Shows
Flourish FMEpisode 73#: Insights from the world’s biggest study of human flourishing, with Dr. Matthew LeeMatthew Lee, Ph.D., is a Research Associate at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, a member of the Global Study of Human Flourishing research team, and Director of the Human Flourishing Program's Flourishing Network. He is Professor of the Social Sciences and Humanities at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University and a Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Health, Flourishing, and Positive Psychology at Stony Brook University’s Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics, as well as a Visiting Scholar at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.
2025-07-2945 min
Flourish FMEpisode 72#: How empathy helps you flourish, with Dr. Alison Jane MartinganoDr. Alison Jane Martingano is a social psychologist at the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay, where she leads the Social Research Lab dedicated to investigating empathy and perspective-taking. She has published her research in leading academic journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Social Psychological and Personality Science, and Popular Media.
Alison hosts the fortnightly Psychology & Stuff podcast, chatting with psychologists and Green Bay locals about topics ranging from sports to false confessions. In addition, she blogs for Psychology Today, translating cutting-edge psychology research into clear, relatable insights.
As an immigrant and...2025-07-1546 min
Flourish FMEpisode 71#: How Becoming Authentic Helps You Flourish, with Dr. Ritz Birah and Dr. Victoria UwannahWe’re delighted to host two guests on today’s show, both of whom are expert psychotherapists and counselling psychologists: Dr. Ritika Suk Birah – AKA “Dr. Ritz” – and Dr. Victoria Uwannah.
Ritz is a counselling psychologist specializing in guiding high-performing individuals toward profound self-awareness and transformative growth. She studied neuroscience and psychology at King’s College London and has a Ph.D. in psychotherapeutic and counselling psychology. With over 12 years experience in the clinical field, she delivers sought-after mental health and well-being programs rooted in neuroscience.
Ritz balances her time between individual therapy, giving keynote talks, deliveri...2025-06-2449 min
Flourish FMEpisode 70#: Understanding the Impact of Biological Rhythms on Flourishing, with Dr. Satchin PandaDr. Satchin Panda is a world-leading expert in circadian rhythm research. He’s an Associate Professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, a Pew Scholar, and a recipient of the Dana Foundation Award in brain and immune system imaging.
Satchin is the author of two best-selling books, The Circadian Code and The Circadian Diabetes Code.
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Boo...2025-06-0353 minFlourish FMEpisode 69#: Exploring the “New Happy” Philosophy with Stephanie Harrison.Stephanie Harrison is an expert in the science of happiness, author of the international bestseller New Happy: Getting Happiness Right in a World that’s Got It Wrong (2024), and creator of the new happy philosophy.
In New Happy, Stephanie argues that the secret to happiness is helping others, and that by adopting this philosophy in our lives, we will be able to solve the world's toughest problems.
Stephanie leads an international movement devoted to spreading the New Happy philosophy. Her organization, the New Happy, reaches millions of people around the world every month, offering award-winning ar...2025-05-2048 min
Flourish FMEpisode 68#: Resilience, Performance and Growing the Good, with Sonya LooneySonya Looney is a World Champion mountain biker with nearly two decades of elite racing experience across 25+ countries, earning titles including 2015 World Champion and four times USA National Champion. Her unique background combines endurance sports with a deep expertise in positive psychology. She holds a Master’s in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s in Electrical Engineering with a focus on neuroscience.
Driven by her passion for personal growth and well-being, Sonya focuses on helping high performers navigate perfectionism and balanced striving while cultivating vitality, purpose, and resilience. Known for h...2025-05-0645 min
Flourish FMEpisode #67: How to overcome a victim mindset and realize your potential Dr. Scott Barry KaufmanDr. Scott Barry Kaufman is a psychologist, coach, professor, keynote speaker, and bestselling author who is passionate about helping people with all kinds of minds live a creative, fulfilling, and self-actualized life. His early educational experiences made him realize the deep reservoir of untapped potential of students, including bright and creative children who have been diagnosed with a learning disability. He is among the top 1% most cited scientists in the world for his research on intelligence and creativity.
Scott is a professor of psychology at Columbia University and director of the Center for Human Potential. He has...2025-04-2242 min
Flourish FMEpisode #66: Nine tenets to building mental fitness, with Drew Ramsey, MDDrew Ramsey, MD, is a leading board-certified integrative psychiatrist, best-selling author and leading proponent of nutritional psychiatry and mental fitness. He served as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Columbia University, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeon for twenty years. He also founded the Brain Food Clinic in New York City, a digital mental health practice, and Spruce Mental Health in Jackson, Wyoming. Using the latest research along with decades of clinical experience, he hopes to help people improve their mental health and build resilient mental fitness.
Drew is a sought-after speaker, conducts workshops nationally, and...2025-02-1156 min
Flourish FMEpisode #65: How to improve your well-being and recover from mental illness, with Dr. Lindsay OadesDr. Lindsay G. Oades is an internationally acclaimed, multi award-winning well-being scientist, researcher, public policy strategist, educator and author. He is Deputy Dean and Professor of Wellbeing Science at the University of Melbourne. He has recently worked with UNESCO on the International Science and Evidence Based Education Assessment. He is former Director of Action for Happiness Australia and non-executive Director of the Positive Education Schools Association. He was awarded the Australian Government citation in 2013 for an outstanding contribution to student learning.
Lindsay’s major research contribution has been in well-being and mental health recovery. He dev...2025-01-2851 min
Flourish FMEpisode #64: Gretchen Rubin on Happiness and Human NatureGretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness and human nature. She’s known for her ability to convey complex ideas – from science to literature to stories from her own life – with levity and clarity.
