Center for Healthy Minds | 625 W. Washington Ave., Madison, WI 53703
Media Coverage
How to Stay Emotionally Balanced
Sep 23, 2020
Center Scientist Pelin Kesebir shares information about managing emotional styles that affect health and relationships.
Well-being can be learned
Sep 18, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about how our brains are constantly being shaped, and that well-being is a skill that each of us can develop.
Dr. Pelin Kesebir - How to Sustain Happiness
Sep 03, 2020
Center Scientist Pelin Kesebir explains how we can change our brains towards sustained happiness through self awareness and how self kindness is essential in that transformation
Learning Early to ‘Taste the Stillness’ Can Set a Child Up for Lifelong Well-being
Aug 11, 2020
Not only is it possible to teach mindfulness to small children, says Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson, it’s easier than teaching it to adults, and it can set them on the path to emotional and physical wellness for a lifetime.
How Do You Measure Mindfulness?
Aug 05, 2020
Mindfulness can reduce the risk of relapse in people with depression, help manage chronic pain and improve some measures of heart health. Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares insights from research that points to physical benefits of meditation
How a Muppet Can Help Kids of Incarcerated Parents
Jul 02, 2020
Faculty member Julie Poehlmann-Tynan talks about educational materials created with Sesame Street to help kids and families of Incarcerated Parents.
Zen on Zoom: Community meditation moves online
Jun 27, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about the benefits of meditation and the importance of building a regular practice.
9 Activities to Ease Depression
Jun 17, 2020
Center founder and director Richard Davidson shares research-backed tips for easing depression.
Cultivating A Healthy Mind In Times Of Crisis
Jun 15, 2020
talk about well-being during Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson discusses COVID-19, the role of contemplative practice in social justice work and policing, and how to cultivate a healthy mind at any age.
UW study finds children benefited from Sesame Workshop incarceration resources
Jun 13, 2020
A new study from Center faculty member, Dr. Julie Poehlmann-Tynan and other researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison finds that families affected by parental incarceration benefited from resources that Sesame Workshop developed to support them.
How to make good decisions when you're paralyzed by the stress of protests and the pandemic
Jun 04, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about research that suggests that meditation can create physical changes in the brain within a short time of beginning to practice.
That Daydreaming You Did While Isolated at Home Was Good for You
Jun 03, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares the value of daydreaming. He suggests sitting alone, without stimuli, and looking inward. Intentional daydreams can harness the full power of the human mind, especially during challenging times.
5 natural ways to boost your mental health during stressful times
Jun 02, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about how meditation can nurture the mind and improve well-being. He shares tips for getting started with meditation.
UW prof helps cultivate healthy minds during pandemic through YouTube meditations
Jun 01, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson has been offering regular virtual meditations alongside meditation trainers and experts on the Healthy Minds Innovations YouTube Channel throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Insights from the Dalai Lama during quarantine
May 30, 2020
Center Founder Richard Davidson and ABC News’ Dan Harris speak with the Dalai Lama about meditation and how to relax and stay calm during the pandemic.
The Dalai Lama's simple advice to navigating COVID-19 isolation
May 27, 2020
His Holiness spoke with ABC News' Dan Harris in an interview for "Nightline" about how he is spending his time while self-isolating during COVID-19 pandemic. This is a clip from a recent video interview with Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson
The Dalai Lama’s Advice for Right Now
May 27, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson appears on a recent Ten Percent Happier podcast with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Ten Percent Happier's Dan Harris
Dekila Chungyalpa on uniting faith leaders to bolster climate activism
May 26, 2020
Loka Director Dekila Chungyalpa is interviewed on the Go Simone podcast. She shares the back-story of the Loka Initiative and how it supports faith leaders with education, tools and resources in support of conservation and climate activism.
These Different Forms Of Meditation Take Both Fresh & Traditional Approaches On An Ancient Practice
May 21, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares tips for developing a meditation habit, and suggests that the best form of meditation is whatever form of meditation you actually do
7 benefits of meditation, and how it can affect your brain
May 19, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares tips for incorporating meditation into your life, and the research that explains how regular meditation may help
How to Maintain Motivation in a Pandemic
May 18, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares insights from research that shows altruistic behavior can enhance feelings of well-being.
