Shows
Meaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightNavigating Your Emotional Operating System: Core Affects and the Four Pillars of HappinessSend us a textWhat if your emotions weren't just random feelings but actually sophisticated firmware—hardwired systems constantly running in your brain's background? This groundbreaking idea forms the foundation of our deep dive into affect theory and its profound implications for authentic happiness.Your emotional operating system isn't infinitely variable. We're all born with nine specific core affects—biological responses that tag experiences as important, dangerous, pleasurable or socially significant before conscious thought even begins. These aren't subjective emotions but universal firmware that shapes how we process everything from relationships to life goals. Understanding inte...2025-07-2317 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightGroupCast #01: What Lies Behind Door Number Three?Send us a textWhat drives those who are never quite satisfied, always seeking the next challenge or idea? The concept of "divine discontentment" offers a fascinating lens to understand this psychological phenomenon. Drawing from the mythological figure Theseus, who was cursed/blessed by the gods with an insatiable curiosity, this exploration reveals how certain personalities thrive on constant questioning and learning.At its core, divine discontentment isn't a flaw but a fundamental orientation toward growth. Using Silvan Tomkins' affect theory as foundation, we discover that interest and excitement are actually feeling states - not...2025-07-011h 08Meaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightYour Body Knows What Your Mind Doesn't: Decoding Life's Sacred SignalsSend us a textThat persistent ache when everything looks perfect on paper but something still feels missing – it's not ingratitude or failure. It's what I call divine discontentment, a profound developmental signal that your current reality has become too small for your emerging self.Through the story of Patricia, a successful CEO wrestling with this very phenomenon, we explore how this sacred ache serves as a compass pointing toward growth and greater meaning. Drawing on affect theory and the pioneering work of Sylvan Tompkins, we examine how our core feelings – those fast, automatic bodily resp...2025-06-1848 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightThe Great Age Revolution: Why Everything You Think About Aging Is WrongSend us a textA sleepless night in Washington DC with an aching back became the catalyst for a profound realization: everything we believe about aging might be wrong. As I lay there wrestling with physical discomfort and society's negative scripts about getting older, I experienced a moment of clarity that would transform not just my own perspective, but potentially our collective understanding of adult development.From this awakening emerged the concept of Latalescence – a revolutionary framework that reimagines the adult life journey as an ongoing process of growth rather than inevitable decline. Built upon th...2025-06-0634 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightYour Body Speaks Louder Than Your Words in RelationshipsSend us a textBeneath the words we exchange in relationships lies a hidden language—a rhythmic dance between nervous systems that shapes our connections more powerfully than what we say. This episode ventures into the fascinating world of Dynamic Vitality Affects (DVAs), the subtle patterns of timing, pacing, and movement that determine whether we feel safe, connected, or understood with our partners.Have you ever felt instantly disconnected from someone without knowing why? Noticed that certain silences feel heavier than others? Experienced the confusion when a simple text lands wrong? These moments aren't just mi...2025-05-2753 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightPart 4: Before Emotion: Reclaiming the Body's First Language of AffectSend us a textWhat if the key to understanding your emotions lies in sensations you felt before you even had words? Long before we develop language, our bodies speak through "affects" – primal, biological signals that form the foundation of our emotional lives.Imagine a world where you can recognize these signals in yourself and others, where you understand that anger isn't just "anger" but a complex symphony of sensation, memory, and meaning. This understanding transforms how you relate to yourself and connect with others on a profound level.Affect theory reveals that we...2025-05-0645 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightPart 3. How Love is Built: Cordelia's First Three YearsSend us a textYour first relationships weren't just emotionally significant—they literally wired your brain. Long before you could speak, think, or remember, your nervous system was absorbing profound lessons about connection through the silent language of touch, gaze, rhythm, and response.This fascinating journey through attachment theory reveals how our earliest relationships architect our nervous systems, creating patterns that continue to influence our adult connections. Through the metaphorical journey of "Cordelia," we explore how these attachment patterns begin forming from the moment of birth, through a complex interplay between biology and relationship.2025-04-2236 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightPart 2. Baby Cordelia: How a Three-Month-Old Forms Her WorldSend us a textWhat happens in the mind of a three-month-old baby? Far more than we once believed. As Cordelia reaches her third and fourth months of life, her world transforms from a blur into a fascinating landscape of relationships, expectations, and embodied scripts that will shape her future.Dr. Scott Conkright guides us through the remarkable developmental leaps happening in these crucial months. Cordelia's visual system sharpens dramatically as she begins tracking objects and making sustained eye contact. This seemingly simple advancement represents her entry into the world of social connection – the foundation of...2025-04-1523 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightThe Inner Life of Your Child: How Early Emotions Shape a LifetimeSend us a textWe explore how our emotional lives are shaped from birth through the story of Cordelia, examining how feelings become emotions and how unconscious patterns develop. Understanding these early formations is the key to rewriting our emotional scripts and experiencing more meaningful happiness.