Gretchen is the author of many books, which have sold millions of copies in more than thirty languages, and include five New York Times bestsellers: The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, The Four Tendencies, Happier at Home and Outer Order, Inner Calm. Her most recent book is Life in Five Senses.
Gretchen is host of the p...2025-01-1458 min
Flourish FMEpisode #63: How to live a more fulfilling and meaningful life, with Oliver BurkemanOliver Burkeman is a British journalist, author, and speaker whose work focuses on productivity, time management, and finding meaning in our fast-paced world. He graduated from the University of Cambridge, where he studied Social and Political Sciences, informing his critical examination of societal expectations around productivity and success.
Burkeman’s focus often centers on rethinking productivity and well-being, as he explores the limitations of traditional time management strategies in his popular book, Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, which has sparked broad interest for its unique perspective on finding balance in a finite life. His most re...2025-01-0151 min
Flourish FMEpisode #62: Is Our Modern Civilization Helping or Hindering Flourishing? Insights and Answers with Dr. Christopher RyanDr. Christopher Ryan is a thought-provoking author, researcher, and host of the podcast Tangentially Speaking. He gained international recognition with his New York Times bestseller Sex at Dawn (co-authored with Cacilda Jethá), which reexamines human sexuality through the lens of anthropology and evolutionary biology, challenging conventional views on monogamy and societal norms. His latest book, Civilized to Death, critiques modern society, arguing that progress has often detracted from our well-being.
Chris’s work has been translated into over twenty languages, and appeared on Netflix, HBO, MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, NPR, The New York Times, The Times of Lond...2024-12-1049 min
Flourish FMEpisode #61: “Toxic Productivity” and Our Ability to Flourish, with Israa NasirIsraa Nasir, MHC-LP, is a psychotherapist, writer, and the founder of WellGuide, a digital community for mental health awareness. She recently published Toxic Productivity: Reclaim Your Time and Emotional Energy in a World that Always Demands More (November 2024), a book that demonstrates how to challenge the various masks of toxic productivity and societal pressures around managing time by focusing on emotional regulation.
A Pakistani-Canadian child of immigrants, Israa has a specific focus on mental health, identity formation and healing for the AAPI first- and second-generation immigrant community. Israa has been featured in major publications including NBC, Vox...2024-11-2649 min
Flourish FMEpisode #60: Emotional Intelligence and Resilience with “EI” Pioneer, Dr. Daniel GolemanPsychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman, Ph.D., has transformed the way the world educates children, relates to family and friends, leads, and conducts business. A frequent speaker on campuses and to businesses of all kinds and sizes, he has worked with organizations around the globe, examining the way social and emotional competencies impact the bottom-line. Ranked one of the 10 most influential business thinkers by the Wall Street Journal, Goleman’s articles in the Harvard Business Review are among the most frequently requested reprints. Goleman has won many awards, including the HBR McKinsey Award for best article of...2024-11-1258 min
Flourish FMEpisode #59: How to Harness Meaning, Mattering and Purpose for a Flourishing Work Life, with Dr. Zach MercurioZach Mercurio, Ph.D., is a researcher, author, and speaker specializing in purposeful leadership, mattering, meaningful work, and positive organizational psychology. As author of The Invisible Leader: Transform Your Life, Work, and Organization with the Power of Authentic Purpose, Zach has inspired individuals and organizations to discover and leverage their unique purpose to drive engagement and success. He is also a leading expert on workplace culture, helping leaders cultivate environments where people feel valued and motivated. His research on meaningful work has received awards from the Association for Talent Development, the Academy of Management, and the Academy of Human...2024-10-2956 min
Flourish FMEpisode #58: How to Clean Up Your Mental Mess & Flourish, with Dr. Caroline LeafDr. Caroline Leaf is a clinical and research neuroscientist, communication pathologist, and author, recognized for her groundbreaking work on brain science and mental health. With a Ph.D. in Communication Pathology, Caroline focuses on the mind-brain connection and the transformative power of thought management for enhancing mental well-being. Her mission is “to make mental healthcare, knowledge about the power of our minds, and tools for improving learning and memory affordable, accessible, and applicable to everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, or religion.”
Caroline is the author of several bestselling books, including Switch On Your Brai...2024-10-1558 min
Flourish FMEpisode #57: What Every BODY Should Know About Nutrition & Flourishing, with Dr. Federica AmatiDr. Federica Amati is a postdoctoral medical scientist and public health nutritionist, committed to advancing our understanding of nutrition and lifestyle interventions for optimal health. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Medicine Research from Imperial College London, where her work focused on the gut microbiome and its impact on human health. She focuses in particular on maternal and early childhood health, emphasizing the first 1,000 days of life, women’s health, and the role of nutrition in improving health outcomes.
Federica is currently a Research Associate at Imperial College London’s School of Public Health, and Nu...2024-10-0157 min
Flourish FMEpisode #56: Navigating life’s choices: Daniel Pink on motivation, regrets, growth and flourishingDaniel H. Pink is a renowned author known for his groundbreaking work on motivation, work, and human behavior. He is the author of five New York Times bestsellers, the most recent of which is The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward, which explores the role of regret in personal and professional growth, offering new insights into how embracing our past can lead to a more fulfilling future. His other books include the New York Times bestsellers When and A Whole New Mind — as well as the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human.
...2024-09-1751 min
Flourish FMEpisode #55: The Art and Science of Connection and Social Health, with Kasley KillamKasley Killam, MPH, is the author of The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier (HarperCollins, June 2024). She is a Harvard-trained social scientist, award-winning innovator, and is internationally recognized as a leading expert in “social health”: the dimension of well-being that stems from relationships.
