Behind the Brilliance

THE SHOW Dr. David Burns is the author of Feeling Good, a seminal work on cognitive behavioral therapy that has sold more than 5 million copies. We talk about the difficulties he faced getting the book published, his advice to listeners interested in therapy, and how he approaches perfectionism, depression, and anxiety with patients. Behind His Brilliance: Critical Thinking TOPICS COVERED -David's path into the mental health field -The rejection David faced trying to get his bestselling book, Feeling Good, published (a dramatic and inspiring story!) -Rarely shared advice on how to find a good therapist and how to measure success in therapy -David's advice for dealing with perfectionism, depression, and anxiety -David's reflection on a life free from the need to be special -and much more! Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB155

THE SHOW This episode is one of my favorites. Eli is the first social psychologist who's been on the show, and I thoroughly enjoyed our chat. Eli Finkel is a social psychology professor who studies interpersonal attraction, marriage, conflict resolution, and how our social relationships influence our goal achievement. Our conversation centers on his brilliant book, The All or Nothing Marriage, and what he's learned about modern marriages and how we can connect with the right partner and thrive in our relationships. Behind His Brilliance: Proactively avoiding boredom TOPICS COVERED -Eli's path into social research and relationship psychology -Eli's findings on what makes modern marriages successful -highlights from Eli's book, The All or Nothing Marriage -happiness as an appropriate (or inappropriate) goal for marriage -managing expectations in relationships and marriage -how self-actualization plays into healthy marriages -destiny belief vs growth belief in relationships -Eli's "love hacks" birthed from research findings -and much more! Say hi to Eli on Twitter: @elijfinkel Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB154

THE SHOW This is a bonus solo episode with the (sometimes) annual birthday recap of what I learned from the past year and what lit me up. TOPICS COVERED -books and TV Lisa loved -a random unprompted rave about cauliflower rice -6 lessons from the past year on saying no, killing ego, productive patience, sexy pajamas, friendship, and more Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB153 STUFF MENTIONED BoJack Horseman Catastrophe The World's Most Extraordinary Homes Cauliflower rice Cauliflower pizza crust Hell yeah or no (video) How Emotions Are Made by Lisa Feldman Barrett Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss Unbought and Unbossed by Shirley Chisholm Principles by Ray Dalio Night Shift (iOS) Flux Butter & Nectar pillowcases Dr. Breus (The Sleep Doctor) on Behind the Brilliance Essential oil for sleep Good Night Sleep Improving LED light bulbs

The Show This is a breathtaking underdog and reinvention story. Perhaps the most remarkable I've heard on Behind the Brilliance. Deesha shares her journey from boarding school to dropping out of college because she ran out of money to becoming a White House intern at 30 years old to becoming the Social Secretary under the Obama Administration. She opens up about the imposter syndrome, setbacks, and insecurities she faced, and how she conquered them all. The Guest Deesha Dyer is a speaker, writer, Creative Event and Strategy consultant, and most notably known as the former Obama Administration Social Secretary. The Philadelphia native became a White House intern at the age of 30 and completed a seven-year tenure there that honed her expertise in event coordination, logistics, protocol, and statecraft. Her storied career is unconventional at best, with themes of reinvention, drive, and a commitment to community service integrated throughout. In this episode, we cover: -how Deesha bounced back from setbacks to finish college in her early 30s -how Deesha went from community activist in Philly to White House Social Secretary (it's an epic tale) -Deesha's favorite travel memory from traveling the world with the President -Deesha's secrets for throwing a great party -how Deesha conquered Imposter Syndrome -the nonprofit Deesha started, Be Girl World -and much more! Say hi to Deesha on Twitter: @deeshadyer Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB152

Amy Morin was a vibrant twenty-something with a bright future ahead of her when tragedy struck not once, but twice: she lost her mother and her husband in a span of three short years. Refusing to feel sorry for herself, Amy used what she'd learned as a psychotherapist to develop the mental toughness necessary to find peace and push forward to brighter days. She penned the viral article, 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do, which became the bestselling book of the same title. Now she's sharing her journey and observations with the masses. We covered: -Amy's journey into psychotherapy -Amy's advice on becoming mentally tough without having a bunch of drama -how Amy handled losing her mother and husband unexpectedly just 3 years apart -what Amy's learned about mental toughness and resilience -Amy's approach to managing anxiety and overwhelm -and much more! Say hi to Amy on Twitter: @AmyMorinLCSW Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB151

This episode is a recap of Season 7 highlights. The episode features snippets of 7 episodes, some reflections on making your own luck, a little housekeeping, and a freestyle. You're welcome. Episodes Covered: 135 - AFRICA MIRANDA @africamiranda 136 - DUANE SPIRES @duanespires 141 - KELLY HOEY @jkhoey 142 - RODERICK COX @rcoxmaestro 146 - LUCHINA FISHER @luchina 148 - TONYA RAPLEY @myfabfinance 149 - LISA CONGDON @lisacongdon

Lisa Congdon's brilliance in her courage, dedication, and willingness to take calculated risks. After leaving her elementary school and nonprofit careers at 40, she become a self-taught artist. Now she manages an empire of passive and active income that spans e-commerce, books, teaching, and more. In this conversation, she pulls back the curtain on her path to profitability, her thoughts on thriving as an artist, and why she feels grit matters more than talent. We covered: -how Lisa went from teacher and nonprofit pro to self-taught thriving artist -Lisa's approach to building a devoted following that threw money at her before she was ready -how Lisa managed the transition from steady paycheck to income uncertainty -Lisa's thoughts on imposter syndrome, confidence, and managing insecurities -Lisa's approach to risk-taking, negotiation, and time management -and much more! Say hi to Lisa on Twitter + Instagram: @lisacongdon Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB149

Tonya Rapley is a leading financial educator and the founder of My Fab Finance. She's a dynamic woman who brings a smart and balanced perspective to money matters. Our chat spans way beyond money to include spirituality, starting over, hustle, ego, and much more. We covered: -how Tonya found her way from music to money as a career -money stories: what they are and how to change them -Tonya's path to overcoming physical and emotional abuse -advice on setting boundaries with friends and family around money -Tonya's spiritual journey -how Tonya made more money working fewer hours -pride vs ego -Tonya's advice for starting over and getting started -and much more! Say hi to Tonya @myfabfinance on Twitter and Instagram Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB148

This is a solo episode with 8 musings for 2018. They cover things like celebrating wins, clearing clutter, and other important stuff. As always, my shenanigans are sprinkled throughout. Let me know what you thought of this episode! @LisaNicoleBell Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB147

Luchina Fisher is an award-winning writer, director, and producer. Her latest film, Birthright, challenges the war on reproductive rights in America. As an accomplished artist and dynamic woman, Luchina shares hard-won wisdom and reflections on a wide range of topics including: -her early days as a writer -how she ended up living with Gladys Knight -why she doesn't believe in staying in her lane -her experience working with music legend BB King -how her latest film, Birthright, came to be -the attack on women's reproductive rights in the US -and much more Say hi to Luchina on Twitter: @Luchina Show Notes: http://bit.ly/BTB146