Harvesting Happiness Podcasts

Cultivating happiness requires an active investment, yet some believe true personal growth only follows a "dark night of the soul." By navigating the tension between nihilism and existentialism, we transform an existential crisis into a search for fulfillment. Is discovering the meaning of life an individual pursuit, or is metaphysical life devoid of a moral truth? For a thoughtful exploration of meaning, happiness, and the human search for fulfillment, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with public policy professor, author, and thought leader in the science of wellbeing, Dr. Mark Fabian. Mark describes the existence of nihilism and existentialism within the social and political spectrum as well as the key differences in how they translate into happiness and personal growth. He highlights the beneficial effects of being of use in one’s community. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Check out More Mental Fitness by Harvesting Happiness bonus content

When we agree to practice joy through community, connection, and belonging in its own powerful way, it is an act of defiance to what's going on around us. We must ask ourselves, particularly in these difficult times, what we are fighting for? We fight for a meaningful world that yields joy. This commitment to fostering shared happiness becomes the ultimate evidence of resilience and a deeply healing public force. To discover how to find joy and hopefulness in difficult times, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen continues her conversation with Roger Berkowitz, Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College and coordinator of the upcoming JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times conference.. Roger shares his intentions for the JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times conference, which are rooted in Hannah Arendt's philosophy that freedom is not a private endeavor but is best found in the public sphere. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Ch

Current research indicates that despite unprecedented levels of global connectivity, societies are experiencing an unparalleled state of metaphysical loneliness. This condition is a potent catalyst for political instability, making populations vulnerable to authoritarian and separatist movements. Political theorists explore the implications for democratic governance and social cohesion through Hannah Arendt’s freedom theory. To discover how to recover joy in a loving world, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Roger Berkowitz, Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College. Roger shares what led him to Bard College and Hannah Arendt. And how one of the most read political thinkers of the twentieth century might interpret freedom in today’s political landscape. His forthcoming book, A World We Share: The Power of Friendship in a Time Without Truth, is scheduled for release in 2026. Like what you're hearing? WANT MORE SOUND IDEAS FOR DEEPER THINKING? Ch

Connection to others is our emotional lifeblood. The quality of our earliest connection determines how safe we feel in our bodies and how safe and secure we feel in the world. Healing emotional baggage is a crucial first step in fostering a secure attachment and achieving relationship healing, but we can not do it alone. It is only in relationship that we can heal relationship trauma. How do we hold compassionate space for people when we are also suffering? To explore how to heal imposed emotional baggage, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with therapist and author Jessica Baum, LMHC. Jessica offers a step-by-step scientific approach to healing emotional baggage and describes how we develop adaptive strategies to maintain connection and protectors to guard from what is out of our control. This episode is proudly sponsored by: Aura Frames — Offers the world's smartest digital picture frame. An easy and beautiful solution to instantly frame photos from your smartphone. Visit https

To explore the exercise of finding calm without religion, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with bestselling author and award-winning professor, Dr. Diane Dreher. Diane presents statistics detailing the overwhelming anxiety of modern life, then reveals the accessible, ancient methods for comfort and renewal found within her book, Pathways to Inner Peace: Finding Connection, Inspiration, and Renewal in Challenging Times. This episode is proudly sponsored by: Aura Frames — Offers the world's smartest digital picture frame. An easy and beautiful solution to instantly frame photos from your smartphone. Visit

Achievable contentment isn't found by relentlessly chasing some massive, shimmering happiness jackpot; it's a series of practical keys you turn every day. A proven factor in unlocking a satisfying life is to prioritize experiences that warm the soul and provide comfort, whether it’s savoring small positive moments or a rich life encounter, which beautifully illustrates that true wealth is found in connection and meaning, rather than buying a better widget. To explore the happiness factor, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with a former Facebook executive turned comedian and podcast host, Paul Ollinger. Paul shares thought-provoking excerpts from the interviews that fueled his book, Reasonably Happy: Essays on Money, Work and Other Things that Piss Me Off. This episode is proudly sponsored by: Cozy Earth — Offers luxury loungewear, premium pajamas, and essential home goods. Visit http://cozyearth.com// and use promo code HHTR to get up to 40% off your order. Like what you're hear

Feeling alone in a crowded room is a hallmark of today's loneliness epidemic, proving that company alone isn't the answer. Healing loneliness starts by looking inward rather than outward. By cultivating self-love, you nurture the most important relationship of all—the one with yourself—which naturally leads to genuine contentment and stronger bonds with the people around you. To explore the deep-rooted aspects of the loneliness epidemic, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with bestselling author, relationship expert, and co-creator of the powerful Inner Bonding® self-healing process, Dr. Margaret Paul. Margaret discusses how her 6-step Inner Bonding process leads to healing the soul and creates deeper bonds with ourselves and within our closest relationships. This episode is proudly sponsored by: Signos — Offers the world’s first FDA-cleared AI-driven app and CGM for weight management and wellness that turns data into lasting habits for better health. Visit https://signos.com/ and