Kasley champions social health as a strategic advisor, keynote speaker, and founder of Social Health Labs, a national nonprofit that empowers community builders. Drawing from over a decade of studying, sharing, and applying the science of human connection, her expertise has been featu...2024-09-0350 min
Flourish FMEpisode #54: Strategies for Real World Enlightenment, with Susan Kaiser GreenlandSusan Kaiser Greenland is a mindfulness educator and bestselling author, who teaches mindfulness to children, teens, parents, and educators for everyday practices. She is a former corporate attorney, but transformed her career after discovering meditation, founding Inner Kids to teach secular mindfulness in schools and community programs. She has been studying Buddhism for over 30 years. She has authored several widely translated books, including her latest release in July 2024, Real-World Enlightenment: Discovering Ordinary Magic in Everyday Life. The book offers 50 powerful tools for modern seekers, providing practical strategies to foster meaningful connections and alleviate the pressures of modern life.
2024-08-2049 min
Flourish FMEpisode #53: Positive Leadership: How to Lead Well by Doing Good, with Dr. Craig DowdenDr. Craig Dowden is a bestselling author, award-winning keynote speaker, and executive coach born and raised in Newfoundland. He is celebrated for his expertise in bridging the gap between the science and practice of leadership excellence, and has spent over 25 years exploring the connections between leadership theory and application.
Craig’s career spans academia, keynote speaking, and executive coaching, where he currently coaches leaders across the private, public, and non-profit sectors. Craig has a Ph.D. in Psychology and Business and was a Professor at Carleton University, where he was nominated twice for the Capital Educators Award. He...2024-08-0647 min
Flourish FMEpisode #52: How to exit the grind and live a happier, more fulfilling lifeDr. Maike Neuhaus is a future-oriented positive psychology coach dedicated to empowering individuals, teams, and organizations to flourish. As co-founder and Self-Leadership Driver of Ducidium, she spearheads a mission to equip others with the tools and mindset needed to confidently lead transformative journeys. She is also founder of the Flourishing Doc, offering courses, coaching, and resources to empower people to live life to the fullest, free of regret.
Having earned her Master's Degree in Psychology with specializations in Health and Organizational Psychology, and a PhD focused on effective behavior change strategies, Maike is a recognized e...2024-07-2352 min
Flourish FMEpisode #51: How to use transformational coaching to thrive at work and in lifeElena Aguilar [Ay-lay-nuh Ar-gue-la] is a bestselling author and coaching expert known for her eight books on coaching and leadership development, including The Art of Coaching and The Art of Coaching Teams. Her forthcoming comprehensive coaching book, Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching, highlights conversational skills to help you thrive and will be released in July 2024. She hosts The Bright Morning Podcast where she shares tools for educators.
Elena is the founder and CEO of Bright Morning Consulting, an organization dedicated to empowering educators and leaders with the skills and insights needed to create resilient a...2024-07-0957 min
Flourish FMEpisode #50: How Theology can Help you Flourish, with Dr. Miroslav VolfDr. Miroslav Volf is a prominent theologian, scholar, author, and founding Director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture.
Born in Croatia, Miroslav experienced the religious and political tensions of his homeland firsthand, which deeply influenced his academic and theological pursuits. He has authored numerous influential books, including Exclusion and Embrace: A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation and Allah: A Christian Response, which engage with pressing theological and ethical questions in a globalized world. His most recent book is the New York Times bestseller Life Worth Living: A Guide to What Matters Most, co-authored...2024-06-2550 min
Flourish FMEpisode #49: Why your mindset matters and what to start doing about itWe interview Dr. Gemma Leigh Roberts, a chartered psychologist and author specialising in wellbeing, resilience and mindset. She is a Top 5 LinkedIn Learning instructor, and over five million people have taken her LinkedIn Learning courses. Over 650,000 people subscribe to her 'Mindset Matters – Thriving at work' newsletter. The newsletter led to the publication, in 2022, of her first book, Mindset Matters: Developing mental agility and resilience to thrive in uncertainty.
Gemma has written for or been featured in Stylist, the Guardian, Yahoo Finance, Forbes and Business Insider and has appeared on the BBC. She specializes in helping peo...2024-06-1150 min
Flourish FMEpisode #48: How to build great relationships, with Dr. Rick HansonWe interview Dr. Rick Hanson, a prolific writer and practitioner of all things psychology, neuroscience, resilience and well-being.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 33 languages and include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture – with over a million copies in English alone.
Rick is the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co...2024-05-2853 min
Flourish FMEpisode #47: Digging into how to “be well” with Dr. Rick HansonWe interview Dr. Rick Hanson, a prolific writer and practitioner of all things psychology, neuroscience, resilience and well-being.
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 33 languages and include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture – with over a million copies in English alone.
Rick is the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co...2024-05-141h 00
Flourish FMEpisode #46: How to leverage failure and psychological safety in your team or organization, with Dr. Amy EdmondsonWe interview Dr. Amy C. Edmondson, Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at Harvard Business School, a chair established to support the study of human interactions that lead to the creation of successful enterprises that contribute to the betterment of society. She has pioneered the concept of psychological safety for over 20 years and was recognized in 2021 as #1 on the Thinkers50 global ranking of management thinkers.
Amy is the author of Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy (2012), The Fearless Organization: Creating Psychological Safety in the Workplace for Learning, Innovation, and Growth (2018), and, most...2024-04-3054 min
Flourish FMEpisode #45: What can existential psychotherapy do for your ability to flourish?, with Dr. Sara KuburicWe interview Dr. Sara Kuburic, existential psychotherapist, writer, and columnist for USA Today, about how existential psychotherapy can help us to flourish.
