Ask The Experts Q&A | The Joy Reset with Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald

Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald teaches us all about how to bring more joy and happiness into our lives. Her new book, The Joy Reset, emphasizes how misguided we are about joy and how important it is in our lives. She shares six ways trauma steals happiness and many tools for how we can win it back.

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Questions answered:
I’ve been in survival mode for so long. How do I even begin to feel joy again?
Every time something good happens, I get anxious like it’s about to be taken away. Why is that?
I’ve been told I’m too serious and intense. How do I soften and let lightness in without feeling fake?
How can we create space for joy in a world that feels so heavy?
My partner is really joyful and light, and I find myself resenting that. How can I be more open to their energy without feeling like I’m faking it?
I’ve built a good life, but I still feel disconnected from it. How do I start to actually feel it?
I used to be really joyful, but life has worn me down. How do I find that version of me again?
How do I let go of the constant “what if it all falls apart?” feeling?
Everyone says to “find joy in the little things,” but that feels vague. Can you give examples of what that looks like in real life when you’re healing from trauma?
My friendships used to bring me so much joy, but lately I just feel drained. How do I reconnect without pretending I’m okay when I’m not?
Why does it feel like I have to “earn” joy or rest?