The Best Medicine for Confronting Trauma: Be Present
Amid extreme stress and a never-ending stream of bad news, we can reduce harm if we remain connected.
Empathy
How I Celebrate Life on the Day of the Dead
Día de los Muertos is for remembering those I miss and pondering how to keep them alive in the present moment.
The Power of Sharing Stories
A growing body of evidence points to the mental health benefits of oral storytelling.
What It Means to Be a Nation of Immigrants
Pramila Jayapal writes about the Night of 1,000 Conversations, in which more than 2,500 strangers in 28 states gathered to discuss the role of immigration in the country’s past, present, and future.
Science Says Happiness Can Change Your Brain
After 2,000 years of practice, Buddhist monks know that one secret to bliss is to put your mind to it.
Why Alcoholics Can’t Be Forced to Stop Drinking
Alcoholics Anonymous was established as a form of benign anarchy. Members have to want to help themselves—and one another.
Are Today’s White Kids Less Racist Than Their Grandparents?
To explore more fully what White kids think about race, I went straight to the source: White children themselves.
5 Myths We Need to Stop Believing About Mental Illness
How to reduce stigma in society? Check your facts.
How Silence Leads Us to Awe
A Buddhist lama and an ex-priest discuss the benefits of turning off the noise in our daily lives.
9/11 Brought Them Together. They’ve Been Preaching Love Ever Since
A rabbi, a minister, and an imam forge a bond, discovering new spiritual depths via dialogue and friendship.
7 Strategies to Turn Trauma Into Strength
Survivors discover surprising benefits in the process of healing from a traumatic event.
Searching for Words in Indian Country
A non-Native journalist encounters a tribal-managed forest and an indigenous garden. “I had no idea how to use the English language to describe what I was seeing.”
Why Mister Rogers Is the Role Model We Need Right Now
The unconventional children’s television pioneer celebrated dignity and kindness in the age of mass media.
The Surprising Links Between Your Mental Health and Everyone Else’s
Why are anxiety and depression on the rise? Our environments have changed. Our food. Our stress. Our relationships—our “lost connections.”
Three Questions to Lead Us Away From Self-Extinction
Transformation begins with clarity on the nature of the choice that confronts our species.
Depression and the Healing Desert
Nature offers solace for a man living with depression—and a lesson in acceptance for his anxious partner.
Why Mister Rogers’ Message of Love Is Good for Your Health
Evidence has mounted that he was on to something—people who express love and kindness really do regularly lead healthier lives.
8 Things You Should Never Say to Someone Who Has Just Given Birth
Why you shouldn’t ask about sleep, weight loss, or breastfeeding. But especially sleep.
Why Black Stories Matter: They Build Empathy and Heal Trauma
In New York state, a writing and performance program helps people of color share their stories as a pathway to empathy and healing.
After Erica Garner’s Death, I Can’t Breathe Through the Tears
Perhaps our grief can spark people to join the movement to end the oppression.
How to Attempt Racial Healing—Even During a Trump Presidency
America’s past truth and reconciliation processes show us what works.
6 Habits of Highly Grateful People
Wearing yourself down with worry? It’s time to thank outside the box.
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