Studies show that our world is becoming less optimistic, but this week’s guest believes we can change that — and we can start this holiday season. Dr. Emily Bashah is a psychologist whose private practice specializes in mental illness, collective trauma, grief, and relationship dynamics. She’s also co-host of The Optimistic American podcast, where she and Paul Johnson create space for a positive and hopeful view of America and help us feel more optimistic about the future. In this episode, she shares how we can regain our optimism by changing how we think.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why we’re feeling less optimistic these days.
• How to overcome your innate negativity bias and find your optimism.
• What to keep in mind this holiday season to boost optimism. 

For many people, the holiday season marks an increase in anxiety. But this week’s guest explains why that’s not always a bad thing! Dr. David Rosmarin is an associate professor at Harvard Medical School, program director at McLean Hospital, and founder of the Center for Anxiety. He’s also author of the new book, Thriving with Anxiety: 9 Tools to Make Your Anxiety Work for You, and in this episode he talks about why the holidays cause so much anxiety and offers tips for thriving throughout the season (and beyond!).

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The difference between stress and anxiety.
• How to identify your anxiety triggers so you can manage them.
• The importance of self-care — especially during times of stress — to reduce anxiety. 

November is Adopt a Senior Pet month, and that makes it the perfect time to talk to Dr. Julie Buzby, an integrative veterinarian with a special place in her heart for senior pets. She’s here to talk with host Brittany Derrenbacher about some of the misconceptions we often have about senior dogs and why in many cases a senior pet may be the best option for adoption. So listen in as she and Brittany talk about what senior pets can do for us—and what we should be doing for them.  

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What age dogs are considered seniors.
• Tips for caring for a senior pet.
• Benefits of senior pets for senior citizens.

November is National Gratitude Month, and this year, we decided to look at gratitude through a new lens. Host Paula Felps and Social Media Marketing Manager Casey Johnson went on a quest to find fresh new ways to practice gratitude, and in this episode, they share several unique ways to bring gratitude into your life. They’re here to talk about what they found and how these new practices can help improve your well-being — and they even share ways to get the whole family involved.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why finding a new way to practice gratitude is a great way to change your daily routine. 
• How to turn gratitude into a game the whole family can play.
• How to participate in the Live Happy Gratitude Challenge. 

Now that we’ve turned back our clocks, it’s time for shorter days — and for many, that also means the onset of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. This week, host Paula Felps sits down with world-renowned researcher and psychiatrist Norman Rosenthal, the doctor who was instrumental in identifying SAD and also pioneered light therapy as treatment. His new book, Defeating SAD: A Guide to Health and Happiness Through All Seasons, provides a roadmap for beating this disorder and in this episode, he explains how we can better prepare for the next few months.

In this episode, you’ll learn: 

• How Dr. Norm’s own experiences with seasonal affective disorder inspired him to research it.
• The role that light plays in seasonal affective disorder.
• Simple steps you can take to minimize the effects of SAD.