Unique position as Badgers' director of meditation training offers Chad McGehee chance to explore mental performance
May 01, 2020
Chad McGehee, former Program Manager with Healthy Minds Innovations, joined UW Athletics in a new position focused on exploring mental performance with athletes
Healthy Minds Innovations calms an anxious world with live YouTube meditations
Apr 29, 2020
Healthy Minds Innovations has been offering live guided meditations each weekday to help people feel more calm and become more resilient during this challenging time. Center founder and director Richard Davidson shares insights from his live meditations.
Healing from a Distance: Using faith, mindful practices when isolated from loved ones
Apr 23, 2020
Center Founder and Director shares insights from research about the value of expressing appreciation or gratitude for those we love. This can be especially helpful when we are not able to be together with loved ones during the pandemic.
It's OK to slow down: Why you don't have to optimize your coronavirus quarantine
Apr 13, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares advice for practicing appreciation and self-compassion during the COVID-19 pandemic
When stress hits you like a slap in the face, how do you respond?
Apr 07, 2020
Center founder and director Richard Davidson suggests leaving visual cues as reminders to practice mindfulness, even when you're under extreme stress
Mindfulness for Preservice Teacher Education
Apr 05, 2020
Postdoctoral Research Associate Matt Hirshberg talks about how mindfulness can help preservice teachers improve classroom skills.
What Can a Buddhist Monk Teach Us About Panic and the Brain?
Mar 26, 2020
The Center's new longitudinal MRI case study of a Buddhist monk suggests that daily meditation may slow down brain aging over time.
Turning Social Distancing Into a Positive
Mar 25, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about how social distancing can be seen as an act of generosity during the time of COVID-19
Daily meditation may help protect the brain from aging, study of Buddhist Monk's brain suggests
Mar 24, 2020
Newsweek highlights a Center study that scanned the brain of a Buddhist Monk, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche, over the course of 14 years. Findings suggest daily meditation could help protect the brain from aging
How To Cope With COVID-19 Anxiety
Mar 24, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about acting with compassion through social distancing and how to manage anxiety during this challenging time
Daily meditation could slow aging in your brain, study says
Mar 20, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about a Center study that found daily, intensive meditation slowed a monk's brain aging by as much as eight years
Meditation may have shaved 8 years of aging off Buddhist monk's brain
Mar 17, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares details from a recent study of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche's brain that suggests meditative practice may be associated with slowed biological aging
How meditation changes your brain
Feb 18, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks with the BBC about a Center research study with Buddhist monks that showed meditation can change the brain in enduring ways
Inflammation, Saunas, and the New Science of Depression
Feb 17, 2020
Faculty member Charles Raison talks about depression and recent research on mind-body coherence and interventions
How Dekila Chungyalpa Draws on Faith to Protect the Planet
Feb 09, 2020
Dekila Chungyalpa, Director of the Loka Initiative, talks about how she has brought faith and environmentalism together to help lead interfaith climate activism.
St. George’s Episcopal School stresses social and emotional learning
Jan 21, 2020
Teachers at St. George’s Episcopal School in New Orleans share their experience with the Center's Kindness Curriculum
Compassion Training Could Help Parents And Their Children
Jan 15, 2020
Julie Poehlmann-Tynan, a Center faculty member, talks about the impacts of compassion on young children and parents
UW-Madison researchers use video game to teach kids mindfulness
Jan 13, 2020
Center scientists share the impact from a study where kids played a video game to train mindfulness
Are we morally obligated to meditate?
Jan 10, 2020
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares insights from research on how developing the skill of compassion can help us be happier while making others happier too.
Are Politics and Climate Change Giving You Existential Anxiety?
Jan 06, 2020
Pelin Kesebir, a scientist at the Center, shares perspective on the history of existential anxiety and how to cope with it
Five Ways to Improve Your Mental Health in 2020
Jan 03, 2020
CNN shares strategies from Center Director Richard Davidson to build gratitude and improve emotional health.
