Raising Good Humans

In today’s episode I sit down with professor Arthur Brooks to explore what actually makes a life feel meaningful in a culture obsessed with achievement, optimization, and measurable success. We talk about why happiness is more than a feeling, the difference between pain and suffering, how meaning is built through coherence, purpose, and significance, and why so many high achievers still feel empty. We discuss practical ways to resist the pressure to turn ourselves and our kids into “human doings,” and instead to just love ourselves are our children for who they are, not just for what they accomplish.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL
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Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!
Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase
Ka'Chava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code HUMANS for 15% off your first order
Nurture Life: For 55% off your order + FREE shipping, head to NurtureLife.com/HUMANS and use codeHUMANS

Produced by Dear Media.

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In today's episode I sit down with professor Ann Masten to unpack what resilience actually means—and why it’s so often misunderstood. We explore her powerful definition of resilience as the capacity of a system to adapt to serious challenges, not just a personality trait or inner toughness. From everyday stress to real adversity, we discuss the difference between harmful trauma and growth-building challenges, and why kids need support—not perfection—to thrive. We talk about the “ordinary magic” of caring relationships, schools, communities, and cultural traditions, and why resilience is built through connection across multiple systems.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL
Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/
Follow me on Instagram for more:
@raisinggoodhumanspodcast

Sponsors:
BetterHelp: Sign up and get 10% off at BetterHelp.com/humans
Wayfair: Head to Wayfair.com right now to shop all things home
Jones Road Beauty: Use code HUMANS at jonesroadbeauty.com to get a Free Shimmer Face Oil with your first purchase! #JonesRoadBeauty #ad
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Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!
Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20% off your first order

Produced by Dear Media

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I sit down with behavioral geneticist and professor Dr. Kathryn Paige Harden to talk about what behavioral genetics can actually tell us about our kids—and what it can’t. We unpack the reality of psychiatric risk, family history, and the limits of control, and why genes are not destiny. We discuss how thousands of tiny genetic differences shape mental health, why diagnoses are messier than we think, and how warmth and firm boundaries still matter more than any “magic bullet.”

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL
Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/
Follow me on Instagram for more:
@raisinggoodhumanspodcast

Sponsors:
Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase
Brodo: Head to Brodo.com/HUMANS for 20% off your first subscription order and use code HUMANS for an additional $10 off
Ka'Chava: Go to https://kachava.com and use code HUMANS for 15% off your first order
Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!
Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today at Foratravel.com/HUMANS
Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20% off your first order

Produced by Dear Media
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today’s episode I sit down with developmental psychologist Dr. Jay Belsky to explore a question so many parents wrestle with: is temperament destiny? We talk about why children differ in how deeply they’re shaped by their environments, what “developmental plasticity” really means, and why the same parenting can land so differently depending on the child. We discuss the difference between sensitivity and susceptibility, the limits of attachment research, and why focusing only on long-term outcomes can distract us from what matters in the here and now.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL
Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/
Follow me on Instagram for more:
@raisinggoodhumanspodcast

Sponsors:
Zip Recruiter: Try it FOR FREE at ZipRecruiter.com/HUMANS
Bloom: Go to bloomnu.com with code HUMANS for 20%of your first order
Ello: Visit ElloProducts.com/CleanStart and use code RGH at checkout for 20% off your first purchase
Little Spoon: Get 30% off your first online order at littlespoon.coms/RGH with code RGH
First Day: Our listeners get up to 57% Off AND a Free Gift with code HUMANS at FirstDay.co
Minnow: Go to shopminnow.com code MEETMINNOW15 for 15% off

Produced by Dear Media
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Deepika Chopra to talk about what real optimism actually means — and why it’s so different from toxic positivity. We unpack the science behind resilience, curiosity, and staying open when life is hard, and we get practical about how to grow your “optimism muscle” in everyday moments. We talk about language shifts (like the power of “never” and “always”), parenting through low-capacity seasons, rituals that ground families, and why affirmations and manifestation don’t always work the way we think they do.

I WROTE MY FIRST BOOK! Order your copy of The Five Principles of Parenting: Your Essential Guide to Raising Good Humans Here: https://bit.ly/3rMLMsL
Subscribe to my free newsletter for parenting tips delivered straight to your inbox: https://dralizapressman.substack.com/
Follow me on Instagram for more:
@raisinggoodhumanspodcast

Sponsors:
Quince: Go to Quince.com/humans for free shipping on your order and 365-day return
Experian: Get started with the Experian App now!
Little Spoon: Get 30% off your first online order at littlespoon.com/RGH with code RGH
OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RGH at https://www.oneskin.co/RGH #oneskinpod
Monarch: 50% off your first year at monarch.com with code HUMANS

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.