Emotional Wellness

Compassion Behind Bars

Written By Dr. Emma Seppala

• 11 Sep 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 1 Comment

A few weeks ago, an unprecedented letter arrived at our office at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University. Here is an excerpt: The purpose of the inmate’s letter was to request reading materials pertaining to research on meditation and the brain. His goal upon his release is to get a Ph.D. in psychology or …

Brooklynites, Bike Accidents and the Science of Compassion

Written By Dr. Cade McCall

• 23 Aug 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 0 Comment

About 11 years ago I was hit by a car while bicycling through Brooklyn, N.Y. When I returned to consciousness I was lying in an intersection, blood streaming from a damaged hand, head, and knee. A small group of people had materialized out of the seemingly-empty street. They must have been walking past or eating in the nearby diner. Whatever …

Feeling Under the Weather? Go Hang Out With Friends

Written By Keryn Breiterman-Loader

• 09 Aug 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 0 Comment

During my first quarter at Stanford, I got sick a lot. This was very unusual for me and was a little mysterious, since I was practicing all my healthy behaviors — eating well, sleeping well, and exercising daily. I blamed my frequent illness on living with so many people in a dorm (I figured there were more germs when you’re …

5 Ways to Do Good and Feel Good — Fast, Free and From Your Desk

Written By Dr. Emma Seppala

• 06 Aug 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 2 Comments

Science tells us compassion is good for our health, and we know that helping others makes us feel good, but sometimes it feels like there just aren’t enough hours in the day. There is so much to do, can I possibly find time to contribute? Yes! In minutes, at no or low cost, and from your desk, you can contribute. …

10 (Science-Based) Reasons Why Compassion Is Hot

Written By Dr. Emma Seppala

• 18 Jul 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 0 Comment

Science suggests that compassion may well be the most important thing in your life. 1. It makes us happy (as happy as getting money)! A brain-imaging study headed by neuroscientist Jordan Grafman from the National Institute of Health showed that the “pleasures centers” in the brain, i.e. the parts of our brains that are active when we experience pleasure (like …

The Science of Choosing Compassion

Written By Daryl Cameron

• 16 Jul 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 0 Comment

As I walk down bustling Franklin Street in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, I often pass homeless people who ask me for spare change. Sometimes I let myself feel compassion for these individuals. But other times I don’t want to get emotionally involved, so I look away and keep walking. Maybe you’ve had a similar experience. Pondering such experiences has led …

The Science of Compassion

Written By James R. Doty, MD

• 06 Jul 2012
• • The Huffington Post
• 0 Comment

It is indeed a paradox that so many from what are considered developing countries wish to come to the West, where we have an epidemic of depression, isolation, and loneliness, while the U.S. alone consumes 25 percent of the world’s resources. However, it is often these “third-world” cultures that offer some of the most profound wisdom and insights that have been garnered over …