Seven Personal Management Tips To Help You Save Time
Dec 16, 2019
Richard Davidson's thoughts on well-being are featured in this Forbes article on personal management
A Kid In A Refugee Camp Thought Video Games Fell From Heaven. Now He Makes Them
Dec 11, 2019
Games where a player takes on another person's perspective or becomes immersed in a specific environment can be beneficial in building positive interpersonal relationships, according to Tammi Kral, a research assistant at the Center.
Can compassion help heal patients — and providers?
Nov 20, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson discusses a research study at the center that focused on compassion training.
Can a Trip-Free Psychedelic Still Help People With Depression?
Nov 07, 2019
Faculty Charles Raison is featured talking about his upcoming research study that looks into how psilocybin helps people with depression and whether access consciousness plays a role.
Why We Hate Documentary
Nov 03, 2019
The work of the Center for Healthy Minds was featured in the final episode on hope of the Discovery Channel documentary Why We Hate
Center for Healthy Minds offers 'Kindness Curriculum' to parents and teachers
Oct 14, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about the Kindness Curriculum, developed by researchers at the center, and how it can help children learn how pay closer attention to their emotions and behave more altruistically.
The Kindness Curriculum
Oct 10, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson shares insights about the Kindness Curriculum, which is a free resource available to teachers and parents of young children.
The Science-Backed Benefits of Practising Mindfulness
Oct 03, 2019
An overview of research-backed benefits of mindfulness that includes mention of Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson's research on long-term meditators
The Third Story Podcast: Richard Davidson
Sep 17, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson appears on the Third Story podcast and discusses how happiness and compassion can be learned, and why now is a crucial time for research,
Can Changing Your Mind Change the World?
Sep 04, 2019
Based on Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson's lecture at the World Bank’s Science of Learning Expert Series, the article discusses the four constituents of well-being – awareness, connection, insight, and purpose
Researchers Develop Mindfulness-Based Kindness Curriculum for Preschoolers
Sep 04, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about the Kindness Curriculum and how it can help preschoolers pay closer attention to their emotions
UW-Madison Professor Develops Kindness Curriculum
Sep 03, 2019
Center Founder Richard Davidson discusses the Kindness Curriculum and how it can help preschool-aged children develop kindness as a skill.
What Meditation Does To Your Brain When You’re Annoyed, According To Experts
Aug 28, 2019
Center Founder Richard Davidson talks about how meditation changes the brain over time with ongoing practice
Two studies reveal benefits of mindfulness for middle school students
Aug 26, 2019
Two MIT studies show potential benefits of mindfulness training for middle school students. Center Founder Richard Davidson shares his thoughts on the research.
8 Habits of Mindful Leaders
Aug 16, 2019
The Enterpriser's Project mentions Center Founder Richard Davidson's book, "Altered Traits" in addition to habits of mindful leaders
What Meditation Looks Like In Your Brain, According To Experts
Aug 11, 2019
Richard Davidson, among other researchers, are quoted on the effects of meditation on the brain.
Social and emotional learning and neuroplasticity: Why it matters
Aug 02, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson wrote the forward for The Blue DOT magazine on the topic of neuroplasticity and the ability to develop well-being as a skill.
Parental guidance - Dane County hopes to help inmates be better parents
Jul 11, 2019
Faculty member Julie Poehlmann-Tynan discusses the complications that families face when a parent is incarcerated and the impacts on a child's development
EXCLUSIVE: ‘I’m not the only one who has a mom in jail’: Camp reunites locked-up mothers with their kids
Jul 11, 2019
Faculty member Julie Poehlmann-Tynan discusses the importance for children to build positive relationships with an incarcerated parent
Innovators in Diversity and Inclusion Named to Madison Magazine's 2019 M List
Jun 24, 2019
The Loka Initiative has received a 2019 M List award from Madison Magazine, and was selected for the initiative's innovative contributions toward diversity and inclusion
The New Science Behind Mindfulness Podcast
Jun 19, 2019
BB&R Consulting Group interviewed Center Founder Richard Davidson about research at the Center for Healthy Minds
Can Meditation Help Enable Human Flourishing?
Jun 11, 2019
Medium discusses research featured in Center Founder Richard Davidson's book, "Altered Traits."
