It’s time to go back to school, and for some kids — and their parents — that means a whole lot of stress. This week, host Paula Felps talks with Dr Laura Phillips, the Senior Director and a Senior Neuropsychologist in the Learning and Development Center at the Child Mind Institute. Laura specializes in working with children who have learning disorders, mood disorders and anxiety, among other things, and in this episode, she explains how going back to school can create anxiety for kids of all ages and how it also can affect their parents. Then, she tells us what we can do about it.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Some of the causes of back-to-school anxiety and why it is more prevalent today.
• The role that social media plays in cultivating greater anxiety — and how to manage it.
• Tips for starting the school year smoothly and creating new morning practices. 

Doing good for others is good for us! With our new Happy Activist series, we’re spotlighting ordinary people who are changing the world around them just by doing good. Every few weeks we’ll introduce you to a new Happy Activist, and for this episode, host Paula Felps talks with Dawn McMullan, who found her calling when she met a woman who had fled the Democratic Republic of Congo. As Dawn learned more about the plight of girls and young women in the Congo, she was compelled to act. Today, she has helped change the future for hundreds of women while at the same time finding a greater sense of purpose.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why giving back has become so important to her.
• How doing good for others and made her life better.
• How to find the “thing” that lights you up. 

Can picking up a pen change your life? This week’s guest says it can! Beth Kempton has been writing nearly her entire life, and she’s learned the value of a daily writing practice. Her latest book, The Way of the Fearless Writer, looks at the many ways writing can help clarify our goals, reconnect us with our dreams, and teach us to listen to our inner voice. In this episode, she explains how becoming a writer is more about what it does for your soul than becoming a best-seller — and how just a few minutes of writing a day can change the way you see the world. 

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why writing is good for your overall well-being.
• How writing can help you reconnect with your creativity.
• Tips for starting a writing practice. 

We are now officially in the middle of summer, and that means it’s time to take it a little bit easier and take time for ourselves. So this week, host Paula Felps sits down with Live Happy brand marketing manager Casey Johnson to look at some of their favorite episodes offering great advice on how to have a happier summer. They revisit a few of their faves and tell us why these episodes are perfect for helping us make the most of this summer.