Have you ever wondered what it takes to make a change in your life? A real change. For many people,

the simple idea of change is a stressor, and with the day-to-day demands of life, it can become

overwhelming. In this episode, author and clinical psychologist Dr. Pamela Hayes discusses

how she helps her own patients tackle their stressors and take that first step toward happiness.

I'm Audrey Hamilton, and this is Speaking of Psychology.

Music I'm Audrey Hamilton, and this is Speaking of Psychology. Dr. Pamela Hayes is a clinical psychologist practicing in Alaska.

She is also the author of several books, including her latest,

called Creating Well-Being, Four Steps to a Happier, Healthyer Life, which is published by the

American Psychological Association. Dr. Hay's research has included work with Vietnamese, Lao,

and Cambodian people living in the United States States and with Arab Muslim women living in North Africa.

Since 2000, she has been providing psychotherapy to adults, children, couples, and families in the Kenai Peninsula area of Alaska.

Welcome, Dr. Hayes.

Thank you.

Your book is called Four Steps to a Happier, Healthy Life.

Can you tell us briefly what those four steps are?

The first step is about getting inspired.

I've found that when people come to see me in my practice, they're usually pretty low.

And even taking a very small step can just feel like a lot.

When problems feel really overwhelming, it can just seem pointless

to even take a small step. So the first thing I do is help people get inspired. I have a number of

ways of doing that. One of the main ways is to help people begin to focus on what their core values

are, and then also what they enjoy doing and what builds them up.

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