A Sassy Little Podcast with Sandra Ann Miller a.k.a. The Happyist

Buck Angel is transsexual (his preferred term). Born biologically female, Buck transitioned in the 1990s and was basically a guinea pig, as there wasn't much information for a female to male transition. We discuss the devastating statistics of violence, murder and suicide in the transgender and gender non-conforming community, the importance of opening up the conversation, Buck's past lives, not a...

While the connotation may be that a prenuptial  agreement is negative, a sign of greed or a set-up for failure, they are no different than getting auto insurance for your car. You don't plan on having an accident, but you certainly want to be covered in case you do. Torrance, California-based attorney, Sandy Roxas, gives us her insight on: why pre-nups are important to have even when money and rea...

Dr. Shauna Moore Reynolds shares her professional and personal insight into Intimate Partner Violence, discussing how we can be advocates, ask questions to open the door to discussion, there are no predetermining factors that make you more likely to experience IPV, the shame on if, having the courage to leave, understanding it takes an average of 10 attempts to leave, not knowing what goes on behi...

Dr. Nicole Moshfegh knows insomnia. She talks to us about how insomnia works, "helpful behavior" that causes insomnia to persist, recipes for disaster, creativity and insomnia, exercise and sleep drive, jittery zombies, fight or flight, acknowledging thoughts, catastrophe spirals, good habits, self care, relaxation, yoga, calming down, turning off, alcohol's effect, sleep stages, cultivating good...

Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su is a board certified OBGYN, a certified menopause practitioner, the Medical Director of Menopause at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, and the Chief Medical Officer at Gennev. Clearly, she knows her menopause. In this episode, we talk about: Menopause being taboo, women avoiding the subject, how it's normal and natural, it's not doomsday, perimenopause symptoms (sleep prob...

What's all the hubbub about when it comes to Mercury Retrograde? Welp, the 2020 election happened during MR and so did the second impeachment. In this episode, my favorite astrologer talks about: Ancient Egypt; a f*cked up ephemeris; the divorce of astrology and astronomy; as above, so below; the wanderers; Sirius; certain predictable events; being regulated by the Moon; astrology doesn't require...

Your Joyologist and host of the Claim It! podcast, Tricia Huffman, talks with us about struggling with feeling like we can have joy now, her favorite word, celebrating the small stuff (get a cookie!), knowing it's not permanent, like lessons, it is what it is, making things work, how she became a joyologist, living with pain, the desire to be truly heard and seen, retiring the word "should" and re...

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis, author of GASLIGHTING: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People—And Break Free , is back (also check out ep 18 on Apologizing) to talk about gaslighting and: breaking down the difference between manipulation, lying and gaslighting, emotional abuse, agreeing to reality, "hoovering", "flying monkeys", isolation, mean girls, controlling the narrative, Gaslight (the...

Melissa Joy Manning is an ethically- and eco-minded jewelry designer and CFDA member, and a friend of mine. She founded the CFDA Sustainability Committee and uses 100% recycled precious metals in her handmade designs, famous for her signature style and one-of-a-kind creations. We talk about: knowing each other for 20 years, being in business for nearly 25 years, over-achieving parents, art as a ca...

Certified sex educator, body acceptance advocate and the author of CURVY GIRL SEX: 101 Body-Positive Positions to Empower Your Sex Life, Elle Chase,  CSE, ACS, joins the pod to talk about how to simplify the complicated relationship we have with our bodies. We talk about the love of David (Bowie), messages we aren't achieving, complicated human beings, conditionally loving our bodies, accepting yo...

In this episode, we talk about: Threesomes. Lies. Going over 200 episodes. Friendships. Learning. How their podcast got started. Usable gems. Critical thinking. Hating the premise of self-help. Being of service. Doing good work. Writing on accident. Filter feeding the debris. What sticks. Living with a professor. Questioning authority. Flamingoes. Best sellers. Being our best selves. Screenwriters...

Dr. Stephanie Sarkis holds a PhD, NCC, DCMHS and LMHC. She’s a bestselling author and psychotherapist specializing in anxiety, gaslighting, narcissistic abuse, and ADHD. Her latest book is Gaslighting: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People . She’s a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family and Circuit Mediator and a contributor to Forbes, Psychology Today and The Huffington Post, as...

