Flourish FM

In 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 Zealand Institute of Wellbeing and Resilience’s online courses, and has featured in the Guardian, Washington Post, and on the BBC, ABC, Channel News Asia, Swedish Television, The Bolt Report Australia and Television New Zealand.   Dr Denise Quinlan is acknowledged internationally as an outstanding facilitator and trainer, helping people explore wellbeing and resilience. Participants have described training with her as ‘life-changing’. She has worked alongside leading resilience researchers Martin Seligman and Karen Reivich, delivering the Penn Resilience Program in Australia and the UK. Her podcast, ‘Bringing Wellbeing to Life’, was recommended by TED in their culture list for 2020. Denise’s academic research is published internationally, and her publications include the Educators’ Guide to Whole-school Wellbeing, which she co-authored with Lucy Hone. She is co-convenor of Wellbeing in Education New Zealand.    Key conversation points: What resilience is and the difference between individual and collective resilience. Individual resilience can be thought of as “learning to swim” and collective resilience thought of as “building the pool.” We need both to be truly resilient. Ways to build resilience, individually and collectively: healthy relationships; having a “mission” in life; cultivating self-awareness, self-regulation and self-compassion; and developing flexible and accurate thinking. What trauma is and what post-traumatic growth (PTSG) is, and Lucy & Denise’s argument for why PTSG requires struggle after trauma.  Our “explanatory style”: how we explain what has happened to us, and why this is important for well-being and resilience. 

Dr. Lisa Miller, author of The Spiritual Child and a professor, discusses the benefits of spirituality for well-being, the distinction between spirituality and religious belief, and the transformative effect of service and altruism. They explore concepts like transcendence, self-transcendent experiences, synchronicity, and the power of deep relationships. They also discuss the connection between spirituality, meaning, and living a morally good life.

Dr. 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 discussion:  The role of friendship in flourishing, and why friendship is so important for flourishing How we can apply research on attachment styles to cultivate great friendships. https://www.flourishfmpodcast.com

In 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 receive her Masters in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University, and is currently working as a therapist in LA.    Nicole’s experience includes working with individuals, families, and couples to guide them towards meeting their goals in the healthiest way possible. Nicole does not apply one theory to all her clients but rather approaches each individual with an eclectic approach that fits them best. Nicole has observed in her therapy the crucial importance of romantic and platonic relationships play in our daily lives. Whether it be heartbreak, attachment issues, animosity with loved ones, or maintaining a healthy relationship, Nicole emphasizes the ways in which dissatisfaction with one’s relationships can have a huge impact on one’s mental health.    In her practice, Nicole works hard to break barriers and old habits that may be contributing to one’s happiness. Nicole’s Instagram page has generated millions of views on content relating to self-esteem, relationships, and mental health.   Key conversation points: Types of relationships, the connections between them and their roles in our lives Nicole’s argument that our relationship with ourselves is the most important relationship to develop, because of its benefits for our well-being and positive impact on other relationship types What a healthy relationship with yourself involves and how to build it What resilience is, its importance to living well, its connection with other psychological concepts such as antifragility and grit, and how to build it The connection between building healthy relationships and building resilience What autonomy is and why it is important for relationships “Radical acceptance”: coming to terms with difficult events in life outside our control - what this involves and how to cultivate it  The importance of individual and mutual growth in healthy relationships   Instagram @BalancewithNic Booking therapy with Nicole flourishfmpodcast.com

In 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 topics.    Will never had an interest in academics at school and struggled to connect what he was learning to build a successful and meaningful life. He came to believe that educational systems designed to teach children to become capable, informed, and equipped seem to fail in achieving these goals for so many young people. Will decided to become a schoolteacher to try to improve this.    Key conversation points: The importance of morality, character and virtue for flourishing, and possible reasons why evil people cannot live meaningful lives or flourish  Different definitions of happiness and how it takes on different roles in education depending on how it’s defined  The problems with aiming for happiness in education or as an end goal in life The problems with thinking of happiness as pleasure and the importance of thinking of happiness as a long-term state Two major theories of flourishing: positive psychology’s “PERMA” model (Positive emotions; Engagement; positive Relationships; Meaning; and Accomplishment) and the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard’s account    williamreusch.com  flourishfmpodcast.com