• Nine innate affects (interest-excitement, enjoyment-joy, distress-anguish, shame-humiliation, fear-terror, surprise-startle, anger-rage, disgust, dissmell) form the basis of all emotions• Newborns experience feelings as pure, immediate sensations without memory or expectation• Laidelescence represents a critical developmental stage in adults when we can question and rewrite emotional scripts• Emotional patterns...2025-04-0836 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 11- Affects and Emotions: A Grand Chat with the Legendary Robert SpanoSend us a textWhat if the very emotion that often holds us back could actually be a catalyst for growth? Join us on the Meaningful Happiness podcast as we sit down with Robert Spano, a distinguished conductor and composer, to unravel the complexities of shame in the realms of music and beyond. Through a fascinating exploration of Tompkins' theories, Robert shares personal anecdotes that reveal how shame can influence creativity and joy within the performing arts. We promise you'll gain a fresh perspective on how these emotions can shape not only personal but also professional relationships.2024-12-171h 15Meaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 10- The Mirror Explained: A Real Path to Love and Healing through Group TherapySend us a textWhat if love isn't about finding your other half, but about embracing another's imperfections alongside your own? Join us in this thought-provoking episode as we challenge the romantic ideal that love completes us. Drawing on Lacan's philosophy and the wisdom of 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, we argue that true love is not about filling our voids with someone else, but about two imperfect people exchanging their vulnerabilities. Discover how acknowledging our emotional baggage and inherent human flaws can lead to a more meaningful and authentic connection, liberating us from the pursuit of perfect love.2024-09-2418 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 09- Mirror in the Forest: Finding Vulnerability and True ConnectionSend us a textWhat if the key to true love and self-understanding lies not in what we gain, but in what we give away? On this episode of Meaningful Happiness, join us as we recount the captivating story of Alina, a young woman from a mist-shrouded village who becomes ensnared by the enigma of a forest mirror. Despite the village's whispers of a curse, Alina's reflections reveal nothing but her own face, fueling a deep frustration and existential yearning. Her life pivots dramatically when she encounters Leo, a cryptic stranger with wisdom that challenges her understanding...2024-09-1607 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 08- Managing Negative Emotions: Using Affect Theory to Overcome Shame and AngerSend us a textHave you ever wondered how your complex emotions come to be? In this episode of the Meaningful Happiness Podcast, we promise you'll gain a deep understanding of affect theory and how it shapes our emotional landscape. We explore how basic affects like interest, excitement, and shame combine to create intricate emotions such as hesitant curiosity and passionate advocacy. Our conversation is enriched by insights from experiments with ChatGPT, providing you with a nuanced perspective on managing your feelings and maximizing positive emotions.Curiosity is more than just a fleeting interest; it's...2024-09-0219 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 07- Breaking Free from Shame_ Dr. Scott Conkright's Insights on Emotional Well-beingSend us a textChronic shame can feel like an invisible weight, dragging you down no matter how high you climb. Have you ever wondered why feelings of inadequacy and self-doubt persist even in the face of your accomplishments? Tune in as Dr. Scott Conkright unravels the complexities of chronic shame syndrome—a condition he's observed over three decades of practice that stands apart from any official DSM-5 diagnosis. Journey with us as we explore how subtle judgments and microaggressions can insidiously chip away at your core sense of self, and discover how group therapy can offer a...2024-08-2625 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 06- Understanding Chronic Shame Syndrome: Overcoming Persistent Self-DoubtSend us a textCan subtle, everyday moments of shame be more impactful than intense emotional episodes? Join Dr. Scott Conkright on the Meaningful Happiness podcast as we uncover the hidden world of Chronic Shame Syndrome. Drawing inspiration from Pixar’s Inside Out, we analyze how low-level yet persistent feelings of shame—rooted in societal and familial expectations—can erode self-worth and confidence over time. Through Affect Relational Theory (ART), Dr. Conkright explains how even minor incidents, like a missed elevator or an unprepared meeting, contribute to a cumulative emotional toll, often manifesting as sadness, self-consciousness, and disapp...2024-08-1923 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 05- Controlling Your Emotional ConsoleSend us a textEver wondered why your emotions often lead your actions, even when logic seems to make more sense? Get ready to unlock the mysteries of your emotional console with insights from Sylvan Tompkins' affect theory and the animated film "Inside Out." We break down the common misconception that thoughts govern behavior, using the relatable example of a young violinist’s performance anxiety to illustrate how feelings frequently drive our actions. By expanding your emotional vocabulary and understanding the nine affects, particularly the positive ones like interest/excitement and enjoyment/joy, we aim to empower yo...2024-08-1215 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 04- Understanding