Staying Human with Dr. Vivek Murthy

Ayad Akhtar: How Do We Stay Open to Life’s Mysteries?

Vivek talks with Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ayad Akhtar about his new novel, The Radiance, and what it means to be truly connected to the world—including the parts of

Remembering Dr. Rachel Remen: What is the Secret to True Healing?

What does it really mean to heal?  What is the difference between curing and healing?  What can we offer one another when something can’t be fixed? Dr. Rachel Naomi Re

Angela Duckworth: What Situations Bring Out the Best in Us?

Angela Duckworth changed the way millions of people think about achievement with her bestselling book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Yet ten years later, sh

Robert Putnam: What Does It Mean To Be a Social Capitalist? (and how does it affect our health?)

How many of us have felt the deep need to belong, but weren’t sure where to start?  In this episode, recorded live at WBUR in Boston, Vivek sits down with the Harvard pr

Maya Shankar: What Happens When Life Changes Our Plans?

Ten years ago, Vivek and Maya Shankar met in a meeting at the White House; he still doesn't remember what the meeting was about, but he remembers being struck by her bril

Dr. Robert Waldinger: What does 85 years of research reveal about a Good Life?

What makes a good life? Is it accomplishment and wealth? Meaning and purpose? Relationships? This is the question Dr. Robert Waldinger, a Harvard psychiatrist, has spent

Jennifer Wallace: Why Don’t We Feel Like We Matter?

A lot of us move through our days on autopilot, heads down, just clearing the to-do list. And somewhere in there, we stop noticing the small signals that tell us we matte

Atul Gawande: What Does Death Teach Us About How To Live?

Are we paying too much attention to how long we live, and too little to how well we live? For most doctors, the goal is to help patients live as long as possible. But mo

David French: How Can We Come Together Across Divides?

We’re living in an era where division often feels like the status quo, and it's affecting us on a personal level. A 2025 study from the American Psychological Association

Kate Bowler: Is Joy Possible When Things Are Difficult?

What does it mean to feel joy amid moments of real difficulty and even sorrow? Not in the sense of being falsely upbeat or pretending that everything’s ok—but as a way to

Announcing Staying Human with Dr. Vivek Murthy

What if, instead of looking for quick fixes or life hacks, we asked: what does it take to live a truly fulfilling life? Join Dr. Vivek Murthy, 19th and 21st U.S. Surgeon