Positive Psychology Episodes

Spark up some inspiration & enthusiasm

*Audio problem now fixed! Pick up from 25min where the audio problem occurredJennifer Moss joins me to discuss the profound shifts in the workplace over the last decade and the impact they've had on our wellbeing. She shares compelling evidence that happier employees enhance the bottom line, making it clear that investing in effective wellbeing strategies is not just logical but essential. Jen emphasises the importance of getting the foundational elements right, like psychological safety and fai...

Do your partner and closest friends support and validate your ideal self? Today, we're diving into the intriguing concept of the Michelangelo phenomenon in relationships. This idea suggests that the people closest to us can help us reveal our best selves, much like Michelangelo chipping away at stone to uncover a beautiful sculpture. Tune in to hear how actively supporting each other's growth by affirming the qualities and aspirations that align with your ideal self, leads to enhanced satisfacti...

Hi from my mum's wardrobe. I'm on holiday in Australia and taking a break from my packing to share a personal update that highlights how unpredictable life can be. My family has recently faced some unexpected challenges, including my husband’s work being impacted by significant global events and unexpected health issues with his father. Meanwhile, we live in another country with no clear end date, which makes everything feel a little tenuous.I wanted to take the opportunity to mention the import...

The recent World Happiness Report highlights a striking link between social trust and voting preferences, revealing that individuals with low social trust are more prone to supporting right-wing political parties. In this episode, I dive into this fascinating finding, which highlights how our personal dissatisfaction with life often translates into political choices that can influence societal outcomes. It’s a wake-up call for all of us to reflect on our role in fostering social connections and ...

Amie McNee joins me in the studio to share her insights on the transformative power of creativity and the importance of claiming your artistic voice. Her new book, "We Need Your Art", is a rallying cry for those who feel they aren't "real" artists and encourages everyone to embrace their creative impulses. Amie passionately argues that art is not just for the privileged few; it's an essential part of the human experience that everyone can and should engage in. Throughout our conversation, we del...

Announcing the launch of my new paid subscriber version of Crappy to Happy, called Beyond Happy, kicking off next week! This isn't just more Crappy to Happy; it’s also an opportunity to dive deeper into personal growth and happiness with exclusive content, tools, resources and a vibrant community. Apple listeners, your options for subscribing are: Subscribe directly in the App OR or if you prefer to engage more fully in the community Subscribe at https://cassdunn.substack.com Spotify listener...

In this solo episode of Crappy to Happy, Cass discusses the importance of quality friendships and what makes them thrive. She highlights three key ingredients of high-quality friendships: consistency, positivity, and vulnerability. Cass emphasises the need for regular contact, positive interactions, and the ability to share personal and intimate experiences.She encourages listeners to assess their own friendships and take responsibility for their contribution to the relationship. Cass also empha...

In this solo episode, Cass explores the concept of narrative identity theory and how the stories we tell ourselves about our lives shape our sense of self and well-being. She discusses the importance of personal agency, belonging, redemption, meaning-making, and coherence in our life stories.Cass emphasises the power of reframing our narratives to focus on growth, learning, and positive outcomes rather than solely on suffering and struggle. She encourages listeners to reflect on their own narrat...

Cass breaks down some of the key aspects of Buddhist philosophy and practice as they relate to living a happier and more peaceful life. She shares a little about how modern approaches to therapy have incorporated some of these key ideas to help people improve their mental health and wellbeing.You don't have to be a Buddhist to appreciate the relevance of some of these ideas and apply them to your own life.Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/cra...

In this episode, Cass chats with financial educator and host of the Australian Finance Podcast, Kate Campbell, about how to invest your time and money to build your very best life.Whether you have a lot of money or not much at all, Kate and Cass discuss what the research says about how you can invest your most precious resources to gain maximum meaning and fulfilment in life. Happiness can't be bottled, but taking control of your finances and thinking more deeply about how you allocate your reso...

Cass talks to psychologist and author, Dr Amantha Imber about the surprisingly small changes that have the greatest potential to significantly improve your health. Amantha also shares her research into how you can personalise your approach to behaviour change to give you the best chance of making those habits stick.Covering everything from sleep to exercise and nutrition, this is a must-listen for anyone who wants to know the minimum required dose that will yield maximum results! Highlights: Wh...

Finding ways to plumb the joy out of positive experiences can help to build resilience when things aren't going well.Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytohappypodwww.tiktok.com/crappytohappypod Join the free 7-day Happiness Challenge:www.cassdunn.com/happiness Connect with Cass: www.cassdunn.com www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo Contact Crappy to Happy: Email: hello@crappytohappypod.com www.crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytoha...

