Harvesting Happiness

Strong Enough to Feel and Heal: Mental Health, Resilience, and the Stories We Survive with Dr. Suzan Song, MD 01.07.2026 38p

Chronic fear and anxiety are destabilizing to the human nervous system. Healing stories can help calm and balance us, serving as vital mental health wellness strategies. As we learn to re-craft our narrative and implement structured rituals as tools for building resilience through pain, we allow our trauma and the societal pressures dictating who we should be to dissipate. Rooted in resilience and positive psychology, this transformative process affirms that knowing we matter to someone else can guide us through the darkest moments, offering a profound sense of meaning, connection, and direction in our lives. To understand some small practices for building resilience through pain, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes Dr. Suzan Song, an internationally recognized humanitarian psychiatrist and anthropologist. Suzan offers insights about the effects of trauma on the human psyche and the healing practices from her book, Why We Suffer and How We Heal. She describes how to release the stress of living in an environment of ambient threat through re-crafting our narrative, performing rituals, and embracing purpose. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

From Trauma to Healing: How Medical Science is Resetting the Biology of PTSD with Dr. Eugene Lipov, MD 24.06.2026 31p

Stigmas and a lack of hope afflict many who live through unimaginable traumas. PTSD is a common diagnosis, but it doesn’t quite fit the bill. By reframing the condition as Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI), the focus shifts from managing a lifelong psychological 'disorder' to treating a physical, healable sympathetic nervous system in need of a reset, transitioning people from trauma to healing. To better understand practices that migrate trauma to healing, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes Dr. Eugene Lipov, a board-certified anesthesiologist, pain specialist, and a champion for reframing PTSD as PTSI (Post-Traumatic Stress Injury). Eugene offers a compelling rationale for the need to reframe the language associated with Post-traumatic Stress and a summary of The God Shot Book, which illuminates how resetting the autonomic nervous system can catalyze immediate biological healing. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Unlimited Love Part II: Sustaining Compassion in Difficult Times with Dr. Stephen G. Post, PhD 17.06.2026 39p

Sustaining compassion during difficult times requires tapping into what compassion science reveals as pure, unlimited love. The science of altruism tells us that unlimited love is available to us as an unlimited resource. Channeling and sharing love nourishes us and activates the brain's reward and attachment systems, generating positive biological feedback. Love research shows that it provides a profound source of inner peace that stabilizes and sustains us through any crisis. To discover the infinite potential of pure love, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen continues her conversation with Stephen G. Post, the Founding Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine. Stephen dissects the seven pathways to inner peace from his book, Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the Seven Paths to Inner Peace, translating these principles into daily practices that deepen our connection with others. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Pure Unlimited Love Part I: Science and the Path to Inner Peace with Dr. Stephen G Post, PhD Part 1 10.06.2026 41p

What does it mean to practice pure unlimited love? Love research defines pure unlimited love as a state in which the security and well-being of another becomes as real and meaningful to you as your own. Embracing this mindset is a profound pathway to discovering lasting inner peace. At the heart of this approach is the activation of the ten distinct forms of love that allow us to engage with our modern, enraged culture. By applying the science of altruism, we can look past the anger and actively transform conflict into a deep, authentic connection.. To unpack the science of altruism, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes Stephen G. Post, the Founding Director of the Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics at Stony Brook University Renaissance School of Medicine. Stephen breaks down the ten core principles of love from his book, Pure Unlimited Love: Science and the Seven Paths to Inner Peace. He also explores the concepts of care-frontation, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and love as the ultimate reality. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Joy as a Practice: Happiness as Radical Resistance with Erica Brown 03.06.2026 38p

Conscious Joy Activism invites us to reframe our emotional lives, reminding us that joy as an active, intentional practice is a verb. In a world fraught with systemic challenges, happiness as resistance is a radical act. The privilege of being able to protest underscores our mutual responsibility. This intersection of positive psychology politics proves that our profound interconnectedness was never a "woo-woo" concept, but a tangible tool for collective survival. Ultimately, embracing this mindset serves as a powerful form of political anxiety relief, transforming personal well-being into a catalyst for societal change. To discuss the current state of affairs at a grassroots level, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes Erica Brown, the Community Engagement Coordinator at Radio Kingston and a positive-change advocate. Erica describes the joy that occurs when we come together in community to transform outrage into positive action. She shares strategies for mobilizing those who haven’t yet been activated, creating a bottom-up solution to the top-down issues affecting our communities. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Taoist Path to Joy: Finding Flow and Freedom with Dr. Robin Wang, PhD 27.05.2026 31p

