I was so honored to sit down with Dr. Laurie Santos for today’s episode — not just because she’s a Yale psychology professor and the host of one of my favorite podcasts (The Happiness Lab), but because I genuinely credit her course, The Science of Well-Being, with helping me shift my mindset in the thick of the pandemic. Back in 2020, I took her free online course through Yale University, and now, she’s created a version of that course specifically for parents, which made our conversation feel especially timely.

As a mom of two young kids trying to balance full-time work and all the emotional noise of modern parenting, I showed up to this interview with a lot of questions. We talked about why so many of us feel like we’re drowning in decision fatigue, how to step away from the pressure of being a “perfect” parent, and what the science actually says about raising happy, healthy kids.

Dr. Santos shared so many practical tools, like how to use your signature strengths in parenting, how to embrace unstructured play and independence, and why doing LESS might be the key to everyone in your family feeling better. We also talked about how to “parent yourself” with more compassion, how to show up better for your partner, and what we can learn from other cultures that seem to be doing this whole parenting thing with a bit more ease.

Whether you’re in the thick of toddlerhood or not a parent at all, this one’s for everyone who feels like they’re trying to do it all and are finally ready to let go.

Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod

Find Lucie here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/

Executive Producer: Cloud10

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.

Today, I’m sharing the jaw-dropping update to the catfish story I first told on the podcast which recently resurfaced as a viral video series across my social platforms. In this solo episode, I reveals the unexpected twist — an email from the girl who faked her own death and ghosted me for five years. I walk through the production of my 13-part storytelling series, reflect on monetization and meaning as a content creator, and read the real emails exchanged behind the scenes. (Including the follow-up emails she sent me that I never read aloud on social.)

This episode is about truth, closure, boundaries, and what it means to turn something painful into something powerful. Plus: how I turned the story into a fundraising campaign for cancer research and the internet’s mixed reactions along the way.

To listen to the full story of how I was catfished, listen to this episode: https://youtu.be/hJ_GV5oWjM4

Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod

Find Lucie here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/

Executive Producer: Cloud10

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.

Alreen Haeggquist is a successful attorney and author who’s made it her life’s mission to advocate for women — but her journey to becoming that woman is one of the most harrowing stories we’ve ever heard.

In this raw and deeply emotional conversation, Alreen shares her experience of being abused by her father (both emotionally and sexually), the silence that surrounded it within her large family, and the lifelong impact of her mother’s silence. For decades, Alreen kept her story a secret…until the day she decided to write it all down.

We talk about the trauma of secrecy, the physical toll of unspoken pain, how becoming a mother changed everything for her, and what healing actually looks like. Today, as a sexual harassment lawyer, Alreen helps others reclaim their voices, even as she continues to find hers.

If you’ve ever questioned whether speaking out is worth the cost, this episode might just change your life.

TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains discussions of sexual abuse and childhood trauma.

Purchase Alreen's book, "Fired Up: Fueling Triumph from Trauma: https://amzn.to/3Hs3DgL

For more information & to contact Alreen, visit her website: https://www.alreen.com

Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod

Find Lucie here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/

Executive Producer: Cloud10

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.