I was first directed to the VIA Character Strengths Survey in the course of taking Dr. Laurie Santos’ class, The Science of Well-Being, which is the most popular course ever offered in Yale‘s 300-year history. As part of an initial happiness assessment, Professor Santos directed us to this character strengths test as part of a […]
Life Coaching
Behind-The-Scenes Look at Privé Swiss: Where CEOs & Celebs Get Luxury Mental Health Treatment
In a world where people everywhere are increasingly finding solace in online or digitally-mediated tele-therapy, immersive mental health care nevertheless remains one of the most intensive, effective, and profoundly transformative therapy experiences on the market today. In this landscape where mental health has become an increasingly salient buzzword, Privé Swiss, the world’s most exclusive luxury […]
We Need More Collective Effervescence
During a recent conversation over coffee with a friend, I was reminded of a term I first learned from a Brené Brown conversation with musician Dave Grohl at ACL Festival in 2023: “collective effervescence”. Collective Effervescence is a feeling of energy and harmony that people feel when they engage enthusiastically in a shared purpose. It […]
Sarah Blondin’s “Honoring Life” Meditation is A Thing of Beauty
As we previously wrote in our guide to the Best Free Meditation Apps & Podcasts, we adore Sarah Blondin’s poetic, beautifully-written meditations, which the Vancouver-based writer and meditation teacher puts out for free on her Live Awake Podcast. Recently, we came across Blondin’s “Honoring Life” meditation, which strikes us as a perfect meditation for our […]
Why Your Partner Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist
After one of our posts went viral on Instagram, we figured it was best to expound on the thread that Sandra from Twitter, below, so thoughtfully started. Why is it, exactly, that your partner shouldn’t be your therapist? The idea here is tempting. You can save money on therapy, allow yourself to be vulnerable and […]
The ‘Psychic Sponge’ Effect: How To Be Less Sensitive To Other People’s Emotions
Empaths who are highly sensitive to other people’s emotions are often exhausted by the so-called “psychic sponge” effect. Being a psychic sponge is when you’re so sympathetic and acutely aware of other people’s emotions and “vibes”, so to speak, that you feel those feelings in your own body– even if they don’t belong to you. […]
7 Science-Backed Ways to Stop Racing Thoughts at Night
According to the latest data from the Cleveland Clinic and the National Institutes of Health, almost 50% of adults report difficulty falling asleep at least a few times each month. While the number of people with full-blown insomnia is hard to measure, many people who struggle to fall asleep blame racing thoughts at night. In […]
12 Things That Are Better Predictors of Happiness Than Money, “Success”, or Accolades
If happiness is all that matters at the end of the day, then why obsess over money and success when everything you need to be happy is already within your control? This is the premise of what I call the “Dirty Dozen” of Happiness: 12 key attributes, circumstances, and personal qualities that are better predictors […]
11 Helpful Tips for Optimizing Postpartum Nutrition, Recovery, and Healing
The postpartum period is one of life’s most truly challenging phases. Postpartum nutrition– aka nutrition during the first 40 days after delivering a baby– plays a huge role in how well new moms heal and prepare their bodies for this next critical phase of nurturing and developing along with their baby. Thus, it’s worth paying […]
4 Mental Health Bath Recipes For Improving Wellbeing (& Why We All Need Hydrotherapy)
Baths are an ancient healing practice in almost every culture around the world, from the hothouses of Scandanavia and banyas of Russia to mud baths in Ecuador, hot springs in New Zealand, and ancient Indigenous parajes of the American Southwest. The therapeutic use of water to soothe mental and physical ailments (also known as hydrotherapy), […]