Today’s episode is a little different. We often mention our dear friend Katie, who has transformed herself over the years from a melancholy teenager into a contented adult. After healing past traumas and learning to practice radical acceptance through years of therapy, she became a therapist herself. Now she helps her clients make the same kinds of positive changes in their lives.

When Katie visited Jackson this summer, Melia insisted that she share her secrets, the practices that help her find happiness within herself, in the here and now. She tells us how cognitive-behavioral techniques -- choosing our thoughts and actions -- can change not only our feelings in the moment, but also our overall sense of happiness and fulfillment.

We hope that you’ll find these takeaways especially helpful during this busy holiday season, when our many commitments can feel less than jolly. You can contact Katie via podcast@semitogether.com, and she is taking new clients based in California and Minnesota, via teletherapy.

What resonates with you in this conversation? In which ways have you evolved since you were a teenager? Let us know via the email above or send us a voice memo.

Find us on the web for show notes and extras: https://www.semitogether.com

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Book a Discovery Call with Melia, who is coaching self-critics and perfectionists, including adults with ADHD: www.risingspiralcoaching.com 

Resources from this ep:

• Awareness, by Anthony de Mello


• The Unplanned Career: How to Turn Curiosity Into Opportunity, by Kathleen Mitchell


• When Things Fall Apart, by Pema Chodron


• Man’s Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl


• Feeling Good, by David Burns


• Grit, by Angela Duckworth


• Eckhart Tolle


• Byron Katie


• The Curiosity-Driven Life: Elizabeth Gilbert on Oprah’s Super-Soul Conversations