Dr. Samantha Boardman

10/16/2026

We've gotten very good at treating what's wrong. But what about building what's strong?

As a psychiatrist, I find it frustrating that we still treat joy, meaning, and connection as extras in mental health care, when research suggests they can be part of what makes us better.

Feeling less bad is important. But shouldn't we also be helping people feel genuinely good?

The absence of depression is not the presence of wellbeing.

09/14/2026

As it turns out, small talk isn’t so small after all…

Loved stopping by the TODAY this morning to brush up on the art of small talk with Al Roker, Laura Jarrett and Kaylee Hartung. You can watch our full conversation at the link in my bio.

08/26/2026

Dolly Parton embodied so many extraordinary qualities, but one that feels especially worth remembering right now is humility.

She was larger than life, yet never consumed by herself.

A lesson worth remembering. ❤️

As the old saying goes, "True humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less."

07/21/2026

We've become remarkably good at measuring longevity.

But what if we've become too focused on living longer and not focused enough on living well?

My latest for The Wall Street Journal explores why the goal of longevity shouldn't just be adding years to life. It should be adding more life to those years.

My latest for The Wall Street Journal explores why the goal of longevity isn't just to add years to life. It's to add more life to those years.

06/29/2026

The special sauce of connecting with our kids is simpler than we think. It’s less about creating extraordinary moments and more about embracing ordinary ones.

Jerry Seinfeld calls it “Garbage Time,” and it’s one of my favorite strategies to strengthen our relationships, especially with our children.

Thank you Al Roker, Laura Jarrett, and SAVANNAH SELLERS for having me on the TODAY to share why the quality of our lives depends on the quality of our relationships.

06/12/2026

Contrary to popular opinion, the world is kinder than you think.

Contrary to popular opinion, the world is kinder than you think.

05/29/2026

This past weekend, I had the honor of delivering the commencement address at , where my daughter Vivian was among the graduates.

As any parent of a teenager knows, public speaking is one thing. Public speaking while trying not to mortify your child is quite another.

Rather than offering graduates a blueprint for success, I wanted to share a few thoughts on becoming, belonging, and why goodness matters as much as greatness.

05/01/2026

Most of us opt out of small, seemingly pointless exchanges every day, convinced in advance that they aren’t worth our time.

But we’re wrong.

The boring conversation you’re dreading is almost certainly going to be better than you think.

The problem isn’t boring conversations. It’s deciding they’re boring before they start.

04/16/2026

Fear of saying the wrong thing is killing conversation. But connection isn’t built on perfect words. It’s built on reaching out.

04/07/2026

We live in a world that tells us the goal is to be larger than life. But what if we’re missing out on something essential by never feeling small?

When astronauts look back at Earth from space, many describe a profound shift—a sense of connection, perspective, and awe. It even has a name: the Overview Effect.

And it’s a reminder that what actually produces meaning, connection, and well-being isn’t magnitude. It’s perspective.

Few of us will ever leave the atmosphere. But the feeling they describe is closer than we think.

Five science-backed strategies to trade self-focus for perspective, no space travel necessary.