In this special episode, Dr. Murthy sits down with Sara Bareilles, Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter and actress, and Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tony award-winning singer and actress. You may know more about them as performers than you do about their experiences with mental health, but this conversation will change that.  As two very good friends who are warm, funny, and genuine, this conversation is an intimate portrait of their friendship and its importance to mental health. Their conversation explores questions many of us have on our minds: How do you prioritize friendship when the world demands us to be so productive? What does it mean to show up for one another? And how do you overcome questions of self-worth and find the courage to speak openly about your mental health? As you listen, we hope you feel their friendship effect, too. Sara Bareilles closes out the episode with a surprise performance. This episode was recorded LIVE in New York. Special thanks to the 92NY for hosting. (03:55)    How did Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger meet and become good friends? (08:33)    How can we make friends and have healthy social lives as we get older? (18:03)    Is there a difference between the way men and women make friends in middle age? (25:54)    How do Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger create the space for friendship in a world that’s always asking them to be more productive? (33:24)    How do Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger balance online activity with real-world friendships? (44:02)    Where did Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger find the courage and clarity to speak openly about their mental health? (52:41)    How have Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger dealt with feelings about lack of self-worth when they arise? (01:02:19)    What are some of Dr. Murthy’s and his guests’ favorite lyrics? (01:12:52)    A special performance by Sara Bareilles We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at ⁠housecalls@hhs.gov⁠ with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit ⁠www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls⁠. Sara Bareilles, Singer-Songwriter & Actress Instagram: ⁠@sarabareilles⁠ X: ⁠@SaraBareilles⁠ Facebook: ⁠@sarabareilles⁠ Celia Keenan-Bolger, Actress & Singer Instagram: ⁠@celiakb⁠ About Sara Bareilles and Celia Keenan-Bolger Sara Bareilles has received three Tony® Award nominations, most recently in 2023 for her performance as ‘The Baker’s Wife’ in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s Into the Woods – three Primetime Emmy® Award nominations and nine GRAMMY® Award nominations. On Broadway, she composed music and lyrics for Waitress, and stepped into the lead role both on Broadway and in the West End. Most recently, she starred in the filmed live-capture of Waitress: The Musical, which ran for two weeks in theatres nationwide in December 2023. Her other musical theater credits include a song on the Tony Award-nominated score for SpongeBob SquarePants and Emmy Award-nominated appearance as Mary Magdalene in NBC's “Jesus Christ Superstar Live.” Bareilles produced original music and executive-produced the musical drama series “Little Voice,” teaming up with Jessie Nelson, J.J. Abrams and Apple. She also plays Dawn Solano on the Emmy-nominated musical comedy series “Girls5eva”, the third season of which premieres in March 2024 on Netflix.  Celia Keenan-Bolger is an actress and singer. She won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for portraying Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (2018). She has also been Tony-nominated for her roles in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005), Peter and the Starcatcher (2012), The Glass Menagerie (2014), and her most recent role in Mother Play (2024). Other credits - Broadway: The Cherry Orchard, Les Misérables. Off-Broadway: The Oldest Boy, Merrily We Roll Along, A Small Fire. Select Film/TV: “The Gilded Age,” “Bull,” “Louie,” “The Good Wife,” “Nurse Jackie,” “Good Behavior,” “Elementary". Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle, three Drama Desk Award wins.

Dr. Aliza Pressman discusses the challenges of parenting and the importance of prioritizing parent mental health. They explore self-regulation, the impact of news on parents, humor in parenting dynamics, and the significance of gratitude in enhancing human well-being.

Shankar Vedantam, host of 'Hidden Brain', and Dr. Vivek Murthy discuss purpose and connection. They explore encouraging young people to dream, finding freshness in daily life, and differentiating goals from purpose. They share personal stories of coming to America and the power of having a sense of purpose. The conversation touches on bolstering America's purpose, the enormous possibilities the country offers, and the importance of remembering and reinforcing ideals in noisy moments.

Shankar Vedantam, creator of 'Hidden Brain,' discusses how our hidden brain affects connections. They explore social anxieties, kindness, and the impact of expressing gratitude. Dr. Murthy shares insights on warmth and kindness, bridging the gap between values and actions. The conversation emphasizes overcoming fears of connection and the power of acts of kindness.