Aging Is A State Of Mind
Jun 06, 2019
Center researcher Pelin Kesebir discusses how gratitude can help cultivate a positive experience with aging
How the Brains of Master Meditators Change
May 30, 2019
Richard Davison joins The Ezra Klein Show to discuss what he learned from bringing the Dalai Lama to his lab.
You Can Change Your Emotional Style
May 07, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davison talks about the six emotional styles, and how to change your default style
The Six Emotional Styles
May 07, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson discusses the six emotional styles.
Yes, the Internet is Destroying Our Collective Attention Span
May 03, 2019
Founder Richard Davidson talks about the effect of digital stimuli on attention span.
Festival Of Faiths: Psychologist Richard Davidson Says You Can Learn Emotion
Apr 25, 2019
Richard Davidson discusses research that shows we can learn how to be more compassionate, kind and resilient, just like any other skill.
Mom's Everyday: Mindful parenting
Apr 24, 2019
Hosts discuss research from the Center for Healthy Minds that talks about how mindful parenting practices can open up communication with adolescents.
Understanding the Power of Meditation
Apr 19, 2019
This Brainfacts.org article features quotes from Richard Davidson from the Center for Healthy Minds about mindfulness as a learned skill.
New Evidence Shows Meditation Changes the Brain for Better: Silicon Valley's Latest Trend
Apr 04, 2019
This article talks about neuroplasticity and references a 2014 paper written by Richard Davidson and Antoine Lutz
Meditation: Well-being, Like the Violin, is Acquired by Training
Apr 04, 2019
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson talks about research that supports training well-being as a skill
The Best Science-Backed Mindfulness Practices for Stress
Mar 25, 2019
Center researcher Matt Hirshberg shares insights from a recent study that looks into which mindfulness practices work to manage stress.
UW-Madison Ranks 1st In The Nation For PhD Graduates
Mar 07, 2019
Faculty Member Simon Goldberg talks about the high number of PhD graduates at UW-Madison
Elevate by Psych Congress Aims to Reshape Mental Health Care Through Education
Mar 04, 2019
Faculty Member Charles Raison speaks about the Elevate by Psych Congress Conference.
The Science of Happiness
Feb 26, 2019
Research from the Center suggests that happier people's brains are more active in the left prefrontal cortex and we can rewire our brains for happiness.
Former Badger Football Star Chris Borland Returns to Campus to Talk Meditation
Feb 21, 2019
Former Badger football star Chris Borland joined Chad McGehee at University of Wisconsin-Madison to talk football and meditation
The Benefits of Positive Thinking—and How You Can Do More of It
Feb 15, 2019
This Health article features research from Richard Davidson and the Center for Healthy Minds about training your brain to improve compassion
A Neuroscientist on Love and Learning
Feb 14, 2019
Center founder Richard Davidson sits down with Krista Tippett to discuss his groundbreaking research
15 Ways to Give Self Care a Try
Feb 01, 2019
Assistant scientist Pelin Kesebir at the Center says that keeping a gratitude journal is one way to practice self-care.
Integrating Wellness Into Everything We Do
Feb 01, 2019
Assistant scientist Pelin Kesebir says that writing down three good things that happened to you every day for a certain period of time has the potential to change your long-term outlook
Mindfulness Can Relieve Stress, but What Techniques Work Best? Clues in New UW Research
Jan 14, 2019
Center researcher Matt Hirshberg discusses his recent research project to discern whether different mindfulness practices have different effects on people
Is Buddhism Scientific or Religious?
Jan 07, 2019
Center faculty John Dunne ponders the assertion that Buddhism is more like a science of the mind than a religion
How To Attract Abundance In Your Life
Dec 20, 2018
This Forbes article features research from Richard Davidson and the Center for Healthy Minds
First Residential School In Asia-Pacific Region For Special Children
Dec 10, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson shares insights on how secular version of meditation practices can be beneficial for children to learn to pay attention and to regulate their emotions which lead to better performance in schools
A Neuroscientist On Vanquishing Anger From Our Minds
Dec 07, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson discusses how much anger is too much anger--and how we can make change by transforming anger into compassion and love
A Neuroscientist On What Anger Does To The Mind
Dec 01, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson discusses how anger isn't the only way to confront injustice or respond to someone who has treated you badly.
