Harvesting Happiness

Kenneth Cloke is the Director of the Center for Dispute Resolution, where he has served as a mediator, arbitrator, attorney, coach, consultant and trainer. He has taught at universities throughout California, including USC and UCLA, and is an Adjunct Professor at Pepperdine University's School of Law and Harvard University School of Law, among others. He has provided conflict resolution services a...

Gail Lynne Goodwin is the founder of InspireMeToday.com, bringing the best inspiration to the world. With members in more than 120 countries, InspireMeToday.com provides free inspiration- each day from a new Inspirational Luminary. Gail has interviewed many well-known names including Sir Richard Branson, Guy Laliberte, Seth Godin, Tony Hseih and hundreds more. According to Mashable, Gail was one o...

Jerry Yellin, a distinguished veteran of World War II, is the author of "The Resilient Warrior," and co-chair of the David Lynch Foundation's new program, Operation Warrior Wellness, which offers Transcendental Meditation to veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Jerry is also the author of “Of War and Weddings,” published in 1995, which has been published in English and Japanese....

For more than 35 years, Adkins has participated in the education of children of poverty, working in all levels of public education (elementary, middle, high school, central office administration), as well as an elementary school principal. She has also worked at the college level as an adjunct professor. Presently, she contracts as a consultant, presenting workshops to teachers working with childr...

Dr. Benjamin La Brot is a native Southern Californian who learned to swim before he could walk. He has worked on sport and commercial fishing boats, on the Floating Marine Science Laboratory vessel, in classrooms across southern California for the Los Angeles County Office of Marine Education, and for Pacific Biomarine Laboratories as a research diver. He also qualified as an EMT, a Handicapped SC...

An Emmy Award winning composer and writer, Patricia Lee Stotter lends her tremendous talents in TV, film and social media to furthering awareness of PTSD and Veteran reintegration struggles. Stotter first became interested in Veteran issues while working on a theatre testimonial project that discussed suicide rates among Vietnam Veterans. She has since worked to bring awareness to Veteran issues t...

Known as The Sherpa of Happiness, Valerie Rene Sheppard is Founder and CEO of Source Power, a boutique leadership, business strategy and branding consultant agency in Southern California. Through her work as a speaker, author, consultant and host, Valerie shares her diverse business and marketing background with nonprofits, major businesses such as Proctor & Gamble, and the students she instructs...

The acclaimed author of 1,000 Mitzvahs: How Small Acts of Kindness Can Heal, Inspire and Change Your Life, Linda Cohen writes, speaks and consults around the country on the topics of volunteerism, parenting, mitzvahs and happiness. She serves on the Board of Directors for Willowbrook, a nonprofit summer arts program for children. Originally from the east coast, Cohen resides in Portland, Oregon wi...

An internationally renowned speaker on self-awareness and human potential, Amir Zoghi uses his modern age philosophies to teach others how to embody transformation, discover truth, and experience their inner freedom. Amir shares his wisdom through writing, teaching, and speaking platforms, and is critically acclaimed for his ability to deliver a strong, impactful message with simplicity and clarit...

Noted Austrian filmmaker Alexander Vesely strives to produce films that have depth, meaning and substance. He brings this philosophical approach to the U.S. with his American directorial debut, Viktor & I. Chronicling the life of Alexander's grandfather, Viktor & I gives the viewer complete subjectivity as the film moves from family members to friends and others who were close to Viktor Frankl. Al...

An Olympic Medal winner, five-time world champion, competitive diving legend Greg Louganis has long been celebrated for his spirit of sportsmanship and community service. Greg serves as an advocate for many organizations, including youth's clubs, drug and alcohol rehabilitation groups, and organizations for the dyslexic. Since shedding light on his struggle with HIV in his best-selling autobiograp...

As both the CEO of MilitaryConnection.com and the founder of the Veteran and Military Business Owners Association (VAMBOA), Debbie Gregory covers all the bases when it comes to serving the needs of Military and Veteran Communities. Named Woman Business Owner of the Year by the National Association of Women Business Owners - Ventura County, Debbie Gregory uses www. MilitaryConnection.com as a platf...

