The Contagious Joy Podcast

Episode Summary In this episode of the Contagious Joy podcast, hosts Kim and Jenny shift from last week's heavy discussion on toxic positivity to the "age-old debate" of being a cat person versus a dog person. The hosts share heartwarming and humorous stories about their past and current pets, ranging from golden retrievers and "bougie" Bombay cats to a first pet budgerigar. They reflect on the de...

Episode Summary In this episode, hosts Kim and Jenny explore the concept of "toxic positivity" —the dysfunctional promotion of a "good vibes only" mindset that dismisses authentic negative emotions. After recapping a previous conversation with funeral photographer Nell Aburto about finding joy during mourning , the hosts pivot to discuss why forced optimism can be harmful, during hard times. They...

Episode Summary In this moving episode of the Contagious Joy podcast, hosts Kim and Jenny are joined by their first guest, professional funeral photographer Nell Aburto. Nell shares how the personal regret of not having photos from her own parents' services inspired her to launch a business documenting final goodbyes. The conversation explores the " joy" that persists even in deep mourning, the im...

Episode Summary In this episode of the Contagious Joy podcast, hosts Kim and Jenny celebrate a major milestone: reaching 100 listeners!. They open with lighthearted corrections from previous stories—clarifying the mystery of the "American Tacos" and the creative use of coffee pots in American motels. The conversation turns toward a deeper, more meaningful theme: Finding joy without guilt. . Jenny...

This episode of the Contagious Joy podcast explores the concept of the "heavy room"—those difficult environments where news is bad, tension is high, or personal trauma looms—and how to navigate them while still finding a path back to joy. Episode Summary In this candid conversation, hosts Kim and Jenny discuss their professional backgrounds in education and the specific moments when the weight of...

In this episode of Contagious Joy , co-hosts Kim and Jenny bridge the gap between an Oregon winter and a scorching Australian summer to explore why the most beautiful emotions can often feel the most frightening. Through personal stories—ranging from a hilarious "ice cream rescue" on a busy highway to the profound grief of losing siblings—Kim and Jenny discuss the "dress rehearsal of tragedy" and...

Episode 1: And Here Ya Have It – The Origins of The Contagious Joy Podcast. Welcome to the debut episode of The Contagious Joy Podcast! In this introductory session, hosts Kim (from Oregon, USA) and Jenny (from Sydney, Australia) share the heartwarming and often hilarious story of how two families from opposite ends of the globe became "framily".