In 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. Brooks is the author of 12 books, including the #1 New York Times bestseller “From Strength to Strength,” and national bestsellers “Love Your Enemies” and “The Conservative Heart”. He has also published dozens of academic journal articles and the textbook “Social Entrepreneurship”. He is a columnist for The Atlantic, host of the podcast “How to Build a Happy Life,” and subject of the 2019 documentary film “The Pursuit,” which Variety named as one of the “Best Documentaries on Netflix” in August 2019. He gives more than 100 speeches per year around the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Prior to his work in academia and public policy, Brooks spent 12 years as a professional French hornist in the United States and Spain.    Key conversation points: The kinds of relationships that are most important to cultivate and how to cultivate them. The distinction between “real” and “deal friends”: why focusing on the former is vital for happiness but focusing on the latter leads to loneliness.  How to ensure you have sufficient “real relationships” in your life.   Why love is so important for happiness and flourishing. The importance of developing a vision of what you love and do. The two intelligence “curves” in life: moving from fluid to crystallized intelligence. Why religion, spirituality, philosophy or a connection with something higher are important for flourishing.  Arthur’s most recent book, From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life and the seven words he uses to sum it up: “use things, love people, worship the divine”.   Joining us to interview Arthur is Matthew T. Lee, Professor of the Social Sciences and Humanities at the Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University. He is also a Research Associate and Director of the Flourishing Network at the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard University; a member of the Global Study of Human Flourishing research team; a Distinguished Visiting Scholar of Health, Flourishing, and Positive Psychology at Stony Brook University’s Center for Medical Humanities, Compassionate Care, and Bioethics; and Visiting Scholar at the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.    arthurbrooks.com  flourishfmpodcast.com

This 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, healthy, and productive workplaces. Jared holds a Ph.D. from Hofstra University, a Master’s degree from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and a certification as a Senior Professional of Human Resources (SPHR). He has worked with start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and organizations across various industries, providing internal and external consulting, coaching, and managing marketing and sales teams. He recently received his Ph.D. in Applied Org anizational Psychology from Hofstra University, where he researched Flow Theory - how, when, and why individuals, teams, and organizations can get into “the Zone.” Most recently, this research has explored how we can use technology-based solutions to "nudge" behavior change in order to develop key competencies for flourishing at work. His over ten years of experience include: teaching undergraduate and graduate courses, designing and implementing training programs, employee engagement, performance management, needs assessment, employment law compliance, administration of benefits, and so on.   Dr Gerrit McGowan is a 4x startup founder, angel investor, and peak performance coach. He is the founder of the Syntegrity Group, Kula.com, Effectuate Apps, ICELab, the Most Awesome Founder Podcast, the WHU Accelerator, and numerous other short-lived ventures. But he is perhaps most recognised for inventing the concept of Cause-Related Loyalty Marketing and its SaaS implementations such as MyCoke Rewards Donate to Schools, Kellogg’s Points with Purpose, Red Robin Eat Up-Give Back Rewards, and JetBlue’s TrueGiving. When not building ventures, Gerrit is helping others build theirs - having coached over 1000 founders and nascent entrepreneurs across five continents. He is a All-Star Mentor for Techstars, CEO Coach for Alchemist Accelerator, mentor for APX, Founder Institute, Earlybird VisionLab, and advisor/investor/shareholder in numerous high-growth ventures. Throughout his career, Gerrit has led the development of over a dozen technology products; raised over $10m in funding; and supported startups that have raised over $100m in venture capital. His work has been honoured with two Canadian Institute of Planners Awards for Excellence; as a finalist for the Guardian’s Social Enterprise of the Year Award; and a SXSW Startup Showcase selection.   Key conversation points: How Gerrit and Jared both came into research and work around the flow state How flow takes various points along a spectrum of focused attention How flow and flourishing at work are connected with important work outcomes The interesting relationship between flow, stress and anxiety The appropriate role of stress and challenge in flourishing and flow Gerrit’s study of flow and burnout among entrepreneurs The difference between work-life balance and work-life synergy  How to create more flow at in your team or organization   flourishfmpodcast.com