Emotions: insights from Inside OutSend us a textHave you ever wondered how our favorite characters from movies would handle real-life challenges like puberty? Discover the emotional rollercoaster of adolescence through the eyes of Riley from Inside Out, as Dr. Scott Conkright navigates her journey with the help of affect relational therapy. This episode of the Meaningful Happiness Podcast promises to offer invaluable insights into the hormonal, cognitive, and social upheavals that accompany this life stage. Learn how newly introduced characters and a revamped emotional console mirror Riley's heightened complexity and self-consciousness, and understand the crucial shift from parental to peer...2024-08-0511 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 03- Unraveling Shame: the Biological Truth of Core Human AffectsSend us a textWhat if shame isn’t just an emotion, but a core feeling hardwired into us from birth? In this enlightening episode, I, Scott Conkright, guide you through the maze of core feelings, starting with the elusive and often misunderstood sensation of shame. Learn how platforms like Instagram can trigger these innate responses through relentless comparisons, and understand the reflexive nature of core feelings—known as affects—that shape our perceptions long before our conscious minds even catch up. By dissecting these nine core affects and their intrinsic differences from emotions, you'll gain a cleare...2024-07-2926 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 02- Mastering Your Feelings: The Path to Relationship ControlSend us a textUnlock the secrets to emotional mastery with Dr. Scott Conkright, the pioneering founder of Affect Relational Therapy! Join us as Dr. Conkright shares transformative strategies for harnessing your emotions to foster happier, more meaningful relationships. Learn how to become keenly aware of your feelings, identify emotional triggers, and make timely interventions to improve your decision-making. Gain insights into the power of attention redirection and discover how thinking follows feeling, enabling you to create connections that are not only joyful but deeply rewarding.As a therapist pioneering Affect Relational Therapy centered...2024-07-2211 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp. 01- Your Emotions Unveiled: Biology, AutoBiography, and Relational AffectsSend us a textAs a licensed psychologist exploring relational affects and emotions, I reveal the profound distinction between biologically hardwired affects like startle, fear, and anger, and the deeply personal emotional autobiographies that stem from them, empowering you to master emotional control. By understanding the nine core affects that shape our feeling states from birth and recognizing how prolonged moods and emotional narratives emerge, you can gain invaluable insights into navigating life's complexities with emotional intelligence and wisdom. Unlocking the mysteries of affects and emotions is the key to self-awareness, healthy relationships, and a fulfilling, emotionally...2024-07-1708 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp 7. Confronting Shame and Embracing GrowthSend us a textDiscover the power of confronting shame and the subconscious shields we raise against it. We're peeling back the layers of this complex emotion, revealing how it can simultaneously cause pain and catalyze personal growth. Dr. Conkright probes the dual nature of shame and invites you to a journey towards affective intelligence, where you'll learn to identify and understand behaviors such as facade crafting, emotional ghosting, self-clipping, blame casting, and cloistral retreat. These terms aren't just buzzwords; they're keys to unlocking a deeper connection with your true self, and a guide to navigating the...2024-04-1430 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp 6. Love and AffectSend us a textJoin Scott, Kay, Greg, Alex, and Hayat on a journey to decode the complexities of relationships and love. We discuss the importance and difficulties of communicating your needs, setting boundaries, and understanding you and your partner's feelings; and how Affect Theory can help us to overcome these challenges and guide us towards meaningful happiness with the important people in our lives. Support the showFor more information about Scott and his practice, articles, videos, and more: https://linktr.ee/scottconkright2024-03-2058 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp 4. Shame, Self-worth, and Workplace DynamicsSend us a textScott, Greg, and Alex examine an excerpt from the literature of Silvan Tompkins, the progenitor of Affect Theory, and discuss how shame and feelings of inadequacy factor into our interpersonal relationships, both romantically and in the workplace. Join us for an introduction to Tomkins' work and a look into Affect Relational Therapy (A.R.T)- Scott's new and groundbreaking approach to therapy based on the groundwork laid by Tompkins. Through these discussions we aim to learn, grow, and to achieve meaningful happiness in our lives, and hope you wi...2024-02-1422 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp 5. Race, Inclusion, and AffectSend us a textJoin Scott, Kay, Hayat, Greg, and Alex as they tackle the difficult topic of race in America and discuss how Affect Theory can be applied to DEI initiatives and be used to give us the tools we need to understand and accept each other on a more human level. Support the showFor more information about Scott and his practice, articles, videos, and more: https://linktr.ee/scottconkright2024-02-1354 minMeaningful Happiness with Dr. Scott ConkrightEp 3. AI and AffectSend us a textScott, Greg, and Alex discuss the current state of AI, its potential future, and the fear surrounding it. What does it mean to be human? How do we shape AI and how might it shape us ? Will it take over and should we be worried? How does the human mind relate to that of an AI?Join us for an enlightening dialogue, navigating the nuanced impact of Affect in AI—because understanding our future with artificial intelligence begins with understanding ourselves.Support the showFor mor...2024-01-0439 min