Eastern Philosophy describes a peace that is found when we fast our minds to release preconceived judgments and get out of our own way. The Taoist Philosophy of Joy teaches that when we are disharmonized with the world, we feel it physically and emotionally, becoming susceptible to being too rigid or totally submissive. But Taoism and happiness aren't just intellectual thoughts to be debated; they are our natural flow. By aligning ourselves with the natural current of existence, we naturally step into effortless living. To discuss the crossroads of Eastern philosophy and effortless living, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes Professor of Philosophy and author, Dr. Robin R. Wang, PhD. Dr. Yang describes the Taoist principles that offer a short lesson of ancient wisdom for our modern world from her acclaimed book, Yinyang: The Way of Heaven and Earth in Chinese Thought and Culture. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Connection Crisis: Decades of Research on Friendship and Belonging with Dr. Niobe Way, PhD Part II 20.05.2026 36p

Decades of data reveal a decline in our collective capacity to see other people’s perspectives. This signals a connection crisis that stretches across generations. During this friendship recession, we live in a socially starved society where indifference is considered fashionable. This trend has devolved into a social health crisis, fueling a surge in adolescent mental health issues. Ignoring our inherent emotional vulnerability, boys are taught to suppress their feelings and that feelings are invaluable and weak. To discuss the growing connection crisis, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes author and developmental psychologist, Dr. Niobe Way, PhD. Niobe shares her unique insights about how our culture can unravel the damage and foster our ability to be emotionally sensitive and emotionally regulated, so that we may move forward into a more caring society. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Connection Crisis: Decades of Research on Friendship and Belonging with Dr. Niobe Way, PhD Part I 13.05.2026 34p

The modern loneliness epidemic has cast a spotlight on a profound "crisis of connection," particularly within the realm of boys' friendships research. As children grow, developmental psychology suggests a sharp decline in emotional intimacy among males, often driven by rigid masculinity norms that equate vulnerability with weakness. This cultural pressure prioritizes hard skills over soft skills, forcing many young adults into social isolation, where the biological need for companionship is sacrificed to maintain a stoic facade. To discuss the developmental psychology behind modern masculinity norms, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes author and developmental psychologist, Dr. Niobe Way, PhD. Niobe shares her foundational research that was the source of her books Rebels with a Cause: Reimagining Boys, Ourselves, and Our Culture, and the forthcoming Our Social Nature in an Anti-social Culture. She suggests that disconnecting from the softer side of being human goes against our nature and is a by-product of modern American culture. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Conscious Coupling: Relationship Maintenance Tune-Up with Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C 06.05.2026 26p

Long-term relationships require consistent relationship maintenance and a shared commitment to making it work. By embracing conscious coupling, we take the lead on our own emotional growth, learning how to handle the messy stuff instead of sweeping it under the rug. Improving our partner communication means listening to our partners even when we want to speak. To discover tried-and-true relationship maintenance techniques, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes author and couples counselor Raffi Bilek back to the show. Raffi doubles down on his straightforward and simple strategies designed to deepen partner connection and foster conscious coupling. He shares relatable examples taken from his book, The Couples Communication Handbook: The Skills You Never Learned for the Marriage You Always Wanted. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Persona Fog in a Digital World: Nurturing Selfhood in an Ever-Changing Algorithm with Patricia Martin, MFA 29.04.2026 41p

We have willingly been mentally restrained by technology, daily gifting our captors the mental cuffs to keep us psychologically bound. Haven't you realized this yet? Then they already have you. While this may seem like an intriguing sci-fi movie, it is the reality of our current digital overwhelm. To break these invisible chains, we must prioritize intentional self-care and commit to nurturing selfhood in the digital age. Only by reclaiming our attention can we move from being mere data points back to being the conscious architects of our own lives. To discover the necessary process of nurturing selfhood in the digital age, Harvesting Happiness Podcast host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes cultural analyst, researcher, speaker, and author Patricia Martin. Patricia explores the new frontier of intermittent reinforcement that jams the human operating system, and how her book, Will the Future Like You? Reflections on the Age of Hyper-reinvention can help people prepare for what's coming next and reclaim autonomy in an AI-driven world. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Diversity as a Joy Practice: The Power of Inclusive Leadership with S. Leigh Thompson 22.04.2026 34p