We all know how important play is for children, but it's just as important for grown-ups! In the busyness of life, we consider hobbies to be trivial and time-wasting, and can find ourselves being weighed down by responsibility and losing our connection to what brings us joy.In this episode, Cass explains the benefits of prioritising play, how playfulness is as much an attitude as an activity, and shares some ideas that might help you reconnect with your own sense of fun and inspire you to make m...

This week, Cass sits down with Astrid Jorgensen, founder and Director of the iconic Pub Choir. Astrid shares the story of how pub choir got started, the tipping point when pub choir became a global sensation, and the surprising and inspiring lessons she learned from pivoting to ‘Couch Choir’ during covid lockdowns.Tickets to Pub Choir’s shows in Australia, the UK and the USA are available at pubchoir.com.au Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/c...

It's a full circle moment on Crappy to Happy as Tiff Hall returns to join Cass behind the mic. This time, not as a cohost but as guest, to reflect on the last few years of challenges: including bouncing forward post babies, business diversification and a changing relationship to her body.If you've not met Tiff before she's one of Australia's most trusted health and fitness experts. She's a personal trainer, author, journalist and best known for her television appearances on Gladiators, and The B...

Melissa Ambrosini is the bestselling author and host of the podcast, The Melissa Ambrosini Show. Named a 'self-help guru' by Elle Magazine, Melissa is on a mission to inspire women to create the most exciting and meaningful life possible. Her latest book, Time Magic, was co-authored with her singer, songwriting, film producing, former Sneaky Sound System member, husband: Nick Broadhurst.And with all the success these two have, on top of parenting an active toddler, we are going to catch up with ...

Lately, there's been a noticeable increase in people behaving badly on the internet, so this week Cass asks the very valid question,'Why are people on the internet so mean?'. Cass explores the history of this phenomenon, where it began, how it's evolving, what are the contributing factors, and how we, as individuals and communities, can better cope and change things. If you found this episode fascinating, check out these episodes in our back catalogue: Why you can't focus with Johann Hari Not g...

Do you find that having an optimistic outlook and being grateful is now met with claims of 'toxic positivity'? In this episode, I explain why positivity doesn't have to be toxic, and how a having positive mindset and outlook on life is scientifically proven to have health benefits for you and your family, without invalidating difficult emotions, painful thoughts and feelings. Connect with Cass: www.cassdunn.com www.instagram.com/cassdunn_xo Contact Crappy to Happy: Email: hello@crappytohappypo...

Hugh van Cuylenburg wants everyone to be happier, and he’s passionate about how practices like gratitude, empathy and mindfulness can help. Hugh is the founder of The Resilience Project, where he teaches positive mental health in schools and sports clubs around the country. In this chat Hugh explains the difficulties he had with his sister growing up, the struggles of getting schools to take mental health seriously and the personal crisis he had during lockdown. Connect with Hugh:https://theresi...

The positive impacts of mindfulness are undeniable, but neuroscientist Moshe Bar has discovered that there’s also a lot of benefits for its opposite.. Mind wandering. In this chat Moshe Bar explains how mind wandering has the power to improve your mood, boost creativity and help you solve problems. Connect with Moshe:https://twitter.com/moshe1barBuy his book here: booktopia.kh4ffx.net/mindwandering Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.instagram.com/crappytoha...

Scott Barry Kaufman is a fellow psychologist, host of The Psychology Podcast and author of the book, “Transcend”. Scott talks with Cass Dunn about his new and updated theory of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and shares his ideas for how we can all live with more meaning and purpose in life, ultimately transcending our human experience to serve the greater good.You can buy Scott's book Transcend here: https://tinyurl.com/bwj34y8p For more about Scott: https://scottbarrykaufman.com/Instagram: @scottb...

Cass Dunn talks to Aussie surfing champion Layne Beachley about her extraordinary achievements in and out of the water and the emotional struggles she had to overcome before she could truly enjoy success and experience real happiness. Layne’s traumatic childhood experiences left scars that took many years and deep inner work to heal and she now generously shares what she’s learned so that others can own their own truth.Connect with Cass:www.crappytohappypod.comhello@crappytohappypod.com www.inst...

Cass Dunn catches up with Turia Pitt for the second time - in this chat they discuss everything Turia has learned about happiness while researching her latest book, "Happy and Other Ridiculous Aspirations". Turia's own upbeat attitude is evidence that happiness really is a choice, no matter what challenges we face but now she's able to share the specific tools she uses to maintain a positive mindset, what the research says about how much control we have over our mood and what she's learned from ...