Big Tech, predominantly designed by those from Western cultures, embeds specific cultural norms into global systems, leading to culture shock for users across the world. This lack of diversity among developers results in designs that ignore local customs and needs, effectively creating a modern form of digital colonization where billions must conform to a narrow technological worldview. To explore how Western digital culture is imposed upon the world, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with the director of the interdisciplinary UW Center for Globally Beneficial AI, Katharina Reinecke, PhD. Katharina presents key findings from her book, Digital Culture Shock, detailing how different cultural preferences shape global user behavior across social media platforms and how people search for and share information. This episode is proudly sponsored by: Calm — Offers the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Download Calm and find a place made just for you to rest. Visit Calm.com/HHTR. Listeners

Cultural differences profoundly impact our ability to communicate in relationships, often leading to misunderstandings when interpreting nonverbal cues, directness of speech, or emotional expression. To have better conversations and foster a happy life, it's crucial to cultivate strong communication skills. To explore communication strategies to cultivate deeper relationships, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Patricia Timerman Barbosa da Silva, aka Dr. T, a psychotherapist, author, and founder of Advocate2Create. Dr. T shares communication strategies from her book, Why Are We Fighting?, and explains how her IAP and preamble models empower people to have better conversations and strengthen their relationships.This episode is proudly sponsored by:Nature's Sunshine—Offers modern herbal supplements backed by science and harvested from the earth. Visit https://www.naturessunshine.com/ and use promo code HHTR to get 20% off + free shipping on your 1st order.and Cozy Earth—Offers lu

Research studies reveal there are neurological, emotional, and physical rewards to acts of altruism. We experience awe, most often, when we witness acts of human kindness, no matter how small. Volunteering offers a powerful antidote to modern societal chaos by redirecting focus toward a shared, positive purpose, thereby strengthening the bonds of community.To explore the ways self-care can become other-care, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Nicole Karlis, a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and a senior writer at Salon covering health, science, and wellness. Nicole explains the neuroscience of altruism and how we can create a ‘culture of caring', which are central tenets in her book, YOUR BRAIN ON ALTRUISM: The Power of Connection and Community during Times of Crisis. This episode is proudly sponsored by: OneSkin —Offers longevity-focused skincare products designed to target skin health at the cellular level. Visit www.oneskin.co and use promo code HHTR to get

Well-being science reveals that, despite signs of economic growth during the post-COVID recovery, a widespread "vibecession" phenomenon of U.S. consumer pessimism persists. This challenges the traditional economic assumption that increased discretionary income automatically translates into higher national happiness. To explore well-being science, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Dr. Carol Graham, a senior scientist at Gallup, an author, and a senior fellow in the Economic Studies program at Brookings. Carol discusses the lack of civic and economic education in the US and how that affects vulnerable populations. She also presents statistics on the decline of mental health and wellness among US teens and how a loss of hope contributes to consumer pessimism.This episode is proudly sponsored by:Calm—Offers the #1 app for sleep and meditation. Download Calm and find a place made just for you to rest. Visit Calm.com/HHTR Listeners get 40% off a Calm Premium Subscription. and LEAN—Off

Misinformation is aggressively injected into the information ecosystem, and it is readily consumed and adopted by those who are too busy to fully pay attention, leveraging cognitive bias in a distracted society. This media manipulation is often fueled by financial incentives, rewarding so-called experts who deliver false narratives in entertaining and engaging ways. This weighs the heaviest on society when politicians can’t agree on policy because they can’t agree on facts. To search for the tools of truth, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Dr. Adam Berinsky, author and the Mitsui Professor of Political Science at MIT. Adam dissects the psychology of misinformation, by examining those who create it with malicious intent, the villains who disseminate it for profit, and the audience most likely to adopt it without question. This episode is proudly sponsored by:Signos—Offers the world’s first FDA-cleared AI-driven app and CGM for weight management and wellness that turns data into l

Many people liken recalling memories to accessing mental filing cabinets, but our memories are actually more disjointed. Memory science defines how memory works as a dynamic form of complex information processing, which relies on active reconstruction rather than simple retrieval. This reality means human recall is intrinsically malleable, making memories susceptible to suggestion, challenging its role in defining personal identity, and underscoring the necessity of protecting against the science of misinformation. To discover ways to use memories to cultivate a happy life, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Dr. Gillian Murphy, leader of the Everyday Cognition Lab at the School of Applied Psychology at University College Cork. Gillian explains how memory works, the science of information processing, recall, and the risks and benefits associated with trauma therapy. Her book, Memory Lane: The Perfectly Imperfect Ways We Remember, describes the malleability and vulnerability of huma