In particular, we discuss Sara’s work on “self-loss”: what it is, how to identify it and rebuild our sense of self; how overcoming self-loss can help us flourish; and how to live a more authentic and meaningful life.
Sara is the author of It’s On Me: Accept Hard Truths, Discover Your Self, and Change Your Life (Penguin Random House, 2023). The book is a guide to identifying self-loss – one of our greatest unspoken h...2024-04-1650 min
Flourish FMEpisode #44: The Antifragile: Antifragility with Entrepreneur, MBA, AI consultant and dad, Josh HernandezIn this episode we dive into the extraordinary life journey of a Josh Hernandez. Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, to teenage parents, our guest grew up in a nurturing environment where his father was in trucking and his mother ran a home daycare. This early exposure to leadership and working with people laid the foundation for his path.
Despite growing up in a lower-middle-class household, he found his way to a medical magnet high school situated in a lower socioeconomic area of the city. Here, he formed deep bonds with students from diverse backgrounds, enriching...2024-04-0954 min
Flourish FMEpisode #43: The Antifragile: Antifragility with 2x Inc. 300 CEO, entrepreneur, author and dad, Bob GouletIn this episode, we dive into a conversation with Bob Goulet. Bob is an American entrepreneur, inventor, and life artist. He is the inventor on more than two dozen patents globally and is a two-time Inc. 500 award winner who has also been recognized globally in the sciences.
A passionate student of life, he has traveled the world and studied with many of the greatest spiritual teachers of our time. He also holds a BS and MS in chemical engineering from the University of Connecticut and Clemson University, respectively as well as an MBA from Duke University.
2024-04-0255 min
Flourish FMEpisode #42: The Antifragile: Antifragility with Aerospace Engineer, Entrepreneur, Defense Expert and Mom, Jackie SpaceIn this episode, we dive into a conversation with Jackie Space, a highly accomplished individual with experience in national security, aerospace, and academia. Jackie's journey through professional challenges, failures, and successes sheds light on the concept of anti-fragility. We explore how she navigates discomfort and strives to create opportunities for herself and her daughter. Tune in to gain insights from Jackie's inspiring story and approach to life.
Jackie is a co-founder and senior vice-president of BMNT, a national security focused innovation consultancy and early-stage technology incubator. She was also part of the first teaching team for the...2024-03-261h 04
Flourish FMEpisode #41: The Antifragile: Antifragility with entrepreneur, investor, IPO expert, bestselling author and father, Peter GoldsteinPeter Goldstein is a seasoned entrepreneur, capital markets expert, and investor with over 35 years of diverse international business experience. Throughout his career, he's held pivotal roles, including CEO, chairman, investment banker, founder, board member, investor, and advisor to public, private, and emerging growth companies.
Peter's achievements span capital markets specializing in equity financing, strategic planning, and transaction structuring. These include numerous successful IPOs, M&A, uplisting, reverse merger transactions, private placements, and crowdfunding campaigns.
He's the founder of Exchange Listing, LLC, dedicated to facilitating growth companies' listings on esteemed exchanges like NASDAQ and the NYSE, an...2024-03-191h 03
Flourish FMEpisode #40: Special Series on The Antifragile: Antifragility with world champion, bestselling author and performance coach, Donene TaylorDonene Taylor is a professional author and speaker who delivers energizing,
inspirational, and motivational presentations and workshops to many different
communities, teams, and organizations.
Donene is the #1 best-selling author of two books. Her first book, Heart of a
Champion, unpacks her journey of self-discovery as she attained her dream to
become a world champion. Her second and latest book, Master the Art of Winning,
provides readers with steps to take so they can dig digger, and do the
transformational work needed to build t...2024-03-1250 minFlourish FMEpisode #39: Special Series on The Antifragile: Antifragility with combat veteran and leadership trainer, Kawika LauAcross our nearly 40 conversations with experts on flourishing one of the most consistent themes we’ve heard is that consistent flourishing often depends on ability to endure, and even leverage chosen unpleasantness. In other words, to develop antifragility. So, we decided to dig deeper!
In this special series on antifragility, Nick dives deep with clients, friends and colleagues who exemplify what it means to embrace and live with antifragility as a foundation for more frequent flourishing. In each episode, you’ll hear about our highly accomplished guest, there lived examples of antifragility and how they go about embed...2024-03-051h 09
Flourish FMEpisode #39: What can existential psychotherapy do for your ability to flourish?, with Dr. Sara KuburicWe interview Dr. Sara Kuburic, existential psychotherapist, writer, and columnist for USA Today, about how existential psychotherapy can help us to flourish.
In particular, we discuss Sara’s work on “self-loss”: what it is, how to identify it and rebuild our sense of self; how overcoming self-loss can help us flourish; and how to live a more authentic and meaningful life.
Sara is the author of It’s On Me: Accept Hard Truths, Discover Your Self, and Change Your Life (Penguin Random House, 2023). The book is a guide to identifying self-loss – one of our greatest unspoken hu...2024-03-0550 min
Flourish FMEpisode #38: Leadership for Flourishing, with Emmie Bidston and Dr. Katy Granville-ChapmanWe interview Emmie Bidston and Dr. Katy Granville-Chapman, authors of Leader: Know, love and inspire your people (2020), about leadership for flourishing. Our conversation focuses on what makes a great leader and how to promote flourishing through leadership.
Emmie is an Associate Fellow of the Oxford Character Project and a Senior Fellow of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard’s Flourishing Network. Emmie studied Economics at the University of Cambridge before working for the UK civil service in a range of areas from education to contingency planning. She is currently head of Economics at Wellington College and Director of...2024-02-1357 min
Flourish FMEpisode #37: How to get on the path to antifragility, peak performance and fulfilling your potential, with Dr. Adam WrightWe interview Dr. Adam Wright, Director of Mental Performance at the Washington Nationals and Co-founder at the Antifragile Academy, about how to build antifragility to fulfil your potential and maximize your performance.