Douglas W. Kmiec is an American legal scholar, author, and former U.S. ambassador. He is the Caruso Family Chair and Professor of Constitutional Law at Pepperdine University School of Law. Kmiec came to prominence during the United States presidential election, 2008 when, although a Republican, he endorsed Democrat Barack Obama. In July 2009, he was nominated by President Obama to serve as U.S. Am...

Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener is widely known as the "Indiana Jones of Positive Psychology" because his research on happiness has taken him to such far-flung places as Greenland, India, Kenya and Israel. Dr. Biswas-Diener is a leading authority on strengths, culture, courage, and happiness. He has published dozens of scholarly articles and multiple books, most recently The Courage Quotient. He is manag...

Jenn Lim is the CEO and Chief Happiness Officer of Delivering Happiness, a company she and Tony Hsieh ,CEO of Zappos, co-created to inspire happiness in work, community, and everyday life. She created the first Culture Book for Zappos - now on its 7th edition .The Culture Book has become a global symbol of how companies can successfully create cultures based on happiness and be profitable at the s...

As a Filmmaker Ash Adams has written, produced, directed, and co-starred in Once Fallen, After The Past, The Distance, and Peter's Hope, all of which won Adams awards. His newest short is In Mexico, about a returning combat vet suffering from PTSD.

Dr. Bill Cloke has over 30 years' experience as a licensed psychotherapist and marriage and family therapist in Los Angeles. He has continued to branch out into cognitive behavioral, transpersonal, and self-psychology with specializations in anger management, self-esteem, sexual addiction, and relationship counseling. He has also continued to develop his curiosity and interest in what eases emotio...

The sexual abuse she experienced as a child launched her on a journey - a quest to move beyond what was done to her. The surprising destination was a life altering encounter with God... surprising because she wanted nothing to do with him. Her abuser used God in order to use her. In her confusion, she held God responsible for her abuse. Sallie despised church, people, and God. In many ways, her sp...

The concept of Pay it Forward dates back to ancient Greece in 317 BC. The model was used as a key plot element of the play Dyskolos, (a title which can be translated as "The Grouch") by Menander. His work was lost in the Middle Ages and the theory was rediscovered by Benjamin Franklin and described in a letter below to Benjamin Webb dated April 25, 1784. “I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I onl...

Born in 1934 in Durban, South Africa, Arun is the fifth grandson of India’s legendary leader, Mohandas K. “Mahatma” Gandhi. Growing up under the discriminatory apartheid laws of South Africa, he was beaten by “white” South Africans for being too black and “black” South Africans for being too white; so, Arun sought eye-for-an-eye justice. However, he learned from his parents and grandparents that j...

Chelo Alvarez-Stehle is a journalist, documentary and new media producer who has worked for over 14 years exposing stories of human trafficking through her creative and outreach work. A Spaniard, she worked in Japan in documentaries for NHK and became Tokyo’s and then Los Angeles’ correspondent for Spain’s El Mundo daily. Her writings on trafficking have been published worldwide. In 1997, Chelo's...

Giving service to others is not only good for the recipient, but it is also heartwarming for the giver. When you feel like you are at your lowest point, nothing can lift you up like giving service to others. Our guest this week does just that. He is a regular fixture around Walter Reed and Bethesda hospitals. He is one of the first persons to see the wounded and give them the strength they need in...

Garcia made his directorial debut co-directing The Wayshower (2012) with John-Roger, filmed primarily in Utah, and with major scenes shot on location in Morocco, France, England, Peru and Spain. The Wayshower stars Academy Award nominee Eric Roberts, Peter Stormare and Academy Award nominee Sally Kirkland and Garcia also plays the leading role as 'Jesus'. Garcia worked closely with Academy Award w...

Dr. Gettis spent two years as a Vietnam era army psychologist in the late 1960's. In the 1970's, he worked for seven years at a large mental health center as the Chief Psychologist. He is a clinical psychologist with graduate degrees from Central Michigan University, Utah State University, and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. He has been in private practice since 1974.

We are born with gifts. We all possess our own unique qualities, talents, strengths, and weaknesses. Our greatest gift is the gift of knowing. Knowing how to hone in on ourselves and manifest the greatness of who we are and what gifts we were given at birth. It is our birthright to be happy and pursue our dreams and intentions. Our guests this week are two examples of knowing what they were born t...