The power of inclusive leadership faces a significant headwind today, even though diverse perspectives are the cornerstone of societal and organizational problem-solving. By adopting a diversity joy practice, values-driven leaders foster an environment in which inclusive leadership and happiness are prioritized over homogeneous hierarchies. This alignment creates a culture where diversity and well-being result in a fulfilled, joyful workforce whose collective engagement naturally strengthens leadership and produces a better bottom line. To discover where inclusive leadership and happiness converge, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes strategist, facilitator, and consultant S. Leigh Thompson (he/they). S. Leigh Thompson explores strategies for employers and employees align with their values and embrace, acknowledge, and work with diversity, equality, and inclusion to cultivate individual and collective joy. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

How to Release Emotional Baggage and Create Secure, Lasting Relationships with Jessica Baum, LMHC 16.04.2026 25p

Our earliest psychological blueprint is mediated by an attachment to a primary caregiver. We internalize their moods, attachment styles, and internal struggles to create a foundational bond. To heal this early wounding, we must operate from the right hemisphere of the brain, yet modern culture has shifted so heavily toward "left-brain" dominance, which comes at the cost of genuine intimacy. To bridge this gap and create lasting relationships, we must consciously pivot back to this relational center, allowing us to release emotional baggage inherited from infancy. By moving beyond these internalized patterns, we cultivate the emotional agility required to sustain healthy relationships in our increasingly disconnected world. To explore how to release emotional baggage, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen welcomes therapist and author Jessica Baum, LMHC, back to the program to unpack her life’s work. Jessica clearly defines the four human attachment styles and the relational process to create lasting, healthy relationships. She shares core principles from her book, Safe: An Attachment-Informed Guide to Building More Secure Relationships, along with how those principles can be utilized in today’s modern, often isolated world. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Navigating Conflicts with Chaotic Character Types: Bill Eddy’s Roadmap to Reclaiming Your Peace Part II 08.04.2026 30p

Bullying is rarely about you. It is often high-conflict individuals who project their internal traumas onto others. Whether the threats are physical or verbal, the goal is to create an environment of fear and intimidation. If you’ve been targeted, remember that you don't have to face it alone. There are effective ways to de-escalate these situations and professional resources available to help you. To explore how to respond to a high-conflict person, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen continues her conversation with Billy Eddy, a licensed clinical social worker, attorney, author, and co-founder and Training Director of the High-Conflict Institute. As part of his series of de-escalation techniques for relationships, Bill Eddy shares successful strategies for setting limits with toxic people and navigating high-conflict personalities, as well as self-care methods from his book, SLIC Solutions for Conflict: Setting Limits and Imposing Consequences in 2½ Steps. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Destructive Nature of Chaotic Character Types: Bill Eddy on High Conflict Personalities Part I 01.04.2026 41p

Do you know someone who claims it is never their fault or blames somebody else for all their woes, or the person who uses bullying tactics to push people into doing what they want? Research shows that ten percent of the people you come into contact with have high-conflict personalities. These chaotic character types don't just experience occasional friction; they operate through a rigid pattern of all-or-nothing thinking and intense emotional outbursts that can exhaust even the most patient allies. Understanding these toxic relationship patterns is the first step in protecting your own mental well-being. To better understand the 5 types of people who can ruin your life, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen continues her conversation with Billy Eddy, a licensed clinical social worker, attorney, and author. Bill details the toxic relationship patterns of high-conflict personalities. Drawing on his professional experience, he highlights strategies for navigating your way through conflict and uncomfortable situations from his book, SLIC Solutions for Conflict: Setting Limits and Imposing Consequences in 2½ Steps. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

Coloring Outside the Lines: How Playfulness Leads to Life Purpose with Ross Ellenhorn, PhD 25.03.2026 40p

At the intersection of playfulness and meaning, we find the space where individuality finally transcends the institutional scripts of conformity. Replacing the fear of failure with a cultivated sense of self-efficacy fundamentally changes how we overcome intellectual challenges and reveals our unique contributions. Discovering life purpose isn’t a static, one-time goal—it’s a dynamic process of playfulness and expression. To explore playfulness and meaning, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen continues her conversation with a leading voice in community-based mental health care, Dr. Ross Ellenhorn, PhD. Dr. Ellenhorn uses coloring outside the lines as a metaphor for defying conformity. The idea, originally from Harold and the Purple Crayon, encourages individuality, risk-taking, and a tight social fabric. Dr. Ellenhorn describes a “state of play” as an improvisational lifestyle. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Perfectionist’s Toolkit: Daily Practices for Psychological Flexibility with Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona PsyD, Pt. II 18.03.2026 31p

