Live Happy Now Live Happy

Acclaimed soprano Renee Fleming has performed on some of the world’s biggest stages, performing in operas, concerts, theater, and films. But now, the five-time Grammy Award winner is using her voice to help improve our wellbeing. In her new book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, Renee has curated a collection of essays from leading scientists, artists, musicians, creative arts therapists, educators, and healthcare providers about the powerful impact of music and the arts on health and the human experience. She’s here to discuss how this project came about and why she is so committed to sharing this message.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What compelled Renee to advocate for the arts as a healing tool. How following the Neuroarts Blueprint can improve your mental health.  What Renee considers to be some of the music’s “best-kept secrets.” 

Summer is a recess for all of us, but what if you could prioritize play all year long? This week, host Paula Felps talks with Jeff Harry, who uses a combination of positive psychology and play to foster healing and help individuals overcome their biggest challenges. Learn why we all need to embrace the power of play and how to create your personal play practice.  
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How to discover your “play values.” The power of having a “play partner.” How adding play to your life can improve your productivity and well-being.

We’ve all heard the advice to stop and smell the roses, but this week’s episode is a reminder to take a moment to arrange them. Talia Boone is a social entrepreneur whose work has centered around human and civil rights issues. A few years ago, she discovered flower arranging as a form of meditation and self-care, and in the height of the pandemic she launched Postal Petals to help others relieve the anxiety they were feeling. Today, her company’s mindful approach to flower arranging is being used by companies, individuals, and community groups who are discovering just how life-changing her workshops can be.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How Talia discovered the impact of flower arranging on mental and emotional well-being. Why arranging flowers is so therapeutic. How a flower arranging practice can support mindfulness.

For years, wolves have been revered as spirit animals and in many spiritual traditions, they’re believed to help people connect with their instincts and inner wisdom. At the Sedona Wolf Sanctuary in Arizona, rescued wolves on sacred land create a healing experience for those who have experienced trauma or who are looking for a renewing spiritual experience. In this episode, host Brittany Derrenbacher talks with Cynthia Heisch, founder and CEO of the sanctuary, to talk about how and why wolves can help us heal.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
How wolves can help humans on their healing journeys. What wolf medicine is. What we can learn from interacting with wolves.

If you’re feeling more stressed than usual these days, you aren’t alone. But this week, host Paula Felps is joined by author, psychology instructor, and resiliency expert Dr. Robyne Hanley-Dafoe to find out why that is and what you can do about it. Dr. Robyne’s latest book, Stress Wisely: How to Be Well in an Unwell World, looks at why the stress of today’s fast-paced world is having such a devastating effect on us, both physically and mentally, and how we can learn to manage it better.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why our bodies aren’t designed for today’s always-on world and what to do about it. How to prepare for stress before it happens. How to learn to treat stress as an ally — and how that helps us.

It’s summertime, and if your body feels like it needs a vacation, it’s not alone – so does your brain!  This week, join host Paula Felps as she talks with Dr. Henry Mahncke, CEO of Posit Science and Brain HQ, who explains why vacations are so good for your brain. As you’re about to find out, when you go on vacation, you’re giving your brain all kinds of ways to stay healthy and happy. Listen in to learn how that works, how to make the most of your vacation, and how to keep those benefits going once you get home.
In this episode, you’ll learn:
What your brain needs to keep itself healthy. Why vacations are so good for your brain. How to get the same benefits of a vacation when you “staycation.”