Devices used in the digital world. Episode about healthy minds with Rachael Katz MS, ED, Helen Shwe Hadani Ph.D. & Amy Adams MSW, PPSC

Kamen works as a lifestyle management consultant who explores the art and science of happiness as a speaker, author, and positive psychology expert. Through her globally syndicated podcast, books, media appearances, and documentary film, Lisa has impacted millions of people around the world.

LISA CYPERS KAMEN

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Healthy Minds in a Digital World

Original Air Date Wednesday, June 29, 2022

Social connection is fundamental to the human experience. Our minds are incentivized to connect with other humans by the release of warm and fuzzy pleasure-inducing chemicals that encourage us to communicate with and touch other humans. Mimicking this strategy is how technology companies commandeer our bodies and minds to keep us transfixed on their product. Unfortunately, their products only feed us half of the normal biological reward and it can negatively impact our mental health.

To decode the intense draw technology has for humans, Harvesting Happiness Podcast Host Lisa Cypers Kamen speaks with three experts in emotional and social learning skills about how to create and maintain a healthy mind in a digital world.

Rachael Katz and Helen Hadani describe the theory of mind and other findings from the book they co-authored, The Emotionally Intelligent Child: Effective Strategies for Parenting Self-Aware, Cooperative, and Well-Balanced Kids.

And, the co-founder of the non-profit Healthy Screen Habits, Amy Adams, shares how technology hooks us, why teenagers are the most susceptible to the draw, and how a family tech plan can maintain balance in the home.

Tune in:

Lisa Cypers Kamen · Healthy Minds in a Digital World

Meet Our Guests:

Healthy Minds in a Digital World with Rachael Katz MS, ED, Helen Shwe Hadani Ph.D. & Amy Adams MSW, PPSC

Helen Shwe Hadani, Ph.D., is currently a fellow at the Brookings Institution where she conducts policy-focused research on the benefits of playful learning in both formal and informal contexts. Prior to joining Brookings, she served as the director of research at the Bay Area Discovery Museum.

Rachael Katz, MS, Ed, teaches social and emotional learning skills to parents and children. Previously, Rachael was head of the Discovery School at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, head of social and emotional learning for Early Years at Dulwich College Beijing, and an elementary classroom teacher. She has created and written television for Nick Jr. and Radio Television Hong Kong, and consulted for educational programs at Children’s Television Workshop.

Book: The Emotionally Intelligent Child: Effective Strategies for Parenting Self-Aware, Cooperative, and Well-Balanced Kids

Rachael Katz & Helen Shwe Hadani — Raising Healthy Minds in Children & Adults:

A child’s theory of mind journey begins at a very young age. {2:37}
In the book, The Emotionally Intelligent Child: Effective Strategies for Parenting Self-Aware, Cooperative, and Well-Balanced Kids, Helen researches a child’s development. {9:05}
An emotional approach differs for all human beings yet there are some approaches all cultures share. {11:05}
We should never expect ourselves or our children to be perfect. {16:16}
The correlation between executive function and social behaviors for learning and future success. {19:06}
How children develop problem-solving and language skills. {21:12}
In their book, the MIND framework helps parents and children interact with each other without judgment. {26:28}

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Amy Adams, MSW, PPSC, is the co-founder of the non-profit Healthy Screen Habits, which is dedicated to educating and empowering families to develop healthy habits with technology use. Amy is a credentialed school social worker and has worked with children of all ages in schools. She currently works at a high school providing counseling services to special education students. She also serves as a trustee on her local Board of Education. Amy has a Master’s in Social Work from UCLA and lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband and four children.

Amy Adams — Healthy Minds in a Digital World:

Amy describes how some technology is designed to draw us in and keep our minds hooked. {33:56}
Amy stresses the importance of always choosing relationships over devices. {41:35}
Identity formation and the need for social connection explain why teenage brains are drawn into video games and social media. {45:42}
Technology offers us superficial human connection without the richness of touch or bonding hormones. {47:34}
A family tech plan can create technology boundaries to help us focus on each other. {52:02}

Follow Amy Adams:

Shareables:

“Our child is always looking to the caregivers around them for their opinions and beliefs.” @HelenSHadani on @hhtalkRadio Click To Tweet “Body language and the messages you send without using words are really important.” @HelenSHadani on @hhtalkRadio Click To Tweet “We need to look at our mobile devices as tools.” @LisaKamen on @hhtalkRadio Click To Tweet “It's hard at whatever age we are in our adult years to always feel like we can behave 100% properly.” @LisaKamen on @hhtalkRadio Click To Tweet

Grab More Joy Below:

Are We Happy Yet? Eight Keys to Unlocking a Joyful Life — A boot camp manual for greater emotional fitness. Happiness waits for no one and sometimes we all need support. What is getting in the way of your happiness right now?

H–Factor: Where is Your Heart? — Lisa’s documentary film explores the journey of human happiness. Emotions are contagious and happiness is a universally desired state. We tend to forget we all have the freedom to be happy or the liberty to be miserable each day.