Can Going to a Sauna Make Me Happy?
Nov 30, 2018
Citing research from Center faculty member Charles Raison, this article shares how heat may produce a significant antidepressant effect
Hacking Inner Peace
Nov 29, 2018
In an article discussing the links between meditation and a form of therapy called neurofeedback, Center founder Richard Davidson says that there isn't enough scientific evidence to assert that neurofeedback can be helpful to people meditating
Is Our Constant Use of Digital Technologies Affecting Our Brain Health? We Asked 11 Experts.
Nov 28, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson shares his concerns about the impacts of technology, specifically the increase in distractability, the national attention deficit we all suffer from, and the consequences that arise from this.
4 Ways to Stay Motivated When You’re in a Rut
Nov 25, 2018
In one of four ways to stay motivated when you're in a rut, Center founder Richard Davidson suggests being kind to yourself. Self-criticism, he says, can lead to ruminative thoughts that have a negative impact on the body.
Mental Hygiene - Madison Researcher Uses Modern Neuroscience to Study Kindness, Compassion & Happiness
Nov 19, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson shares his philosophy that people can develop mental hygiene skills and nurture qualities like kindness to improve well-being.
Meditation Is a Powerful Mental Tool—and For Some People It Goes Terribly Wrong
Nov 14, 2018
Center founder and director Richard Davidson comments on the pros and cons of using meditation in health contexts.
The Growth of Yoga and Meditation in the US Since 2012 is Remarkable
Nov 09, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson discusses why people are turning to meditation and cites the increasing levels of anxiety and stress in American culture
Technology of the Future Should Care for Our Well-Being
Nov 09, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson pens an article about the urgent need for humane technology
Faith Matters: Religion & Spirituality Spotlight 2018
Nov 09, 2018
In a spotlight of books featuring conversations about faith and the planet, Center faculty John Dunne is featured as co-editor of the Dalai Lama's book about ethics and climate change.
A Lot More Americans Are Meditating Now Than Just Five Years Ago
Nov 08, 2018
Center founder Richard Davidson discusses the increasing use of meditation in the United States, as noted in a report by the CDC.
Colleges Teach Students How to Think. Should They Also Teach Them How to Thrive?
Nov 04, 2018
Can the course titled "The Art and Science of Human Flourishing," developed jointly by University of Virginia, Pennsylvania State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison improve well-being in college students?
Upcoming Events
Healthy Minds @Work Public MasterClass
October 20
to
December 15, 2020
For the first time ever, the Healthy Minds @Work MasterClass is available to the public. This course is being offered by Healthy Minds Innovations (HMI), the external nonprofit affiliated with the Center for Healthy Minds.
The Embodiment Conference
October 23, 10:00AM
to
11:00AM
Join Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson at this year's free virtual Embodiment Conference. He’ll lead a talk featuring discussions of emotion and the brain, meditation and mood, meditation and mental health and the science of meditation.
Dalai Lama Global Vision Summit
October 25
to
12:00AM
Center Founder and Director Richard Davidson speaks on Sunday, October 25 as part of the Dalai Lama Global Vision Summit. His presentation will focus on the four pillars of well-being.
Latest News
Virtual Events Explore Science of Well-Being, Feature New Insights from Dalai Lama
September 30, 2020
This year's The World We Make event is free and open to the public, from October 5 - 9, 2020. The nightly virtual events will explore science of well-being and feature new insights from His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Researchers Develop New Metrics for Measuring Mental States During Meditation
September 23, 2020
In a recent collaborative study across institutions, researchers developed a new framework to identify mental states during meditation. This included the focus-on-breath state and mind wandering, and estimates of how much time meditators spend in each state.
Research Suggests Common Mindfulness Program Unlikely to Cause Harm
August 18, 2020
Researchers at the Center for Healthy Minds found that people who took part in the most common and widely available secular mindfulness program did not experience psychological harm at a rate higher compared to people in control groups who did not take part in the program.