Adam Wright is a certified mental skills consultant and executive coach with broad experience and interdisciplinary academic training. His primary professional focus is enhancing individual and team performance while fostering a sense of flourishing in their pursuit of excellence.
With over two decades of experience in high-stakes environments where excellence is not an option but a necessity, Adam has supported a wide range...2024-02-0641 min
Flourish FMEpisode #36: How to prevent and recover from burnout, with “The Burnout Doc,” Dr. Sharon GrossmanWe interview Dr. Sharon Grossman, also known as the “Burnout Doc,” about how to prevent and recover from burnout, and manage stress.
We discuss what burnout is, its symptoms and causes, and how to identify and reduce the risk of it. The conversation provides practical tips and strategies for preventing and recovering from burnout, managing stress, and building resilience.
Sharon Grossman is a leading expert on burnout, stress, productivity, and employee well-being. She is a psychologist, executive coach, keynote speaker, and author of the international bestseller The Solution to Burnout: 7 Steps from Exhausted to Extraordinary (2020). Her m...2024-01-3057 min
Flourish FMEpisode #35: How the "flourishing effect" can help you thrive in the workplace, with Tonille MillerWe interview Tonille Miller, a prominent organizational psychologist and consultant with expertise in human behavior, high performance, and organizational dynamics, about how to create thriving workplaces. We discuss her recently published book, The Flourishing Effect, a playbook for unlocking employee and organizational thriving and sustainable performance. The book aims to show leaders and changemakers how to create the conditions that engage their people and facilitate high performance in today’s world.
Tonille presents a compelling research-backed argument for why companies should prioritize employee well-being, and explains how they can do this while improving performance and suc...2024-01-2349 min
Flourish FMEpisode #34: How to flourish through fitness and movement, with Krista StrykerWe interview Krista Stryker - author, entrepreneur, and self-actualization coach specializing in physical and mental fitness - about how to flourish through fitness and movement. We discuss connections between mental fitness and physical fitness and the significant benefits of physical exercise for mental health and cognition. Krista offers practical advice on maintaining and building physical fitness, and how to use journaling as a tool for motivation and consistency. She emphasizes the importance of finding activities that you enjoy and tapping into intrinsic motivation to stay consistent.
Krista Stryker is the creator of the 12 Minute Athlete a...2024-01-1649 min
Flourish FMEpisode #33: How to harness self-reflection to do hard things, develop psychological richness and create optimal happiness, with Dr. Robert Biswas-DienerWe interview Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener, a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness, about his extensive research in these areas and his pioneering work in the application of positive psychology to coaching. We explore the concept of psychological richness and its practical implications for improving our quality of life, the distinction between happiness and optimal happiness, and why self-reflection and engaging in difficult things is so important for improving our well-being.
Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the “Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology” because his research has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, Indi...2024-01-0254 min
Flourish FMEpisode #32: Building Well-Being in the Workplace, with Former Director of Global Mental Health and Well-Being at Google, Dr. Kristin MaczkoGone are the days of pitting productivity against well-being in the workplace. Imagine a world where the elements that boost collective productivity also ignite motivation and personal fulfillment within each individual. In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome the brilliant Dr. Kristin Maczko, a trailblazer at the crossroads of psychology and organizational success, as we embark on a journey through the corridors of workplace effectiveness. She is an expert in the intersection between productivity and well-being in the workplace, and her work focuses on the collective and systemic factors that influence them. Dr. Maczko previously served as the...2023-08-1655 min
Flourish FMEpisode #31: How To Flourish in Your Career in an Uncertain Future of Work, with Dr. Gabriella Rosen KellermanJoining us today is Dr. Gabriella Rosen Kellerman a respected author, entrepreneur, and Harvard-trained physician, who has extensive expertise in the realms of behavioral and organizational change, digital health, well-being, and AI. In collaboration with Professor Martin Seligman, Gabriella co-authored her debut book Tomorrowmind, which provides crucial strategies and practical guidance to confronting the ambiguous prospects of the workplace. Throughout her career, Gabriella has held significant roles in the corporate world. She served as the Chief Product Officer and Chief Innovation Officer at BetterUp, a prominent transformation platform catering to global professionals.
In our conversation, we discuss...2023-08-0153 min
Flourish FMEpisode #30: Building Your Mindset and Mental Game, with Dre BaldwinWhether you’re just starting out or you want to take your career to the next level, having the right mindset is essential for success. And no one knows how to turn unrelenting self-belief into hard-and-fast career results better than author, entrepreneur, business coach, and former international basketball pro, Dre Baldwin! Known as DreAllDay by his fans, Dre developed his signature Work On Your Game framework to help professionals of all kinds with accountability, strategy, execution, and most importantly mindset.
Join us today as Dre highlights the importance of developing the right mental game for flourishing, why menta...2023-07-1856 min
Flourish FMEpisode #29: Global well-being and the role of education in flourishing, with Dr. Alejandro AdlerToday our focus is on the importance of education and the role of teachers and mentors in facilitating human flourishing, and we are joined by Dr. Alejandro Adler, who does an amazing job of illuminating the research and findings on this subject. Dr. Adler is the Dean of Student Life and Wellbeing at Upper Canada College and has had a varied career acquiring a wealth of experience in international well-being initiatives and projects.
