Flourish FM

About this episode:   Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky is the world’s preeminent expert on happiness. She is a Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and is the author of The Myths of Happiness and the bestseller The How of Happiness, which have been published in 39 countries. Her next book, co-authored with Harry Reis, is coming out in February and is titled, How to Feel Loved: The Five Mindsets That Get You More of What Matters Most.   Sonja received her degrees from Harvard and Stanford. She has been awarded many grants and honors for her research, which focuses on how and why happiness can shift over time, and how to build lasting happiness via gratitude, kindness, and connection interventions.    Sonja’s work has been written up in hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles, and she has appeared on multiple TV shows, radio shows, and feature documentaries worldwide.    Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast   Links: Website The Happiness Files Newsletter Elevate Your Happiness Membership LinkedIn Instagram Twitter Facebook Books Happiness and Mindset Quizzes Google Scholar   02:05 Defining Happiness  03:56 Happiness and Human Flourishing 07:17 The Benefits of Happiness 11:56 Effective Happiness Interventions 13:55 Gratitude Interventions 21:35 Acts of Kindness and Their Impact 23:38 Connection Interventions and Upcoming Book 28:14 Understanding Loneliness and Connection 29:51 Introducing the New Book: How to Feel Loved 33:26 Mindsets for Feeling Loved 39:23 The Role of Negative Emotions 41:20 The Power of Gratitude 45:33 The Secret to Happiness: Deep Conversations 50:11 Holiday Conversations and Final Thoughts

Sonya 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 her infectious energy and relentless curiosity, she is a National Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach dedicated to guiding others toward meaningful accomplishments – without burning out.   Through her work as a TEDx speaker, podcast host, consultant, writer, and professional speaker, Sonya brings her knowledge and experiences to life. As the host of the Grow the Good podcast, Sonya inspires listeners by diving into topics like grit, mindset, self-worth, purpose, success, and healthy striving.  Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast Links: Website Instagram LinkedIn YouTube Facebook Twitter Grow the Good podcast Timestamps: 00:02:30 - Sonia's Background and Journey 00:05:00 - Interdisciplinary Approach to Well-being and Performance 00:07:00 - Defining Well-being and Balance 00:09:00 - Problems with Sacrificing Well-being 00:11:00 - The Role of Relationships in High Performance 00:14:00 - Mastery vs. Outcome-focused Goals 00:15:00 - Meaningful Accomplishment 00:18:00 - Social Contribution and Mattering 00:19:00 - The Dark Side of Meaningful Work 00:20:00 - Balancing Vitality and Meaningful Work 00:24:00 - Personal Fulfilling Goals vs. Meaningful Otherish Goals 00:25:00 - Building on the Initial Model 00:27:00 - The Six Striving Mindsets 00:29:00 - The Importance of Belonging 00:30:00 - The Role of Recognition and Self-acceptance 00:32:00 - Practical Advice for Finding and Maintaining Meaningful Accomplishments 00:33:00 - The Importance of Savoring and Celebrating Wins

Dr. Joanna Moncrieff, M.D., is Professor of Critical and Social Psychiatry at University College London, and a consultant psychiatrist for the NHS in London. She studies the effects, action, use and representation of psychiatric drugs, including antidepressants and antipsychotics, and has also written about the history and philosophy of psychiatry.    Joanna has published several books, the most recent of which is Chemically Imbalanced: The Making and Unmaking of the Serotonin Myth (2025). Her previous books include The Myth of the Chemical Cure, The Bitterest Pills and A Straight Talking Introduction to Psychiatric Drugs.   Joanna has written for The Guardian, Daily Mail, The Conversation, Literary Review, was profiled in The Spectator and has been interviewed for Channel 4’s Ways to Change the World Podcast, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s Feel Better, Live More podcast, The Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast and the Evening Standard’s Tech and Science Daily, among others.    Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast   Links: Website University College London webpage Twitter Publications Google Scholar Psychology Today blog Timestamps:   [00:03:04] Critical psychiatry's alternative perspective. [00:04:10] Questioning the pharmaceutical industry's dominance. [00:09:40] Emotional reactions to personal loss. [00:14:00] Serotonin theory of depression. [00:17:27] SSRIs versus benzodiazepines distinction. [00:21:44] Biological vs. psychological treatment approaches. [00:27:50] Flourishing despite mental illness. [00:30:56] The role of suffering. [00:36:09] Emotions as signals for change. [00:42:07] Psychedelics and depression treatment. [00:46:19] Depression's complex nature. [00:48:38] Finding purpose in life.