Author and writer Rebecca Solnit discusses the power of hope in uncertain times with Dr. Vivek Murthy. They explore how disasters unite communities, why some disasters bring people closer, and ways to address despair about climate change. Solnit emphasizes the active nature of hope and the role of storytelling in shaping society. They also touch on the impact of social media on loneliness and the importance of personal connections in a digital world.

What lessons does life’s uncertainties offer? Kate Bowler’s stage IV cancer diagnosis ushered her into a world of fear and pain. Living in 60-day increments, her future held no promises. Angry about losing the life she had created, the love of family, friends, and her faith community helped Kate forge a new type of strength—learning to lean on others. This conversation between the nation’s doctor and Kate Bowler illuminates how we find truth and beauty within the uncertainties of life. (05:07)    How did Kate Bowler’s cancer diagnosis at age 35 affect her life?  (09:32)    Where did Kate Bowler navigate the uncertainty of her illness?  (12:02)    How did Kate Bowler re-define strength?  (14:26)    How did Kate Bowler’s community support her during her most acute phase of illness?  (17:23)    How can other families build a village for their children?  (20:27)    How has Kate Bowler’s health precarity changed how she thinks about life?  (25:56)    How can we encourage our kids to strive in a healthy way?  (29:38)    What is the message of Kate Bowler’s most recent book?  (31:37)    When Kate Bowler was ill, how did others seem to expect her to fix her life?  (34:43)    How did Kate Bowler’s experience with cancer impact her faith?  (39:15)    When is the last time Kate Bowler laughed uncontrollably?  (40:49)    Kate Bowler closes with a blessing.   We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at housecalls@hhs.gov with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.  Kate Bowler, Writer & Professor  Instagram: @katecbowler  X: @katecbowler  Facebook: @katecbowler    About Kate Bowler  Kate Bowler, Ph.D. is a 4x New York Times bestselling author, award-winning podcast host, and professor at Duke University. She studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. She wrote the first and only history of the American prosperity gospel—the belief that God wants to give you health, wealth, and happiness—before being unexpectedly diagnosed with stage IV cancer at age 35. While she was in treatment and not expected to survive, she wrote two New York Times bestselling memoirs, Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved) and No Cure For Being Human (and Other Truths I Need to Hear). After years of being told she was incurable, she was declared cancer-free. But she was forever changed by what she discovered: life is so beautiful and life is so hard. For everyone.  Kate is determined to create a gentler world for everyone who wants to admit that they are not “living their best life.” She hosts the Everything Happens podcast where, in warm, insightful, often funny conversations, she talks with people like Malcolm Gladwell, Tig Notaro, and Archbishop Justin Welby about what they’ve learned in difficult times. Author of seven books including Good Enough, The Lives We Actually Have, and her latest, Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day!, she lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her family and continues to teach do-gooders at Duke Divinity School. 

In this special Q&A episode, the Surgeon General sits down with his long-time medical school mentor, Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, to talk about their journeys to becoming healers. Dr. Remen is the creator of a medical training course called “The Healer’s Art,” which Dr. Murthy took as a medical student.  As a follow-up to their House Calls episode “Can We All Be Healers?”, the pair decided to reunite and field questions from medical students and other healthcare trainees, including: How do you stay compassionate in the tough environment of the healthcare system? How do you get through career disappointments? And how can we lean our relationships to help us?  Tune in for wisdom and stories from two of our country’s most compassionate healers.  (04:08)    What hardships did Dr. Remen face on her road to becoming a physician healer?  (07:57)    On dealing with Dr. Remen’s heartbreak of not matching for a residency  (10:46)    How did Dr. Remen stay true to her humanity during the taxing time of medical training?  (14:52)    Where does Dr. Remen turn when she feels burned out?  (17:05)    How does Dr. Remen cope with the reality that doctors can’t always heal?  (20:04)    How can the act of healing heal the healer?  (27:54)    How does Dr. Remen find hope in difficult times?  (34:08)    How do cats and social connection help Dr. Remen?  (38:32)    What advice does Dr. Remen offer doctors?  We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at housecalls@hhs.gov with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.      Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen, Physician & Teacher Facebook: @rachelnaomiremen    About Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen Rachel Naomi Remen, MD is Clinical Professor Emeritus of Family and Community Medicine at the UCSF School of Medicine and Professor of Family Medicine at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine in Ohio. In 1991, she founded the Remen Institute for the Study of Health and Illness (RISHI) a national training institute for physicians, nurses, medical students, nursing students, veterinarians and other health professionals who wish to practice a health care of compassion, meaning, service and community. She is an internationally recognized medical educator whose innovative discovery model course in professionalism, resiliency and relationship-centered care for medical students, The Healer’s Art, is taught at more than 90 American medical schools and schools in seven countries abroad. Her bestselling books “Kitchen Table Wisdom” and “My Grandfather’s Blessings” have been published in 23 languages and have millions of copies in print.     In recognition of her contribution to medicine and medical education, she has received numerous awards including three honorary degrees, the prestigious Bravewell Award as one of the earliest pioneers of Integrative Medicine and Relationship Centered Care. In 2013, she was voted the Gold-Headed Cane award by UCSF School of Medicine for excellence in embodying and teaching the qualities and values of the true physician. Dr. Remen has a 70-year personal history of chronic illness, and her work is a potent blend of the perspectives and wisdom of physician and patient. 

