Elissa Epel
Elissa Epel, Ph.D, is a best-selling author and a Professor at UCSF in the Department of Psychiatry. She studies how chronic stress can impact biological aging (including the telomere/telomerase system), and how mindfulness interventions may buffer stress effects and promote psychological and physiological thriving. She also studies food addiction and obesity. She is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, co-chair of the steering council for the Mind and Life Institute, and past President of the Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research.
Epel co-wrote The Telomere Effect: The new science of living younger longer with Liz Blackburn, a New York Times best-seller that integrates the science of cell aging with practical daily tips and has been translated into 30 languages. She has won many awards for her research, which has been featured in venues such as TEDMED, NBC’s Today Show, CBS’s Morning Show, 60 minutes, National Public Radio, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Wisdom 2.0, Health 2.0, and in science documentaries. In addition to doing research, she enjoys leading meditation retreats with her colleagues.
During the pandemic, Epel led the creation web-based resources for psychological first aid, and COVID-related stressors such as substance abuse, addiction, and parenting stress, at www.cope.ucsf.edu.
Upcoming Programs by Elissa Epel
COME TOGETHER! A Festival of IntraConnectivity and Spirit | Day Pass
Also With Daniel Siegel, Little Bear Tom Nason, Rhonda V. Magee and Douglas Drummond
We live in times of high existential stress with both ever-increasing personal, societal, and global pressures and the constant pain of witnessing ecological crises and widespread social injustices. These challenges also create opportunities to reconsider our relationships to self, one another, and the planet — and to choose a life of peak purpose and interconnectedness. […]
COME TOGETHER! A Festival of IntraConnectivity and Spirit | ETMC Day Pass
Also With Daniel Siegel, Little Bear Tom Nason, Rhonda V. Magee and Douglas Drummond
We live in times of high existential stress with both ever-increasing personal, societal, and global pressures and the constant pain of witnessing ecological crises and widespread social injustices. These challenges also create opportunities to reconsider our relationships to self, one another, and the planet — and to choose a life of peak purpose and interconnectedness. […]
Cultivating Vitality in Body, Mind, and Spirit: The Ecosystem of Mental Well-Being
Also With Cassandra Vieten
What is vitality? Exuberance, vibrance, sparkle, spirit, and verve — terms rarely found in psychology textbooks. Vulnerability to depression and anxiety is widespread, and our culture traditionally emphasizes reducing symptoms with drugs that alter certain neurotransmitters, which is only part of the picture. We are living in a new era where vulnerabilities can become strengths, […]
Deep Rest, Recovery, and Renewal: From Burnout to Vitality
Join us to experience deep rest and renewal! You need and deserve this. So many of us are overtaxed by constant demands, burdens, and worries, especially those of us providing extra support for others through caregiving, healthcare, activism, and other service-oriented jobs. We bring you expertise in the science, art, and practice of restoration from […]