Life can feel heavy, and for most people, pain and suffering are an undeniable reality. Those caught in the grip of perfectionism and anxiety struggle to make self-honoring choices or choose self-care. Yet, when we practice self-compassion, it soothes the nervous system and allows us to build the psychological flexibility we need to thrive. To discover tips for increasing psychological flexibility to combat perfectionism, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen continues her conversation with Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, PsyD, an author and licensed psychologist specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Z describes the six core psychological processes from her book, Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors. She offers contemporary concepts for formulating self-honoring choices essential for overcoming procrastination and perfectionism. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The High-Achiever’s Guide to Psychological Flexibility with Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona PsyD, Pt. I 11.03.2026 33p

Perfectionism and anxiety trap us in an exhausting cycle that drains happiness. Life agility requires psychological flexibility: choosing actions based on values rather than reacting. Accepting discomfort frees high achievement from stress, turning it into joy. To discover how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy functions, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, an author and licensed psychologist specializing in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Z breaks down the core practice of her book, Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors. She explores how those struggling with anxiety and perfectionism can build the psychological flexibility needed to thrive. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Secular Seeker’s Guide to Taoism: Inner Peace Without Incense with Diane Dreher, PhD 04.03.2026 32p

Finding connection and inner peace may seem unattainable in this chaotic, complex modern world, but a centuries-old text can serve as a vital guide. By exploring the Tao, beginners and seekers can navigate the complexities of contemporary life through the lens of secular spirituality. To discover how positive psychology can help us find connection, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Diane Dreher, PhD, bestselling author of eight nonfiction books, including The Tao of Inner Peace, and an award-winning professor and positive psychology researcher on hope. Diane unpacks the central tenet of her latest book, Pathways to Inner Peace: Finding Connection, Inspiration, and Renewal in Challenging Times, and offers insights on the different types of stress, the benefits of cultivating joy and hope, and a formula for goal setting and achievement. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

From Algorithms to Intimacy: AI and Mating in the Digital Age with Dr. Justin Garcia, PhD 25.02.2026 39p

*This is part-two of a two-part conversation Recent Kinsey Institute research highlights that nearly half of single Gen Z adults now utilize algorithms to optimize their online dating profiles. Yet, they say it erodes their trust if they discover the other person uses it too. This paradox reveals a growing tension in the science of love and relationships: while we crave the efficiency of technology, we remain biologically wired for raw, uncurated vulnerability. **This episode explores human sexuality and is intended for mature audiences. To discover what lies ahead in the future of dating, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Justin R. Garcia, an award-winning researcher, educator, and Executive Director of Kinsey Institute Research. Justin continues the conversation with staggering statistics about AI usage in dating apps, expectations of Gen Z’ers when it comes to courtship, and the erosion of trust and transparency in the digital age. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.

The Biology of Bonding: Understanding Human Sexuality with Dr. Justin Garcia, PhD 18.02.2026 40p

*This is part one of a two-part conversation In the field of human sexuality, understanding the bridge between primal drive and complex affection is a central challenge. While sex functions as a biological imperative for species survival, the science of love and relationships reveals that modern intimacy is actually a precarious cocktail of physical, cultural, and psychological factors. Despite this complexity, Kinsey Institute Research suggests we are hardwired to pursue these connections; the powerful dopamine payoff acts as a neurological engine, urging us past the hurdles of modern dating toward connection. **This episode explores human sexuality and is intended for mature audiences. TTo better understand sex, love, and the future of dating, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Justin R. Garcia, an award-winning researcher, educator, and Executive Director of Kinsey Institute Research. In the first part of this conversation, Justin unpacks the provocative research behind his book, The Intimate Animal: The Science of Sex, Fidelity, and Why We Live and Die for Love. He candidly discusses compulsive sexual behaviors, unique challenges associated with polyamory, and the enduring benefits of coupledom. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content available exclusively on https://harvestinghappiness.substack.com/ and https://medium.com/@HarvestingHappiness.