In the journey toward healing, survivors often find that intentional practices like sober sex foster a deeper emotional and physical intimacy, essential for their trauma recovery. This emphasis on connection stands in stark contrast to much mainstream sexual messaging, which frequently excludes the necessary emotional components for true sexual well-being. Development of safe relationships is threatened when media and politics overstep their bounds, making autonomous sexual expression and recovery a constant social and personal endeavor.*This episode explores human sexuality and is intended for mature listeners. To lay the foundation for how intimacy is the cornerstone of sexual wellbeing, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with two authors and experts in trauma and sexuality, Dr. Stephanie Covington and Dr. Vanessa Carlisle. Discussing their co-authored book, Awaken Your Sexuality: A Guide to Connection and Intimacy after Addiction and Trauma, Dr. Covington and Dr. Carlisle explore it

When we agree to practice joy through community, connection, and belonging in its own powerful way, it is an act of defiance to what's going on around us. We must ask ourselves, particularly in these difficult times, what we are fighting for? We fight for a meaningful world that yields joy. This commitment to fostering shared happiness becomes the ultimate evidence of resilience and a deeply healing public force.When we agree to practice joy through community, connection, and belonging in its own powerful way, it is an act of defiance to what's going on around us. We must ask ourselves, particularly in these difficult times, what we are fighting for? We fight for a meaningful world that yields joy. This commitment to fostering shared happiness becomes the ultimate evidence of resilience and a deeply healing public force. Roger shares his intentions for the JOY: Loving the World in Dark Times conference, which are rooted in Hannah Arendt's philosophy that freedom is not a private endeavor but is best found in

Current research indicates that despite unprecedented levels of global connectivity, societies are experiencing an unparalleled state of metaphysical loneliness. This condition is a potent catalyst for political instability, making populations vulnerable to authoritarian and separatist movements. Political theorists explore the implications for democratic governance and social cohesion through Hannah Arendt’s freedom theory.To discover how to recover joy in a loving world, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Roger Berkowitz, Founder and Academic Director of the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College. Roger shares what led him to Bard College and Hannah Arendt. And how one of the most read political thinkers of the twentieth century might interpret freedom in today’s political landscape. His forthcoming book, A World We Share: The Power of Friendship in a Time Without Truth, is scheduled for release in 2026.This episode is proudly sponsored by:Drink Wholesome—offers registered dietici

Tired of feeling tossed around by your thoughts and emotions? By embracing the impermanence of all things, including anxious thoughts, and accepting that suffering is a part of life, difficult emotions can be navigated with wisdom and grace. This is the freedom the study of Buddhist philosophy offers.To further understand how liberation from worry can become happiness, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Brendan Barca, a mindfulness entrepreneur, author, keynote speaker, and longtime practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism. Brendan reveals the central tenets of Buddhism that teach us that suffering is an inherent part of life. He explains how we can find freedom from suffering through practices like meditation and mindfulness.This episode is proudly sponsored by:CBDistillery—Offers natural and convenient CBD gummies and other plant-powered remedies. Visit http://cbdistillery.com/ and use promo code HHTR to get 25% off your order.andNature's Sunshine—Offers modern herbal supplements bac

Humans are perpetual seekers, as contentment is not part of our evolutionary design. We can move toward happiness by actively planning for fulfillment, leading us toward purposeful and satiated lives. By creating a blueprint that includes embracing all of our emotions and engaging in social interactions, we leverage our emotions to heal ourselves and society, rather than just creating more coping mechanisms. To uncover the blueprint basics of joy, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Mark Fabian, a leading expert in well-being research and Associate Professor of Public Policy at the University of Warwick.Mark reveals the central tenets of his book Beyond Happy: How to Rethink Happiness and Find Fulfillment and shares the personal examples that inspired him to promote well-being and create his blueprint. 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 Substack and Medium

A diverse world is a happy world. It may seem that neurodivergent people are more common now, but the increase in diagnoses is attributed to awareness and diagnostic tools, not a rise in the population. Neurodivergence is a distinct way of experiencing the world, with many neurodivergent individuals successfully thriving in a society traditionally designed for neurotypicals. This shift in perspective celebrates the full spectrum of humanity and recognizes that a world that accommodates and celebrates all types of minds is a richer and happier one.A diverse world is a happy world. It may seem that neurodivergent people are more common now, but the increase in diagnoses is attributed to awareness and diagnostic tools, not a rise in the population. Neurodivergence is a distinct way of experiencing the world, with many neurodivergent individuals successfully thriving in a society traditionally designed for neurotypicals. This shift in perspective celebrates the full spectrum of humanity and recognizes that a worl

Most people who practice rational thinking are susceptible to bias, a key concept of behavioral economics. Beliefs can be swayed by our social environments—from our online networks to our family gatherings. This vulnerability arises from factors like stress, the fear of social exclusion, and our innate desire to create compelling narratives. To discover the elements that form the funnel of misbelief and rebuild trust, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University..From his book, Misbelief: What Makes Rational People Believe Irrational Things, Dan explains the core reasons why we believe things that aren't true and why we often have an excessive and unfounded confidence in our knowledge..This episode is proudly sponsored by:Constant Contact — Offers easy-to-use email and digital marketing tools to grow your business. Visit ConstantContact.com and get a 30-day FREE trial. Like what you're hearing?WAN