Live Happy Now

This week, meet Happy Activist Gabri Blankson, who is using film to illuminate teen mental health. Her award-winning short film MIME, created through the Black Girls Film Camp, explores the emotional impact of pandemic isolation through a fantasy lens, using mimes as metaphors for internal struggles. Drawing from personal experience and inspired by Inside Out, Gabri crafted a visually expressive story that resonates deeply with young audiences. She also developed a downloadable viewers guide to help audiences interpret emotional cues and access mental health resources — proving that storytelling can be both healing and transformative. What you'll learn: How Gabri used metaphor and fantasy to express complex emotional experiences. What led her to focus on the challenges of mental health and isolation during the pandemic. How she developed her viewers’ guide — and how it enhances emotional awareness and encourages open dialogue.

If you’re looking to lose the stress in your life, this week’s guest has a spoiler alert: The only people without stress are dead. But the good news is, you can learn to turn that stress into a powerful ally for change and growth. This week, host Paula Felps talks with stress physiologist Dr. Rebecca Heiss, whose new book, Springboard: Transform Stress to Work For You, explains how to make the most of it. She offers tips on how to harness stress and look at it in a whole new way to help you change your relationship with it. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why self-help practices often fall short in managing stress and what to do instead. How transforming your physiology allows stress to serve you rather than causing you to spiral into fear. What the FEAR(less) Stress Formula is and how it can help you manage stress effectively.

Many people today feel unfocused or overwhelmed, and that’s not just a challenge for our heads; it could be harming our hearts. Join us as host Paula Felps talks with cardiologist and health psychologist Dr. Alan Rozanski, who offers a groundbreaking look at how our mindset influences our heart and overall well-being. He explains how chronic stress, emotional negativity, and mental clutter can physically impact your heart function and increase disease risk. Then, he shares how to shift your thinking and cultivate energy, optimism, and a sense of purpose to thrive in today’s distracted world. In this episode, you’ll learn: How mental clutter and chronic stress trigger harmful physical effects like inflammation and heart dysfunction. Why focusing with intention and nurturing emotional vitality are key to sustained well-being. How the Six Domains of Health can guide you toward a more balanced, purpose-driven, and heart-friendly lifestyle.

Are you struggling to find hope these days? You’re not alone. But this week, resiliency expert Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe returns to share what hope can do for you and, importantly, where to find it. With her signature blend of science and soul, Dr. Robyne explains how hope calms the brain, strengthens resilience, and helps us navigate uncertainty. If you’re managing stress, feeling world-weary, or just need a reset, this conversation reminds us that hope is something we can build into our everyday lives. What you'll learn when you listen: Why hope is biologically and psychologically beneficial (hello, “hope molecules”!). How to design your day to support resilience and emotional well-being. The difference between hope and optimism — and why it matters.

Summer vacations aren't just fun; they’re essential for your mental well-being. In this episode, host Paula Felps and Live Happy CEO Deborah Heisz share how unplugging from daily stress can spark creativity and emotional clarity, and why even a staycation (if done right!) can deliver major mood boosts. Whether you're heading to Hawaii or hanging out in your backyard, this episode is your permission slip to reset, reflect, and reconnect. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why taking a vacation can make you a better parent, partner, and employee. The best ways to prepare for a vacation to make it more refreshing. How to make the “reset” of a vacation last longer.

Can you giggle your way to inner peace? In this episode, host Paula Felps sits down with author Tom Rosshirt to explore the joyful — and surprisingly profound — power of silliness. Drawing from his book, Chasing Peace: A Story of Breakdowns, Breakthroughs, and the Spiritual Power of Neuroscience, Tom reveals how embracing our goofy side can be both spiritually liberating and scientifically beneficial. From dancing like no one’s watching to reciting nursery rhymes alone, silliness helps us sidestep rigid self-images, face embarrassing emotions, and retrain our brains for resilience. In this episode, you’ll learn: How silliness acts as a spiritual practice. Why laughter and childlike play can retrain the brain and reduce stress. Simple, everyday ways to embrace your silly side (even if it feels embarrassing at first).

This summer, recharge your happiness with a tech break! In this episode of Live Happy Now, Paula Felps sits down with digital wellness expert Amy Blankson to explore how an intentional digital detox can bring more joy, focus, and freedom to your day. Whether you're unplugging for five minutes or five days, Amy shares clever strategies to help you reconnect — with yourself and your summer bucket list. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why summer is the perfect time to ditch your device. How tiny tech-free habits can spark lasting happiness and calm. Smart tips for replacing screen time with soul-filling activities.

Join Scott Crabtree, chief happiness officer at Happy Brain Science, as he explores the transformative power of music festivals. He reveals how live music releases feel-good chemicals that enhance well-being and memory. Discover the healing effects of dancing, the joy of shared experiences, and the strong connections formed at these vibrant events. Scott also shares tips on starting your own music therapy practice, making a compelling case for why live music should be on your self-care checklist this summer.

This week on Live Happy Now, host Paula Felps sits down with Emely Rumble — licensed clinical social worker, bibliopsychotherapist, and author of Bibliotherapy in the Bronx — to explore the healing power of stories. Emely shares how fiction, poetry, and even children’s books can help us reflect, process emotions, and build empathy in ways traditional self-help books can’t. With summer reading season in full swing, she explains how to create your own “book prescription” for better mental health and reconnect with the joy of reading — not as a task, but as a tool for transformation.  In this episode, you’ll learn: What bibliotherapy is — and why it works. How engaging with fiction can help us heal. How to start your own bibliotherapy practice.

Dreams aren’t just fleeting images; they’re powerful tools for transformation. This week, host Paula Felps sits down with Bonnie Buckner, PhD, founder of the International Institute for Dreaming and Imagery®, to explore how dreams can unlock creativity, solve life’s toughest challenges, and help us live with greater purpose. As an expert in creative dreamwork, Buckner blends insights from cognitive psychology, neurobiology, and leadership coaching to reveal how an ancient dreaming method can reshape personal and professional lives. Her new book, The Secret Mind: Unlock the Power of Dreams to Transform Your Life, explains how to embrace dreamwork for deeper self-discovery and creative breakthroughs. Get ready to rethink the way you dream! In this episode, you’ll learn: How dreams can tell us more about what we need. How to create a dreaming practice and use it to solve challenges. How children can use dreaming as a tool for creativity and transformation.