This 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 strategic business and organizational culture shifts through building trust and delivering results. With extensive business process, project, and program management skillset built on 3 Masters degrees and a Ph.D. in organizational systems psychology: leadership and social transformation as well as wilderness rite of passage guiding, council facilitating, and peace mediation training. Carol brings a unique and much-needed perspective on the human behavior in human systems, focused on building cultures where individuals at all levels can bring their distinct, creative talents to their roles while providing the necessary skills to the whole system values and vision.   Dr. Brent Hogarth is a Sport and Clinical Psychologist from Vancouver, Canada. He is an expert in training flow-state, mindfulness, and self-control for both sport and corporate athletes. Brent has significant training and experience providing performance enhancement and mental health counseling. This includes, but is not limited to, working with Olympic and professional athletes, serial entrepreneurs, members of the USA military, computer engineers, authors, hedge fund managers and more. Brent's clinical counseling experience is vast, and he sees everyone as having the ability to be a high-performer. He completed his Doctoral fellowships at the University of Texas, at El Paso, and Lehigh University, in Bethlehem, PA. After a short stint as a fitness trainer, he traveled to India where he lived in a Buddhist Monastery and completed a Yoga Teacher training Course. It was at this moment - sitting in meditation on the hills of McLeod Ganj, India - that Brent committed to becoming a psychologist. Dr. Hogarth is a Humanistic-Existential psychologist. His theoretical orientation is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies, together with commitment and behavior change strategies, to increase psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility means contacting the present moment fully, and based on what the situation affords, changing or persisting in behavior in the service of clients’ chosen values.   Key conversation points: The place of flow in human flourishing Why focusing on integration of the self and experience is important for flow: “doing” vs. “being”, and integrating the “me” with the “we” Why it’s important for getting into flow to not try to get into flow, but rather to “let go” The importance of embracing and engaging in a process of struggle to get into flow The importance of being aware of the potential dark side of flow   flourishfmpodcast.com

In 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 Happiness Council, is the Patron of Flourishing Education Japan and Ambassador for the Positive Education Schools Association. She is a registered psychologist and a full member of the Australian Psychological Society.   Key convo points are: Lea’s tripartite account of flourishing as feeling good, functioning well and doing good. The connection Lea draws between her account of flourishing and positive psychology - the scientific study of the conditions and processes leading to human flourishing. Lea’s ‘SEARCH’ framework on the six pathways to well-being: Strengths, Emotional management, Attention & Awareness, Relationships, Coping, and Habits & goals. Lea’s view that flourishing is the aim of education, and her research on how improving well-being in education supports the fulfillment of students’ learning. Lea’s argument that to build well-being, we need to make well-being more visible, in similar ways to how we try to make thinking visible. The age at which humans gain a sense of purpose in life. What strengths-based parenting is and why parents should consider employing it.  flourishfmpodcast.com

In 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 numerous journal articles and book chapters on effective practices in schools.  He has written two books and his third book with Harvard University Press is due for publication in spring 2022. In 2016, Duncan-Andrade was part of the great educators invited to the White House on National Teacher Appreciation Day by President Obama, and in 2019 he was chosen as the Laureate for the prestigious Brock International Prize in Education. In 2021, he was selected to join the Board of Prevent Child Abuse America. Duncan-Andrade has also been ranked as one of the nation’s most influential scholars by EdWeek’s Public Influence Rankings.   Key points we talked about:  Hear about how he’s navigating COVID as a father, professor and educational leader.  The childhood experiences that built him into the person he is today and field the things he cares.  The way unearned suffering cuts across so many groups. People are situated on the margins of society.  Consistent pursuit to keep his thumb of the heartbeat of research and narratives around educational reform and building a different type of educational experience. One that would eventually put well-being at the center of that educational experience. Mention his school Roses in Concrete a different kind of school Mention their definition of well-being for their students: ‘Youth Wellness’ The act of giving one’s child over to a school or teacher every morning We’re measuring the wrong stuff Keeping both individual and collective wellness in mind: ‘community-responsive youth wellness’ Tips from our expert as a part of the flourishing question