Rabbi Sharon Brous and Dr. Vivek Murthy discuss the power of showing up for each other and sitting with one's pain. They explore vulnerability, asking for help, and finding light in challenging times. The podcast emphasizes the strength in human connection and the importance of supporting one another, especially in times of despair.

Do you have times when you miss your loved ones and just want to feel more connected?   Maybe a friend or family member is sick and you can’t connect in person. Maybe you’re traveling or are away for school. I know I have these moments. And when I do, I have a meditation I turn to, one that helps me feel loved and more connected. It only takes a few minutes, but it has the power to change my day. In this special episode of House Calls, I share it with you.  Any feedback or ideas? Share them with us at housecalls@hhs.gov.  For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls. 

Can spirituality enhance our mental health? That is the question that psychologist and researcher Dr. Lisa Miller has pursued through her career. During her clinical internship after graduate school, she observed how while some of her patients had symptoms of major depression that required medication, other patients carried a sadness that carried life’s big questions: What is the purpose of life? Is there a larger meaning to existence? Decades later, Lisa has found that each of us has an “awakened brain,” neural circuitry that enables a human’s natural capacity for spiritual awareness. In this conversation, Lisa and the Surgeon General delve into the science that explains spirituality’s protective effects on mental health. They also discuss the universal human need for an inner life that connects us to something greater than ourselves, and offer a few meditation practices to support the awakened brain.  (02:00)    Introductory Guided Meditation  (08:43)    What is spiritual health?  (15:04)    How does Dr. Lisa Miller define spirituality?  (18:18)    Why does spirituality protect our mental health?  (20:55)    What are some practices to build spiritual health?  (24:40)    What is the awakened brain?  (26:56)    Are there particular stages of life when spiritual seeking spikes?  (30:03)    What is an Awakened Campus?  (32:44)    Why don’t college campuses focus more on spiritual well-being?  (34:26)    How Dr. Miller’s spiritual crisis as a young person become her life’s work.  (45:55)    What are the core elements of spirituality?  (53:12)    Where has Dr. Miller found the support for spiritual exploration?  (59:58)    How can parents build a spiritual foundation with their children?  We’d love to hear from you! Send us a note at housecalls@hhs.gov with your feedback & ideas. For more episodes, visit www.surgeongeneral.gov/housecalls.      Dr. Lisa Miller, Psychologist Instagram: @dr.lisamiller    About Dr. Lisa Miller Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of “The Spiritual Child” and “The Awakened Mind: The New Science of Spirituality and our Quest for the Inspired Life.” She is a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology, and has held over a decade of joint appointments in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical School. Her innovative research has been published in more than one hundred peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Cerebral Cortex, The American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.  Dr. Miller is Editor of the Oxford University Press Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of the APA journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice, an elected Fellow of The American Psychological Association (APA) and the two-time President of the APA Society for Psychology and Spirituality. A graduate of Yale University and University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her doctorate under the founder of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, she has served as Principal Investigator on multiple grant funded research studies. Dr. Miller speaks and consults around The Awakened Brain and The Spiritual Child for the US Military, businesses (including tech, finance, HR and sales), personal development, faith based organizations, schools and universities, and for mental health and wellness initiatives.