcoming a Toxic Family Past with Susan Gold

Welcome to another powerful episode of the Tracking Happiness podcast! In this episode, Hugo sits down with Susan Gold, who shares her inspiring journey from a chaotic childhood in central Pennsylvania to a fulfilling life in rural Montana.

Susan opens up about her struggles with mental health, addiction, and overcoming a toxic family environment.

Learn how she found her inner strength, embraced authentic happiness, and now helps others break free from toxic loops.

For more details, visit SusanGold.us and check out her book 'Toxic Family'.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

03:14 Susan's Chaotic Childhood

06:14 Early Adulthood and Career Beginnings

09:50 Struggles and Turning Points

12:56 Reflections and Personal Growth

17:36 Facing Abandonment and Embracing Vulnerability

18:36 The Journey to Self-Acceptance

20:17 Overcoming Physical and Emotional Challenges

23:03 Finding Inner Peace and Slowing Down

27:07 The Role of Spirituality and Empathy

31:39 Living with Purpose and Helping Others

33:58 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Overcoming Anxiety And OCD With Kyle Elliott | Tracking Happiness Podcast Ep. 5

In this episode of the Tracking Happiness Podcast, I sit down with Kyle Elliott, a career coach specializing in tech executives, to discuss his inspiring journey of overcoming mental health challenges.

Kyle opens up about his struggles with OCD and anxiety, his five-year battle with chronic migraines, and how a two-minute diagnosis changed his life. He shares the four pillars that help him manage his mental health: medication, therapy, self-care, and community, along with his love for Disneyland as a meaningful part of his self-care routine.

Throughout the conversation, we discuss the stigma surrounding mental health, the importance of storytelling in mental health recovery, and tips for finding joy beyond work for those struggling with work addiction.

Tune in for an insightful and uplifting discussion about navigating mental health challenges and finding happiness.

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest

01:23 Meet Kyle Elliott: Career Coach and Disney Enthusiast

03:31 Kyle's Journey with Mental Health

06:34 The Diagnosis and Treatment Journey

12:33 Living with Anxiety and OCD

15:17 Recognizing the Signs and Seeking Help

19:26 Kyle's Personal Experiences with OCD

21:01 Understanding Anxiety and OCD

22:21 The Role of Disney in Self-Improvement

25:51 Navigating Therapy and Finding the Right Therapist

28:50 The Importance of Community

31:05 Career Coaching and Mental Health

35:51 Overcoming Work Addiction

37:27 Finding Joy Outside of Work

39:32 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Breaking Free from Diet Culture with Alana Van Der Sluis | Tracking Happiness Podcast Ep. 4

Welcome to another episode of the Tracking Happiness Podcast! In this episode, I sit down with Alana Vander Sluis, a certified intuitive eating counselor, to discuss overcoming negative relationships with food and diet culture.

Alana shares her personal journey of battling with diet culture, binge eating, and how she found solace in intuitive eating. Despite societal pressures and media influence, Alana's transformative experience has driven her to help others achieve freedom with food and fitness. Tune in for insights on intuitive eating, the pitfalls of dieting, and practical steps toward a healthier, happier life.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

00:28 Discussing Dutch Origins and Podcast Experience

02:02 Alana's Background and Intuitive Eating

03:20 Struggles with Diet Culture

04:57 Journey to Intuitive Eating

11:51 Benefits and Science of Intuitive Eating

19:30 Alana's Current Work and Advice

27:56 Conclusion and Outro

She struggled with:

Anxiety

Childhood

Epilepsy

Stress

And she was helped by:

Self-Care

Self-improvement

Therapy

You can read more about Emily on her website here, more of what she has to share on her blog here. And here is where you can schedule a free chat to see if coaching with Emily will be the right fit, or shoot her an email.

Hugo Huijer (that’s me!) hosts the Tracking Happiness Podcast, an engaging show about destigmatizing struggles of mental health. It turns out that most people have experienced a struggle at some point in their lives.

For some, it’s a struggle they try to hide from others, whereas others face more visible struggles. Either way, these struggles often have a serious impact on our lives.

Unfortunately, I’ve learned that these struggles are often faced alone. Sometimes, we have no one to share these struggles with. But more often than not, we simply choose not to talk about them because we don’t want people to think less of us.

This podcast aims to change that. There’s power in talking and listening to others about their struggles. 

Stress, panic attacks, traumatic brain injury, postpartum depression, cPTSD or paranoia: No matter what your story is, I want to talk to people because it helps others find community and strength. 

Come and join me on this journey. Subscribe and like our podcast and help me spread these inspiring stories to others.