Elizabeth Jinzo is a mom who decided things needed to be better. When her daughter was born prematurely and diagnosed with Autism, she was forced into the role of advocate and had to become an expert in navigating systems, including public education, where she fought for her daughter’s integration into “regular” classrooms. She was so good at this, she started a non-profit to help other parents wh...

From being at home during the pandemic and getting things we want/need/happen to be on sale and giving/getting over the holidays, we probably are finding ourselves with too much stuff! Let's purge it. Jasmine Milligan is Reno, Nevada's first KonMari certified organizer. Marie Kondo's method starts with clothing, books, documents and "komono" (misc.) before hitting the hard to part with sentimental...

Nina Sadowsky is busy. She’s had 4 books published in the last 4 years, 2 of those were released in 2020, and that was done while she was teaching, and then while she opened a school, and was also developing TV series, and sending out a cheerfully dark dispatch from her website. Before becoming an author, she was an attorney, a producer, screenwriter and executive. She’s the Program Director of NY...

Food has changed. How we grow it and process it. Sugar is in everything (processed). The edible equivalent of oxycontin. Sugar is not a normal food product. Viewers can see the similarities between those suffering addiction on "Intervention" and those on "My 600-lb Life"; how does the medical community miss that parallel? Doctors don't want to fat-shame and obesity is prevalent/normalized. When yo...

We've seen Going Clear , "Scientology: The Aftermath", Wild, Wild Country , Bikram: Yogi, Guru, Predator , and "The Vow", so we know a little something about cults. What we don't really understand is how they still exist, and pull in people today even with that awareness. Phoenix House is a therapeutic community based on a now-defunct cult, Synanon. Erin Coffin Moore was placed in Phoenix House wh...

Brad Pitt and the C-word. Oasis and rock stars as superheroes. Escaping into big personalities. Andy Kaufman and performance art. Bravado before confidence. Forced humility. Australian blasphemy, the "tall poppy" syndrome and being a divisive artist. Art school egos. Ego as a shield. Fake it 'til you make it. Tarot card psychics. Sometimes you start by being good. Have the courage to take the jour...

Toxic positivity is a pet peeve of Sandra's because: 1) it's mood shaming and 2) it can hinder those who appear perpetually cheerful but are actually dealing with deep pain and hardship from getting the attention and care they need. You can't heal what you can't feel. "Good vibes only" is oversimplifying a complex emotional experience and brings on shame and isolation. If you're feeling OK in the...

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes discussion of suicidal ideation, cutting, eating disorders, body dysmorphia, depression, drug and alcohol abuse. If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline available 24 hours each day in English and Spanish at 800-273-8255. Or contact the Crisis Text line by texting CONNECT to 741741 to chat with a Crisis Counselor. Visit th...

Selene Luna (COCO, "The Cho Show") talks about producing shows for the Palm Springs International Comedy Festival, being in showbiz as a little person, how laws to protect the disabled aren't always enough (who are you gonna call when they're broken?), who pays for that magical lawyer if you need to sue to get your rights, disability isn't niche (26% of US adults have  disability; 25% of women hav...

With a hard out time, we don't waste time talking with Virginia Gilbert, MFT, about the underlying issues of communication, such as attachment style and how we manage emotions, being interdependent (not codependent), taking out the competition (it's not about who's right or wrong), being a team rather than opponents, Attachment Theory, Imago Theory, having a mindfulness practice and coping skills,...

Don't "should" on yourself. Forget budgeting; create a spending plan that's realistic, as barebones as you can make it when money is tight, compartmentalize and determine what's negotiable. Be proactive with what you owe; call your lenders, banks, IRS, card companies, etc., and let them know your circumstance/ask for assistance. Learn what protections the CARES Act offers and take advantage of tho...

Been there, done that, literally have the t-shirt and still have more to give. Stalking your way into a friendship. You only get old if you're lucky. Ageism is the last acceptable bias. Being Gen X. Having to leave jobs off your CV to mask your age. Going after a job you once held and laughably being told they're looking for someone "more qualified". Too young, not enough experience, at the age of...

Big oil, idling cars, Bezos’ billions (and what JC and Sandra would do with it), owing hippies and apology, the excessive waste created by the pandemic, a Google alternative that plants trees, the money in waste management, understanding your trash, making small changes for a bigger impact, how being environmentally conscious burns calories and/or saves money, and the moment Sandra realizes her wh...