Dr. Adler's professional focus has been squarely on well-being, education and skills, human capital development, and public policy. He has worked with and advised m...2023-07-0535 min
Flourish FMEpisode #28: Perseverance, Grit, and Mental Fortitude with Captain Megan HenryToday we are very glad to welcome Captain Megan Henry to the show, and we have a wonderful and insightful conversation with her about her career and the lessons she has learned about mental training, mindfulness, and focus. Megan is a former field hockey and track athlete, having competed for the national team in skeleton. Her focus is now on Olympic weightlifting and her studies as a mental performance coach!
Megan shares many great pieces of wisdom and experience with us, touching on managing stress, achieving oneness in activity, how meditation has changed her life, and why i...2023-06-2049 min
Flourish FMEpisode #27: How to Use Your Attention to Help You Flourish, with Dr. Gloria MarkToday’s very special guest is Dr. Gloria Mark, the Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine, and author of Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity. Her work is primarily focused on the deep examination of multitasking, interruptions, and mood as they pertain to the use of digital devices.
In our conversation, Gloria defines attention, the different types of attention, psychological balance, and flow. She also explains why attention is always goal-oriented, how we’ve developed kinetic attention in this digital age, whether our dwindling attention spans are cause for c...2023-06-041h 04
Flourish FMEpisode #26: The Power of Wonder, with Monica C. ParkerIn this episode, we are very lucky to have an amazing conversation with the author of The Power of Wonder, Monica C. Parker! Monica is a prominent speaker and writer, the founder of HATCH Analytics, and has an unusually varied career, having worked as an opera singer, policy director, homicide investigator, CEO, and museum exhibition director!
In our chat, we get to pick Monica's brain about her research into what wonder can do for the human mind and body, and she explains how building a mindset focused on experiencing wonder can lead to continual flourishing. We get...2023-05-1757 min
Flourish FMEpisode #25: The Extended Mind with Annie Murphy PaulToday, we talk to journalist and bestselling author Annie Murphy Paul about how the “extended mind” can help us flourish. She is an acclaimed science writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times and Scientific American, among many other publications. She has also authored various books, including Origins, The Cult of Personality, and the topic of today’s discussion, The Extended Mind.
In our conversation with Annie, we discuss the extended mind's three types of cognition (embodied, situated, and distributed) and what it means to be a "loopy" creature. We explore practical strategies for leveraging distri...2023-05-0351 min
Flourish FMEpisode #24: The implications of perfectionism and confidence on the good life, with Homaira KabirWhile our drive for excellence and perfectionism can help us to strive for great results and improvement, it can also come at a cost. On the show today, we welcome Homaira Kabir, life coach, speaker, and author of the new book Goodbye, Perfect. Homaira has a master's degree in coaching psychology, positive psychology, and the scientific study of human flourishing, and is also the founder and CEO of The Goodbye Perfect Project.
In our conversation with Homaira, we delve into her work, how she helps her clients, and some of the subject matter from her inspiring book. Ou...2023-04-1952 min
Flourish FMEpisode #23: The Role of Shadowboxing in Flourishing, with Drs. Chris Bertram and Sarah SarkisToday we are joined by “Jedi of the unconscious”, Dr. Sarah Sarkis, and applied neuroscientist, Dr. Chris Bertam. Between the two of them, they have a vast range of expertise which converges on their common pursuit, the Shadowboxing Podcast. In this episode, we discover what shadowboxing is and how it relates to flourishing.
Chris and Sarah share their thoughts on what it means to flourish, how it relates to flow, and the importance of learning to tolerate struggle. Theory aside, our guests impart some practical advice for increasing your tolerance for discomfort, from cold water submersion to the...2023-04-0451 min
Flourish FMEpisode #22: Lessons from the World’s Longest Study on Happiness, with Dr. Marc SchulzIn today's episode, we go deep into the idea and components of a good life with Associate Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, Dr. Marc Schulz. Marc is the co-author of the The Good Life (2023), a Professor of Psychology at Bryn Mawr College, a psychologist, and a practicing therapist.
This conversation covers a selection of the interesting and enriching findings presented in Marc's book, practical strategies for developing social fitness, where material wealth should fit into our priorities, and why difficult experiences are such a necessary component of flourishing. The main thrust of Marc's recent work...2023-03-2152 minFlourish FMEpisode #21: Why we must build mental toughness with Dr. Gilda ScarfeIn this episode, we talked to Dr. Gilda Scarfe, expert on mental toughness, about what mental toughness is and how to build it.
Gilda Scarfe is the founder and CEO of Positive Ed & the Mental Toughness Institute, and a member of the advisory board for the Global Flourishing Study, led by the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, Baylor University and Gallup. Gilda is a positive psychology practitioner and mental toughness expert with a Ph.D. in the conceptualization of mental toughness and its application in education. She has worked in performance psychology, mental toughness, an...2023-02-281h 00Flourish FMEpisode #20: A special episode of Coming Up Clutch, with J.R. ReidIn this special episode, Jon and Nick were interviewed about the science of flourishing and what it means to flourish by performance coach and strategist J.R. Reid, for his podcast, Coming Up Clutch.
Key conversation points:
What human flourishing is and how you can experience it
The two greatest predictors of general well-being, life satisfaction, and fulfillment
What you can’t miss if you want to have more life-satisfaction and experience fulfillment
Highlights:
[00:01 - 11:50] Introducing Nick and Jon
Nick's and Jon’s most embarrassing moment
Nick's and Jon’’s background...2023-02-2154 min
Flourish FMEpisode #19: Mathematics for flourishing, with Dr. Francis SuIn this episode, we talked to Professor Francis Su about the role of mathematics in flourishing, how mathematics can promote flourishing, and his argument that the purpose of mathematics is to support flourishing.
Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College and a former president of the Mathematical Association of America. In 2013, he received the Haimo Award, a nationwide teaching prize for college math faculty, and in 2018 he won the Halmos-Ford writing award. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times. His 2020 book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, w...2023-01-1755 min
Flourish FMEpisode #18: The science of happiness, with Dr. Tal Ben-ShaharIn this episode, we talked to happiness expert Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar about the science of happiness, focusing on his account of happiness as “wholebeing,” comprised of five elements of well-being which make up his “SPIRE” model: Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Relational and Emotional well-being.
Tal Ben-Shahar is an author and lecturer who taught two of the largest classes in Harvard University’s history, Positive Psychology and The Psychology of Leadership, and taught Happiness Studies at Columbia University. His books on happiness have been translated into more than thirty languages and have appeared on bestseller lists around the world, a...2023-01-0345 min
Flourish FMEpisode #17: Collective resilience and culturally competent flourishing with Drs. Lucy Hone and Denise QuinlanIn this episode, we talked to Dr Lucy Hone and Dr Denise Quinlan about their work on building well-being and resilience among different populations, and how to develop the most important skills associated with resilience.
Dr Lucy Hone is author of the 2017 book Resilient Grieving: How to Find Your Way Through a Devastating Loss and gave the TED talk ‘3 Secrets of Resilient People’, which was among the Top 20 TED talks of 2020. She is co-author (with Denise Quinlan) of the Educators’ Guide to Whole-school Wellbeing, co-convenor of Wellbeing in Education New Zealand, presenter on many of the New...2022-12-1955 min
Flourish FMEpisode # 16: Spirituality and Flourishing, with Dr. Lisa MillerIn this episode, we talked to Dr. Lisa Miller about the science of spirituality and how we can apply research , the role of spirituality in flourishing and how we can apply research on the science of spirituality to our lives. She has developed a form of psychotherapy known as “spiritual awareness psychotherapy” or “awakened awareness,” which we practice live on the call!
Lisa Miller is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Spiri...2022-12-051h 07
Flourish FMEpisode # 15: The science of friendship and flourishing, with Dr. Marisa FrancoDr. Marisa G. Franco is a psychologist, Professor at the University of Maryland and author of the New York Times bestseller Platonic: How The Science of Attachment Can Help You Make — and Keep — Friends. She writes about friendship for Psychology Today and has been a featured connection expert for major publications including the New York Times, The Telegraph, and Vice. She speaks on belonging at corporations, government agencies, non-profits, and universities. On her website you can take a quiz to assess your strengths and weaknesses as a friend & reach out for speaking engagements.
Key themes for d...2022-11-211h 05
Flourish FMEpisode #14: Types of relationships and their role in a fulfilling life, with therapist and relationship coach, Nicole NourianIn this episode, we talked to therapist and relationship coach, Nicole Nourian, about healthy relationships and how to build them, character strengths such as resilience and autonomy, the importance of growth in relationships, and how to cultivate “radical acceptance” - coming to terms with difficult events in life outside our control.
Nicole Nourian is a therapist born and raised in LA. Her journey in psychology started at UCLA, where she graduated with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and also became a certified yoga instructor and certified life coach, specializing in relationships. Nicole went on to rec...2022-11-081h 03
Flourish FMEpsiode # 13: Meaning, happiness, morality and flourishing - a conversation with Will ReuschIn this episode, we talked to Will Reusch about whether an evil person can live a meaningful life and flourish; what happiness is and how its role in our lives changes depending on how we define it; and the similarities and differences between influential contemporary theories of flourishing.
Will Reusch is an educator and podcaster. For the last thirteen years he has taught multiple subjects at public and private schools in Los Angeles, his main subject being social studies. Since 2019 he has hosted the podcast Cylinder Radio, an educational podcast which focuses on exploring controversial to...2022-10-251h 12
Flourish FMEpisode#12: How to progress through life from one strength to anotherIn this episode, we talked to Professor Arthur Brooks about happiness, wisdom, love, relationships, religion and spirituality, and why these are important for our flourishing, particularly as we move into the latter half of our lives.
Arthur C. Brooks is the William Henry Bloomberg Professor of the Practice of Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School and Professor of Management Practice at the Harvard Business School. Before joining Harvard in July 2019, he served for ten years as president of the Washington, D.C.-based American Enterprise Institute, one of the world’s leading think tanks. Broo...2022-10-1146 min
Flourish FMEpisode# 11: Flow & Flourishing Part 2: Flow in your workThis is the second in a two-part series on the relationship between flourishing and flow - the psychological state of optimal experience and performance. Research suggests that experiencing flow significantly enhances our well-being.
In this episode, we talk to Dr Jared Weintraub and Dr Gerrit McGowan about the role of flow in work and how to get more into flow in your work.
Dr Jared Weintraub is the founder of The Flow Group, LLC., an organizational and business development firm that works with individuals and companies to create and maintain happy, he...2022-09-261h 30
Flourish FMEpisode # 10: Flow & Flourishing Part 1: The Flow StateThis is the first of a two-part series on the relationship between flourishing and flow - the psychological state of optimal experience and performance. Research suggests that experiencing flow significantly enhances our well-being.
In this episode, we talk to Dr Carol Grojean and Dr Brent Hogarth about the flow state and its relationship to flourishing.
As a Leadership professional in the areas of Organizational Effectiveness, Project Management, and Transformational Change, Dr Carol Grojean has spent the past 20 years’ guiding large, complex, strategic initiatives. Carol is adept at designing and implementing programs which drive str...2022-09-121h 14
Flourish FMEpisode#9: Pathways to Visible Well-being and Executing Strengths-Based ParentingIn this episode we talked to Professor Lea Waters about the pathways towards well-being and why ‘strengths-based parenting’ is important.