Dr. Laurie Santos is a Professor of Psychology at Yale University and one of the world’s leading experts on the science of happiness. She is also an expert on the evolutionary origins of human cognition and the ways our minds lie to us about what makes us happy.    Laurie’s course at Yale, “Psychology and the Good Life,” teaches students how the science of psychology can help us make wiser choices and live a happier and more fulfilling life. It’s the most popular class ever taught at Yale, with almost one out of four students enrolled. It has been featured in media outlets including the New York Times, [and] NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, GQ Magazine and Slate. The publicly available online version of the class, called “The Science of Well-Being,” has attracted more than 4 million learners worldwide.   Laurie has won numerous awards, both for her science and teaching. She was recently voted one of Popular Science Magazine’s “Brilliant 10” young minds and was named in Time Magazine as a “Leading Campus Celebrity.” Her podcast, The Happiness Lab, is a top-3 Apple podcast which has attracted over 100 million downloads. Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast Links: Website Yale webpage Yale course: “The Science of Well-Being” (publicly available version of the most popular class in Yale’s history) Podcast: The Happiness Lab Google Scholar Recent article: “Laurie Santos’ Pursuit of Happiness,” The New Yorker, March 19, 2025 Instagram LinkedIn YouTube TikTok Facebook Twitter Timestamps: [00:02:46] Definition of happiness. [00:04:09] Balancing affective and cognitive happiness. [00:06:57] Happiness in vs. Happiness with. [00:10:25] Misunderstandings about happiness. [00:12:27] Evolutionary perspective on happiness. [00:16:09] Happiness is within our control. [00:19:08] Pursuing happiness the wrong way. [00:23:14] Misguided happiness metrics. [00:31:40] Social comparison and happiness. [00:35:25] College student mental health crisis. [00:39:05] Changing thought patterns for happiness. [00:45:06] Parenting practices and discomfort. [00:48:10] Practical steps for happiness.

Dr. Judith Joseph MD, MBA is a world-renowned, board-certified psychiatrist and researcher specializing in mental health and trauma. She is the founder and chief investigator at New York City’s premier clinical research base, Manhattan Behavioral Medicine, assistant professor in child and adolescent psychiatry at New York University, and chair of the Women in Medicine Board at Columbia University.    Judith conducted the world’s first peer-reviewed clinical research study on high functioning depression in her laboratories. She recently published her instant national bestselling book based on her findings from this study, High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy (2025). She has become the world’s leading voice on high functioning depression.   Judith received a 2023 Congressional Proclamation from the US house of representatives for her social media advocacy and research in mental health. She has received several awards, including Share Care Awards in 2020 and 2023 for her MedCircle series on PTSD and a Good Morning America investigative special on ADHD. In 2025, Judith was featured as a Mental Health Thought Leader on CNN’s Game Changers series. She has written for or been quoted in media outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post and Forbes, and has been featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Oprah Daily and more.    Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast   Links: Website NYU webpage Book: High Functioning: Overcome Your Hidden Depression and Reclaim Your Joy (Penguin Random House, 2025) Podcast: The Vault with Dr. Judith High Functioning Depression and Anhedonia quizzes Psychology Today page Google Scholar Instagram LinkedIn YouTube TikTok Facebook     Timestamps:   [00:02:19] Understanding high functioning depression. [00:09:06] High functioning depression explained. [00:14:05] Anhedonia and trauma connection. [00:19:28] Pathologically productive behaviors. [00:20:44] Joy and technology's impact. [00:25:17] Joy vs. pleasure in happiness. [00:28:46] The hedonic treadmill explained. [00:32:45] Awareness of anhedonia in therapy. [00:35:43] Role of gratitude in healing. [00:39:49] Gratitude practices for mental health. [00:42:39] Tapping into your values. [00:45:38] Overcoming hidden depression.

