Joyeux Noel, or holiday happiness, to you and yours.
This episode of Living From Happiness is all lightness and love and food (sourdough bread, anyone?). Joyeux Noel is French for Merry Happy Holidays to everyone (well, that’s a loose translation). And that’s what this show is all about.
Melanie spends the hour with the most fascinating French scientist-turned-baker in Santa Fe? That’s Marcel Remillieux, of course!
This is a warm, gentle, delightful conversation about all things French and food and families and growing up on the island of Corsica, France.
Marcel shares lots of stories about his family’s legacy of baking, along with how he ended up as an acoustics scientist at Los Alamos National Lab for eight years.
He also gets up close and personal as he shares the story of why he chose to leave the Lab and take the huge risk of opening up a cafe and creperie, first in Los Alamos, and now in Santa Fe.
Marcel and Melanie have a lovely time together talking about:
- happiness
- emotional health and well-being
- French cultural traditions
- psychological resilience
- how to define success for oneself
- yep, sourdough bread and French baguettes
Joyeux Noel, or Merry Happy Holidays to everyone!
Happiness
Happiness is often misunderstood, disregarded and dismissed. However. Doing so is a big mistake, imo. Because happiness drives success. Meaning, get happy and success follows.
“Happiness is the cause of success, not the byproduct of it,” says researcher Vanessa Van Edwards. Research shows that happy people earn more income, have less disease and illness, enjoy life satisfaction, and purpose and meaning that make all of it worthwhile.
It’s actually a complex topic, this thing about happiness. Many spiritual teachers, from The Dalai Lama to Amma (the so-called hugging saint) to Mother Theresa have spoken or written about the importance of happiness in living a good, full, rich life.
Since I use positive psychology with clients (because it really, really works to catalyze transformative experiences), I rely on research findings and data from UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. Check them out if you’re looking for more information on the science of happiness.
Resilience
Do you tend to quickly bounce back from tough situations? Are you able to deal with the inevitable yucky stuff that shows up in life without running away or pretending that it’s not happening?
If you answered ‘yes,’ then you’re strong in psychological resilience. You can manage your emotions and actions in reasonably healthy ways, especially when things seem to be going south, or even out of control.
Being resilient doesn’t mean that you’re not gonna experience those hard times in a life. You will. Because that’s part of being human and alive. 
And it doesn’t mean that you won’t feel your feels when things are tough. Because of course you will — you’re human, and feeling our emotions is part of being alive!
But you won’t fall too far down the abyss of the rabbit hole for too long. You won’t drink or drug or shop or work yourself into a blank stupor.
Instead, you’ll know how to put on your big-girl pants, take a deep, shaky breath, reach out for the help you need, and start doing what needs doin’.
Emotional Health and Well-being
When you’re strong in emotional health and well-being, you can handle whatever shows up. Resilience, emotional health and well-being are closely connected with each other.
In addition to things mentioned above, if you’re emotionally healthy you’ll experience fewer challenging emotions such as depression or clinical anxiety. You understand how to manage your stress levels and deal with your nervous system to optimize feeling healthy and stable.
Your sleep will be restful and you’ll wake up in the morning feeling ready to walk into your day.
You understand how to take care of yourself, your relationships are mutually reciprocal (both people give and take), your work and career are satisfying, and generally, things are pretty groovy.
Here’s a good article about emotional health and well-being, if you’d like some more info.
How The Santa Fe Therapist Can Help You Find Happiness Again
I’m Melanie, the Santa Fe Therapist. Over the years, I’ve helped so many women who are struggling to find themselves after experiencing a loss, making a big life change, or who lost their happiness somewhere along the way. One thing I’ve learned is that profoundly positive things begin happening when you understand how to manage your emotions and learn how to calm down your nervous system.
And when you’re experiencing dark times in your life, it can seem hopeless. I know.
But it isn’t, I promise. 
Together, we’ll figure out what’s going on and what you need to begin feeling more in control and have developed the neuroscience strategies to help you find your joy again.
Your Emotions, Thoughts, and Actions are Connected
One of the most powerful ways to do that is to understand how your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors are connected. When you learn how to …
- make friends with your feelings,
- manage your thoughts,
- gently explore where to find your joy again,
- your life will begin changing in positive, healthy ways.
The dark times won’t feel so dark and isolating, and you’ll start believing in life again.
In balancing the science of therapy with the art of healing, I’ll create an innovative program for you that sets you on a path of success from the very first session.
You can learn to not be afraid of how you’re feeling, and how to begin feeling satisfied with life and looking forward to your future.
Neuroscience, Eastern Wisdom, & Earth-based Practices
My compassionate, creative approach weaves together my ability to hear below the surface of the words with advanced degrees, years of specialized training, professional experience, and my own personal healing around grief.
One of my specialities is giving women the tools to cope with intense emotions. I use the latest neuroscience findings, and combine Western systems, Eastern wisdom, gentle Earth-based practices, as well as creative, innovative ideas to help you feel better as quickly as possible.
My clients usually work with me weekly for 8 to 12 months. As we work together, you’ll be getting tools for long-term success and learning and using strategies and techniques to serve you for many years.
You’ll work hard for sure. But won’t all be horrible and terrible! I love sharing ideas about good books and films and laughing together once in a while.
My hope for you is that you’ll feel safe every step of the way.
How to Get Help in Santa Fe, NM
When you reach out for professional help, you’re making an investment in yourself that can change in your life in the best of ways.
When you strengthen your self-esteem and build your self-confidence, you’ll begin feeling safe in this sometimes chaotic world. You’ll be able to be in the world on your terms … to work, and love, and live from the parts of you who know it’s possible.
All you have to do is send me an email to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation: melanie@melanieharth.com. Let’s get you feeling better as quickly as possible.
The Santa Fe Therapist Offers Online Counseling in New Mexico
Online therapy helps busy women find the time away from day-to-day pressures to calm their nervous systems. It also makes it easy and convenient to process emotions and learn new neuroscience techniques to cope with challenges, heal the past, and begin building your future.
I strongly believe in the power of online counseling. Along with the research that proves its effectiveness, I see the positive benefits for clients every week. Click here if you’ve got questions about online therapy.
Online counseling from anywhere in New Mexico, including Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Taos, Los Alamos, Pecos, Las Vegas, Tesuque and El Dorado.
Other Services From The Santa Fe Therapist
The Santa Fe Therapist specializes in several areas of health, wellbeing, healing and recovery. I know that one size never fits all. My services are individualized to each client, and are based on your values, your needs and desires, and your goals. 
I offer individual adult counseling and guidance in Santa Fe NM for:
- dealing with overwhelming angst and despair
- anxiety help
- depression help
- emotional and spiritual healing
- processing grief
- overcoming low self-esteem
- learning how to make peace with the present
- PTSD and CPTSD/trauma
- helping you manage stress
- online therapy