Lea is Founding Director of and Inaugural Gerry Higgins Chair in Positive Psychology at the Centre for Positive Psychology (now the Centre for Wellbeing Science), University of Melbourne. Lea holds affiliate positions at Cambridge University and the University of Michigan and serves on the Scientific Board at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. Lea is the Past President of the International Positive Psychology Association, serves on the Council of Happiness and Education for the World H...2022-08-221h 19
Flourish FMEpisode # 8: On growing roses in concrete, student well-being and a different vision for educationIn this episode we are talking to Jeff Duncan-Andrade, Ph.D., a Professor of Latina/o Studies and Race and Resistance Studies at San Francisco State University. He is also a founder of the Roses in Concrete Community School, a community responsive lab school in East Oakland (rosesinconcrete.org) and the Community Responsive Education Group (communityresponsive.org). As a classroom teacher and school leader in East Oakland (CA) for the past 28 years, his pedagogy has been widely studied and acclaimed for producing uncommon levels of social and academic success for students. Duncan-Andrade lectures around the world and has authored...2022-08-151h 25
Flourish FMEpsiode #7: Applying the Ancient Greek philosophy of flourishing to our lives todayIn this episode we talked to Professor Angie Hobbs about how we can apply the ancient Greek philosophy of flourishing to our lives today.
Angie gained a degree in Classics and a PhD in Ancient Philosophy at the University of Cambridge. After a Research Fellowship at Christ’s College, Cambridge, she moved to the Philosophy Department at the University of Warwick; in 2012 she was appointed Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield, a position created for her. She now holds a position with this title at the University of Warwick. Her c...2022-08-091h 03
Flourish FMEpisode #6: The importance of critical thinking for flourishing in an age of technologyIn this epsiode we talked to Dr Tom Chatfield. He is a British author, philosopher of technology, and educator. He is interested in improving our understanding of digital technology and its uses in policy, education and engagement. He’s particularly interested in the teaching and practice of critical thinking skills, and has worked with schools, universities and companies around their development, as well as creating award-winning online courses for both academic institutions and businesses.
Key conversation points were:
Our relationship with technology and how this impacts our flourishing
How to reduce technology blurring the lines between wor...2022-08-021h 14
Flourish FMEpisode #5: Pathways to Global FlourishingDr David Johnson is Reader in Comparative and International Education and Fellow of St Antony’s College at the University of Oxford. He convenes Oxford’s Centre for Comparative and International Education and recently held the position of Chen Yiden Global Visiting Fellow at Harvard.
Dr. Matthew T. Lee is Director of Empirical Research at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, where he also leads the Program’s Community of Practice. He is also a Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Health, Flourishing, and Positive Psychology at Stony Brook University’s Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethic...2022-07-261h 18
Flourish FMEpisode #4: Addiction and flourishing: why our addiction to pleasure is making us unhappyToday we are talking to Anna Lemke, MD about the relation between dopamine and fourishing.
Overarching themes:
Dopamine, it’s role in pleasure and motivation
The relation between dopamine and human flourishing
How to flourish while navigating addiction
Dr. Anna Lembke received her undergraduate degree in Humanities from Yale University and her medical degree from Stanford University. She is currently Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also Program Director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Fellowship, and Chief of the Stanf...2022-07-191h 06
Flourish FMEpisode #3: Should growth be the goal of human flourishing?Our third episode guest is Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Key discussion points were:
- the sailboat metaphor and human flourishing
- education and flourishing
Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the mind, creativity, and the depths of human potential. He is founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential and an Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Wellbeing Science. Dr. Kaufman has taught at Columbia University, Yale, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Dr. Kaufman received a B...2022-07-1055 min
Flourish FMEpisode #3: Should growth be the goal of human flourishing?Our third episode guest is Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman. Key discussion points were:
- the sailboat metaphor and human flourishing
- education and flourishing
Scott Barry Kaufman is a cognitive scientist and humanistic psychologist exploring the mind, creativity, and the depths of human potential. He is founder and director of the Center for the Science of Human Potential and an Honorary Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne’s Centre for Wellbeing Science. Dr. Kaufman has taught at Columbia University, Yale, NYU, the University of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. Dr. Kaufman received a B...2022-07-1055 min
Flourish FMEpisode #2: The Importance of Meaning for FlourishingToday we are talking with Emily Esfahani Smith about the role and importance of meaning in human flourishing. Emily also touches on how to find meaning in life and what meaning consists of - the 'four pillars' of meaning and the role each pillar may play in human flourishing.
Emily Esfahani Smith is a writer in Washington DC. In her writing, she draws on psychology, philosophy, and literature to write about the human experience — why we are the way we are and how we can find grace and meaning in a world that is full of s...2022-07-1050 min
Flourish FMEpisode #1: Todd Kashdan on Navigating Unpleasantness and Creating ChangeThis week we talk with Todd Kashdan, author and TEDx speaker about flourishing.
Key takeaways will be the relationship between your various areas of specialization and human flourishing, including but not limited to:
- curiousity and openness to experience
- affective science (specifically pleasantness and unpleasantness or "positive and negative" emotions)
-psychological flexibility done through conversations
Todd Kashdan, Ph.D., received the American Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Award in 2013 and Distinguished Faculty Member of the Year at George Mason University in 2010. He has published over 210 scientific journa...2022-07-091h 13Flourish FMFlourish FM TrailerWhat does it take to flourish? We started Flourish FM to share cutting edge research from world experts on how to thrive, so you can take away big ideas and practical steps to enhance your life, the lives of others, and, ultimately, make the world a better place.
Flourish FM is hosted by Dr. Jon Beale and Dr. Nick Holton, and in collaboration with the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University, the Department of Education at the University of Oxford, and The Shipley School.2022-06-3002 min