Want to share your own story? Head over to ⁠⁠https://www.trackinghappiness.com/share-your-story/⁠⁠

Find me on these platforms:

Website: ⁠⁠https://www.trackinghappiness.com⁠⁠

Instagram: ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/trackinghappinessnow/

Overcoming Depression and Burnout: Amanda Haro's Journey | Tracking Happiness Podcast Ep. 2

In this episode of the Tracking Happiness Podcast, we sit down with Amanda Haro, a burnout and confidence coach for moms, as she shares her life experiences, including battles with depression, moving across the country, and personal transformations.

Amanda provides insight into her struggles with mental health, starting from her teenage years with Guillain-Barre syndrome to coping with isolation and depression as a young mother in Wisconsin. She also discusses the importance of journaling and seeking therapy, as well as working through trauma and grief. Amanda offers a raw and inspiring look at how resilience and self-awareness can lead to healing and empowerment.

She struggled with:

Depression

Divorce

Grief

And she was helped by:

Medication

Self-Care

Self-improvement

Therapy

00:00 Introduction to the Podcast

00:12 Meet Amanda: From California to Wisconsin

01:13 Weather Talk and Podcast Experience

04:06 Amanda's Journey: From California to Wisconsin

06:14 Mental Health Struggles Begin

09:22 Depression and Survival Mode

19:50 The Role of Journaling

21:25 Recent Struggles and Financial Hardships

22:22 Family Business and Early Career

23:11 Loss and Grief During the Pandemic

24:34 Struggles with Depression

25:52 Seeking Help and Medication

30:12 Embracing Depression and Self-Care

37:43 The Power of Journaling

41:45 Life Coaching and Personal Growth

44:54 Conclusion and Contact Information

About the Tracking Happiness Podcast:

Hugo Huijer (that’s me!) hosts the Tracking Happiness Podcast, an engaging show about destigmatizing struggles of mental health. It turns out that most people have experienced a struggle at some point in their lives.

For some, it’s a struggle they try to hide from others, whereas others face more visible struggles. Either way, these struggles often have a serious impact on our lives.

Unfortunately, I’ve learned that these struggles are often faced alone. Sometimes, we have no one to share these struggles with. But more often than not, we simply choose not to talk about them because we don’t want people to think less of us.

This podcast aims to change that. There’s power in talking and listening to others about their struggles.

Stress, panic attacks, traumatic brain injury, postpartum depression, cPTSD or paranoia: No matter what your story is, I want to talk to people because it helps others find community and strength.

Come and join me on this journey. Subscribe and like our podcast and help me spread these inspiring stories to others.

Want to share your own story? Head over to

Find me on these platforms:

From Tragedy to Triumph: Andy Johnson's Journey to Healing | Tracking Happiness Podcast Ep. 1

Welcome to the first episode of the Tracking Happiness Podcast! I sit down with Andy Johnson, who shares his incredible journey of resilience and recovery following a devastating accident.

Andy, originally from South Korea and adopted by a family in Wisconsin, recounts how a life-altering accident led him to pursue psychology over music. Despite facing physical and cognitive challenges, Andy's determination and support system helped him overcome immense obstacles. He opens up about forgiving both himself and the driver, and how his experiences shaped his career as a therapist. Tune in for an inspiring story of growth, forgiveness, and finding purpose.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

01:04 Meet Andy Johnson

02:47 The Life-Changing Accident

05:16 Recovery and Rehabilitation

12:16 Forgiveness and Moving Forward

18:29 Becoming a Therapist

26:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

He struggled with:

Bipolar Disorder

Depression

Physical trauma

Suicidal

Traumatic Brain Injury

And he was helped by:

Medication

Religion

Self-improvement

Therapy

About the Tracking Happiness Podcast:

Hugo Huijer (that’s me!) hosts the Tracking Happiness Podcast, an engaging show about destigmatizing struggles of mental health. It turns out that most people have experienced a struggle at some point in their lives.

For some, it’s a struggle they try to hide from others, whereas others face more visible struggles. Either way, these struggles often have a serious impact on our lives.

Unfortunately, I’ve learned that these struggles are often faced alone. Sometimes, we have no one to share these struggles with. But more often than not, we simply choose not to talk about them because we don’t want people to think less of us.

This podcast aims to change that. There’s power in talking and listening to others about their struggles.

Stress, panic attacks, traumatic brain injury, postpartum depression, cPTSD or paranoia: No matter what your story is, I want to talk to people because it helps others find community and strength.

Come and join me on this journey. Subscribe and like our podcast and help me spread these inspiring stories to others.

Want to share your own story? Head over to

Find me on these platforms: