Transcripts

Ring in the new year by learning about flexible eating skills with fitness expert Josh Hillis!

Dr. Devon Price, author of Laziness Does Not Exist, talks about the "laziness lie," where it came from, and why it can be harmful to our wellbeing.

Alice Kearney joins Jill for a discussion about teaching kids to build resilience in a challenging world.

Radhule Weininger and Diana discuss how and why we engage in painful patterns, how to transform them, and how to use mindfulness and psychology to find freedom today.

Most people would agree that happiness is one of the most salient and significant dimensions of human experience. After all, wouldn't we all like to be happy? But what exactly is happiness? And how do we get more of it? Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., has dedicated her career to studying human happiness, and on this episode of POTC, she joins Yael to answer this question and more! Join us in this episode to learn the empowering practice of cultivating your own happiness through practical, evidence-based strategies today!

Listen and Learn:

The evidence-based strategies Yael and Diana use to foster happiness in their lives

Sonja expertly breaks down what different studies are telling us about predicting and maintaining happiness

Sonja’s goals for your happiness and how she can help you build those through evidence-based strategies and practices

The empowering practice of cultivating your own happiness

Hedonic adaptation and how it fits into the scientific art of cultivating happiness

Practical advice for taking charge of your own happiness right now!

Fostering happiness in the presence of positive and negative memories and experiences

Which happiness-building activities work better for specific dispositions and temperaments

The erroneous beliefs and myths about what makes us happy or unhappy

Resources:

Read Sonja’s books, The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want and The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, But Doesn't, What Shouldn't Make You Happy, But Does

Learn more about Barbara Fredrickson  

Read Danny Kahneman’s study on parenting and happiness 

Paul Bloom's recent Atlantic piece on parenting and happiness

Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych.

Check out Debbie, Diana, Yael, and Jill’s websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more!

About Sonja Lyubomirsky:

Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Professor and the Vice Chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of California where she currently runs the Positive Activities & Well-Being Lab. She earned both her A.B. in Psychology and her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Stanford University. She has dedicated her career to studying human happiness, focusing on three main questions: 1) What makes people happy? 2) Is happiness a good thing, and 3) How and why can people learn to lead happier, more flourishing lives? Sonja has published numerous studies and made multiple media appearances exploring and discussing the answers to these questions. She has also published multiple books about happiness including The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want and her most recent work, The Myths of Happiness: What Should Make You Happy, But Doesn't, What Shouldn't Make You Happy, But Does. Learn more about Sonja at her website, sonjalyuobmirsky.com!

Related Episodes:

Episode 2. Hygge – Happiness and the Danish Art of Cozy Connection  

Episode 48. Practical Wisdom with Barry Schwartz

Episode 97. The New Happiness with Matthew McKay

Episode 116. Building a Meaningful, Values-based Life with Jenna LeJeune   

Episode 180. Choosing to Live Your Values with Benji Schoendorff

Episode 192. Happier with Tal Ben-Shahar

Episode 224. The Sweet Spot with Paul Bloom

Tired of the pressure to be perfect? Learn all about perfectionism with Jennifer Kemp, author of the ACT Workbook for Perfectionism!

A psychology podcast about the use of psychedelic drugs in psychotherapy.

Paul Bloom and Diana discuss the pleasures of suffering and the intersection of meaning and pain. Learn about why humans so frequently choose pain and how suffering and meaning are connected.

Moms are frequently expected to wear many hats. While juggling the numerous responsibilities, mothers must also deal with the cognitive overload many refer to as “Mom Brain”. Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, Ph.D., author of Mom Brain, is a clinical psychologist specializing in working with moms struggling with the overwhelm that comes with parenting young children. On this episode of POTC, Yael and Ilyse discuss evidence-based strategies mothers can use to overcome some of the innumerable challenges of parenthood. Listen in today for expert-approved strategies to managing feelings of overwhelm, clarifying your newfound values as a parent, and much, much more!

Listen and Learn:

Yael and Debbie’s personal experiences using their values and evidence-based strategies to juggle the different stressors that come with parenting

Why Ilyse’s book focuses on exclusively on moms

Ilyse’s response to criticisms about focusing on the individual, working parent rather than society at large

An evidence-based, expert approved definition of mom-brain

Tips and tricks (read: evidence-based behavioral strategies) for managing when you’re feeling tired and overwhelmed

Recommendations for clarifying your values as they change throughout parenthood 

Expert-approved strategies for approaching difficult conversations with your partner

How to distinguish between the “big stuff” and the “small stuff” when it comes to disagreements with your partner

Resources:

Buy Dr. DiMarco’s book, Mom Brain: Proven Strategies to Fight the Anxiety, Guilt, and Overwhelming Emotions of Motherhood--And Relax Into Your New Self 

Read Dr. DiMarco’s blog! 

Everything you need to know about The Gottman Institute

Learn about the DEAR MAN strategy  

The Bullseye worksheet for clarifying values

Grab your copy of all our favorite books at bookshop.org/shop/offtheclockpsych.

Check out Debbie, Diana, Yael, and Jill’s websites to access their offerings, sign up for their newsletters, buy their books, and more! 

About Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco:

Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco, Ph.D., is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in working with stressed moms. She received her B.A. from Yale University and her Ph.D. from Rutgers University. She has received extensive training in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and is a Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy. As Dr. DiMarco navigated her own personal parenting journey and worked with other moms in her practice, it occurred to her that she had the tools—cognitive-behavioral therapy strategies—to help herself and other moms face the everyday challenges of motherhood. She also came to understand that moms often won’t make time to see a therapist, but will make time to read their favorite mom blog on their phone. So she decided to create DrCBTMom.com, a site combining the expert advice of a CBT self-help book with the warmth and readability of a mommy blog. Since starting the blog, she has written a book, Mom Brain and other, shorter pieces for numerous publications (including The Washington Post, Parents.com, Today Parents, Motherwell, Scary Mommy, Psychology Today, The Week, and Motherly). Check out her work for strategies for managing all kinds of motherhood stresses, from how to cope when you feel like a hot mess to how to cope with your neighborhood “hot moms;” from dealing with pressure from overzealous PTA reps to dealing with pressure from meddling in-laws, and much more! Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.    

Related Episodes:

Episode 33. Couples with Young Children: Relationship Challenges and Strategies with Yael Schonbrun

Episode 86. Mom Brain with Ilyse Dobrow DiMarco 

​​Episode 87. Cribsheet with Emily Oster

Episode 137. The Complexities of Motherhood with Daphne de Marneffe

Episode 149. How Not to Lose it With Your Kids with Carla Naumberg

Episode 176. Fair Play with Eve Rodsky

Episode 214. How to Raise Kids Who Aren't Jerks with Melinda Wen...

On this psychology podcast, learn how to thrive living with food allergies or supporting a loved one with food allergy.