We are so lucky to have esteemed professor, attorney, and bestselling author David Heska Wanbli Weiden joining the Are We Happy Yet? podcast to talk about his lived experience as a Lakota Nation citizen and his family heritage on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.

Jane and David talk about the resurgence of indigenous art, music, and movies and how using fiction and art can help us explore deeper social issues. They unpack David's amazing and award-winning book, Winter Counts, and how he used storytelling in this novel to explore issues like crime and prosecution of crime, food inequity, lack of access to healthcare, and low life expectancy on the Lakota Rosebud reservation.

David shares about his multifaceted identity as a writer, professor, and former lawyer, and how these roles intersect.

It's a great conversation, and we highly encourage you to learn more about how to support the Rosebud Reservation and the Lakota people!

David Heska Wanbli Weiden's Website

Winter Counts

David's short stories and other writing

The Indians Won by Martin Cruz Smith

Support the Rosebud Reservation

Learn more about the podcast and your hosts, Hannah + Jane:

arewehappyyetpodcast.com

alchemytherapyandwellness.com

grittherapy.com

Jess and Heather join Are We Happy Yet? to talk about how they followed their curiosity to create Hey Birdie, in their effort to make an impact on the loneliness epidemic in women. They talk to us about their experience asking themselves questions like how can we get women to connect? Who are we underneath all of the things we do? What happens when we achieve the goals that we, and culture, have set for us and still feel that something’s missing?

We talk about the faux sense of connection in today’s modern world and how, despite being more connected through technology than ever, face to face connection seems like a countercultural idea. We discuss barriers to in person connection, and the need for safety, trust, and consistency to build healthy community.

We also talk about:

-the importance of play + wonder

-using projections and triggers as an opportunity for healing

-how to connect to seasons and cycles

-how to use ceremony to celebrate pivotal moments in life

Resources:

Find out more about Heather, Jess, and Hey Birdie: https://www.heybirdie.co

Mrs. Claus Twearkshop: https://www.heybirdie.co/formations

Stardust app: https://stardust.app

A note from Hey Birdie:

We’re launching Phoenix Rising Flight Club for those navigating the raw terrain of relational transition heartbreak - whether from separation, divorce, widowhood, or a season of singleness. In times of deep change, the strength of a flock becomes essential: Flying in V-formation, we lift one another, sharing strength and steadying through life’s most turbulent winds. This space is for those ready to heal in community, to be seen, heard, and supported by others who truly understand, finding renewed resilience, freedom, and purpose on the other side of loss. Together, we rise.

We have a few spots left for our last Flight Club launch of 2024. Registration closes 11/26.

No matter what side you’re on - we think this is an illuminating conversation about the divisiveness of our country, and the way in which our human nature and psychology intersects with politics and the recent US election. We talk about themes around navigating family dynamics at this time, the need for nuanced thinking, misinformation, and how to get information from our communities and real lives vs the news.

Learn more about the podcast and the hosts, Hannah + Jane:

arewehappyyetpodcast.com

alchemytherapyandwellness.com

grittherapy.com