Shigehiro Oishi, Ph.D., is the Marshall Field IV Professor of Psychology at the University of Chicago, and a leader in the study of happiness, psychological well-being, the experience of a meaningful life and cultural psychology. He has published over 200 journal articles and book chapters with over 100,000 citations. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and won the 2017 Society of Experimental Social Psychology Career Trajectory Award, the 2018 Carol and Ed Diener Award from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, and the 2021 Outstanding Achievement Award for Advancing Cultural Psychology.    Shigehiro’s research focuses on culture, social ecology, and well-being. His most recent book is Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life (Penguin Random House, 2025). His research lab is particularly interested in investigating questions about the concept of well-being, such as “What is a good life?”, the predictors of well-being, such as “What are the predictors of a good life?”, and the consequences of well-being, such as “Are there benefits to a happy/meaningful/psychologically rich life?”. He is also interested in how the concepts, predictors, and consequences of well-being might differ across cultures.    Shigehiro’s research also explores socio-ecological conditions that are detrimental or conducive to well-being, such as income inequality, residential mobility, and walkability. Currently, he is focusing on the effects of economic inequality and residential mobility on the well-being of individuals and communities.    Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast   Links: University of Chicago webpage Book: Life in Three Dimensions: How Curiosity, Exploration, and Experience Make a Fuller, Better Life (Penguin Random House, 2025) Article: “A Psychologically Rich Life: Beyond Happiness and Meaning” (Psychological Review, 2021, with Erin Westgate)  Google Scholar LinkedIn Twitter (X)  Timestamps:   00:01:00 - Anticipation for the Conversation Hosts express their excitement about the conversation and discuss the relevance of psychological richness. 00:02:09 - Defining a Good Life Dr. Oishi discusses the empirical consensus on what constitutes a good life, including subjective well-being and meaningful life. 00:07:11 - Psychological Richness Defined Dr. Oishi defines psychological richness and provides examples of experiences that contribute to it. 00:08:49 - Distinguishing Meaning from Richness Discussion on how psychological richness differs from a meaningful life and the role of perspective-changing experiences. 00:11:34 - Personal Experiences and Psychological Richness Hosts share personal experiences that resonate with the concept of psychological richness. 00:13:10 - Values and Psychological Richness Dr. Oishi explains how different value orientations can lead to the pursuit of psychological richness. 00:19:05 - Biological Predispositions and Values Discussion on the role of biological predispositions and upbringing in shaping values and the pursuit of psychological richness. 00:26:39 - Flourishing and Its Relationship with Happiness, Meaning, and Richness Dr. Oishi's perspective on flourishing and how it can be achieved through happiness, meaning, or psychological richness. 00:30:08 - Obituary Study on Flourishing Lives Findings from a study analyzing obituaries to identify lives that were happy, meaningful, and psychologically rich. 00:32:00 - Regrets and Psychological Richness Research findings on how undoing life's biggest regrets could lead to a more psychologically rich life. 00:36:22 - Preference for Security Over Adventure Discussion on why people might prefer security and stability over the adventurous pursuit of psychological richness. 00:41:35 - Criteria for Psychological Richness Dr. Oishi explains the threshold for an experience to be considered psychologically rich. 00:43:35 - Emotional Complexity in Psychological Richness The relationship between psychological richness and the experience of both positive and negative emotions. 00:44:17 - Practical Steps for a Psychologically Rich Life Dr. Oishi shares practical advice for living a more psychologically rich life, including being playful and saying yes to new experiences. 00:48:24 - Flourishing Question Dr. Oishi's advice on flourishing, emphasizing the importance of saying yes to new experiences. 00:49:00 - Conclusion and Contact Information Closing remarks, where to find more about Dr. Oishi's work, and current research focus.  

Dr. Paul J. Zak, a renowned neuroeconomist and author, discusses how our brains influence happiness and relationships. He emphasizes the importance of investing in connections for a fulfilling life. Zak explains that simple social actions can strengthen bonds and that shared challenges create deeper trust. He introduces the Six app, which measures high-value moments that enhance mood. Zak reveals how oxytocin boosts empathy and can strengthen relationships while cautioning against its potential for fostering in-group bias. Practical daily actions to enrich relationships are also shared.

Join Dr. Michael Mannino, a neuroscientist and AI expert, as he delves into the fascinating intersection of artificial intelligence and human flourishing. He defines human flourishing and explores the PERMA model of well-being. Discover how AI can transform education and mental health, while also posing ethical dilemmas. Mannino emphasizes the importance of cultivating anti-fragility and increasing AI literacy among the youth. The discussion highlights the cognitive implications of AI, advocating for responsible development and deeper human engagement in learning.

David Radosevich, Ph.D., is a psychologist and coach specializing in high performance, leadership, and team culture. He is an associate professor of management for the Austin E. Cofrin School of Business at the University of Wisconsin – Green Bay. He is also co-founder of Flow Prone, a flow and high performance training and coaching organization.    David has published peer-reviewed articles in leading academic journals and chapters in #1 international bestselling books. He works with C-suite leaders of Fortune 500 companies, and coaches individuals and leaders to enhance their leadership, teamwork, and emotional intelligence.   Learn more and subscribe at flourishfmpodcast.com   Follow us: YouTube @flourishfmcast Instagram @flourishfmpodcast LinkedIn @flourishfmpodcast Twitter @flourishfmcast Facebook @flourishfmcast   Links: LinkedIn Academic webpage Flow Lab Publications   Timestamps: [00:02:12] Defining flourishing. [00:07:16] Psychological strengths and flourishing. [00:11:49] Protective and promotive strengths. [00:14:06] Self-efficacy and burnout prevention. [00:19:06] Flourishing and anti-fragility contrast. [00:20:27] Anti-fragility in mental performance. [00:25:04] Self-talk and self-efficacy. [00:28:56] Assessing optimism in individuals. [00:31:48] Importance of optimism for flourishing. [00:33:58] Gratitude-forward exercises. [00:38:39] Flourishing as a daily activity. [00:40:41] Psychological strengths in flourishing.  

Dr. Matthew Lee, a Research Associate at Harvard's Human Flourishing Program and Professor at Baylor University, shares fascinating insights from the Global Flourishing Study, which surveys over 200,000 individuals across 22 countries. He discusses the complexities of flourishing compared to resilience, emphasizing meaningful relationships and cultural contexts. The conversation also touches on childhood's impact on long-term well-being and the role of spirituality and community in achieving mental health. Lee advocates for societal changes to foster environments that support flourishing.