Sound frequencies can change not only our mental state, but change how we feel physically, too. Laura Widney first began using sound frequencies to help her wellness clients manage stress and anxiety. As she learned its many applications, she became chief innovation officer of Soaak, a company that offers sound therapy on the go. In this episode, she talks about how we all can use sound frequencies to boost our energy, enhance our focus, and improve our overall sense of well-being.
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The world is experiencing an extremely difficult time right now, and sometimes that can leave us wondering if it’s selfish — or even possible — to pursue happiness in such a chaotic time. This week host Paula Felps sits down with Matt Derrenbacher, Solo Rabbi for Congregation Beth Shalom in Columbia, Missouri, to talk about why searching for happiness right now is so important and how we can find — and offer — comfort in the face of so much uncertainty.
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If you don’t love your life at work, you’re not alone. New research shows that workers are the unhappiest they’ve been in years, so this week host, Paula Felps sits down with Greg Kettner, founder of the organization Work Happy and an expert in workplace well-being. They’re here to talk about what’s making us so unhappy on the job and what we can do about it.
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We know that the bonds we have with our pets are special, but this week’s guest may have you thinking about that connection at a deeper level. Jen Golbeck is the creator of social media’s popular The Golden Ratio channel, which shares photos and videos of her rescued golden retrievers. In this episode, she talks with host Brittany Derrenbacher about her new book, The Purest Bond: Understanding the Human-Canine Connection, which provides the science behind those incredible bonds and offers new insight into how we can use that information to improve our relationships with our own animals.
If you’ve ever wished there was a magic way to make anxiety disappear, this week’s guest has the next best thing! Brad Yates is an expert in emotional freedom tapping, also known as EFT or tapping. This practice combines the principles of acupuncture and positive psychology to help people overcome fears, relieve stress, and enjoy greater well-being. In this episode, Brad — author of the best-selling children’s book The Wizard’s Wish and co-author of the book Freedom at your Fingertips — explains how tapping works, some of the different ways to use it, and how to get started.
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Ten years ago, the happiness movement was just beginning to gain a global presence – and that paved the way for the birth of a company called Live Happy. This week, host Paula Felps talks with Deborah Heisz, CEO and co-founder of Live Happy LLC, to look back on 10 years of sharing happiness. Deb explains how her work in personal development led to discovering positive psychology and how that opened the door to launching a company that remains committed to sharing the many ways we can discover greater well-being and lead more fulfilling lives.
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Anxiety is so pervasive today that more than 40 million adults in the U.S. are living with it. This week’s guest, Dr. Jud Brewer, offers new insights into this growing problem and provides simple steps to help end the cycle of constant worrying. As New York Times best-selling author and director of research and innovation at Brown University’s Mindfulness Center, Dr. Jud released the book Unwinding Anxiety in 2021 and now the same techniques used in his book are available the Unwinding Anxiety app. In this episode, he tells us how we all can start breaking free from anxiety.
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Creative arts such as painting, dancing, acting, and singing can play a powerful role in self-care and mental health, but they’re often overlooked – especially in rural communities. This week, host Paula Felps sits down Happy Activist Becca Finley, founder of This is Noteworthy, a nonprofit designed to help creatives explore their artistic gifts and discover what it can do for them and the community they live in.
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Animals play an important role in our happiness, and with this new podcast from Live Happy, you’re going to learn why they’re so good for us and how to nurture our relationships with them. Each month, therapist and pet loss expert Brittany Derrenbacher will sit down with a new guest to explore some of the many ways we benefit from our relationships with animals. In this inaugural episode, she’s joined by Paula Felps, host of the Live Happy Now podcast, to talk about why we’re doing this podcast, why you need to pet more animals, and why you should put down your phone.
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We’ve become more comfortable with talking openly about mental health, but we’re still reluctant to talk about mental illness. This week’s guest knows first-hand the challenges of mental illness and why it’s so important to talk about it. Gabe Howard is an author, speaker, and host of the Inside Mental Health podcast. After being committed to a psychiatric hospital in 2003, Gabe was diagnosed with bipolar and anxiety disorders and today he uses his experience to help others navigate and understand that difficult path.
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It’s a common belief that we must live with ailments and declining well-being as we age. But this week’s guest, Dr. Ellen J. Langer, has decades of research that tells a different story. Known as the mother of mindfulness, Ellen is highly regarded as one of America’s most influential psychologists. Her new book, The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health, shows how our thoughts and perspectives can change our health.
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Why More Money Doesn’t Equal More Happiness With Tal Ben-Shahar
We’ve all heard that money can’t buy happiness, and new research is telling us why. This week, host Paula Felps talks with author and lecturer Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, co-founder of The Happiness Studies Academy and creator of the Master’s Degree in Happiness Studies at Centenary University. Tal talks about recent findings that show how our perception of money is damaging our happiness — and what we can do about it.
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We are now back in school, and this week’s guest is going to be everyone’s favorite science teacher! In this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Marsha Goodman, a cognitive neuroscientist turned popular children’s singer, songwriter and recording artist who performs under the name Marsha and the Positrons. As the name implies, her music is imbued with positivity and teaches listeners about things like kindness, friendship, and taking care of the planet and the people who live on it. She also throws some science in there and makes learning as fun and easy as listening to a song.
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Doing good for others is good for us! This week, we’re talking with Happy Activist Nancy Giammarco, a musician who rediscovered her love of art during the pandemic. She started enhancing children’s simple drawings for fun, which led to the creation of The Joanne Project, which she named after her late mother. Now, she focuses on bringing joy to children by turning simple drawings into works of art.
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The International Positive Psychology Association held its semi-annual World Congress in July. Over the next several weeks, Live Happy Now host Paula Felps is talking with thought leaders about some of the main themes that emerged during this year’s event and what takeaways we can borrow to improve our well-being. This week, Andrea Goeglein addresses some of the growing concerns about loneliness and the lack of social connections as well as giving us a fresh perspective on the World Happiness Report.
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