The Science of Happiness

Updated: 22 May 2025 • 280 episodes
greatergood.berkeley.edu/podcasts/series/the_science_of_happiness

Learn research-tested strategies for a happier, more meaningful life, drawing on the science of compassion, gratitude, mindfulness, and awe. Hosted by award-winning psychologist Dacher Keltner. Co-produced by PRX and UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center. Follow us on Instagram @HappinessPod.

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22 May 2025 • EN

Our Brains on Poetry

Learn how poetry can help your brain handle stress, process feelings, and spark insight. Summary: This episode of The Science of Happiness is part of our series Using Art As Medicine. We explore poetry, one of the oldest artforms, powers our brains, calms our nervous systems, and reduces anxiety by opening doors into o

23 min
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Spring Washam guides us on a gentle visualization to help you tap into the joy, wonder, and possibility that creativity brings. How To Do This Practice:  Settle In: Sit comfortably, close your eyes, and take a few deep breaths to ground yourself in the present moment. Invite Creativity: Silently welcome the creative en

8 min
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08 May 2025 • EN

How Art Heals Us

We explore how making art can ground us in the present and be a space of healing, connection, and joy. Summary: We explore how creative expression can support emotional resilience and physical healing in the face of life’s hardest moments and how simple acts of art-making— whether painting, drawing, or doodling—can off

23 min
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Consider what you want to make space for in your life in this 6-minute contemplation guided by Alex Elle.  Find a quiet place, settle your body, and reflect on where you want more clarity or ease in your life. Breathe deeply, filling your belly on each inhale and softening your body on each exhale. Notice the fears, do

6 min
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Trees aren’t just competing for sunlight and soil—they’re also looking out for one another. Scientist Suzanne Simard reveals the unexpected ways trees communicate, share resources, and support us. Summary: We dive into what we can learn from the neural networks of forests, evolution and cooperation, and how trees are a

17 min
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When we feel cared for, our cortisol levels drop, we feel safe, and we handle stress better. Dacher leads a meditation to help us focus on the people who make us feel supported. How To Do This Practice: Get Comfortable: Find a quiet spot. Sit or stand in a relaxed position. Take a few deep breaths to settle your body a

9 min
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