Emma Seppala

Emma Seppala, Ph.D., is an American author, science director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University, and Associate Director of the Center for Compassion, Integrity and Secular Ethics at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research focuses on the psychological science of well-being, and she’s the author of Science of Compassionate Love and The Happiness Track.

Emma Seppala was born in the state of Maine and earned her bachelor of arts degree in psychology at Wesleyan University. She subsequently earned a master’s degree in psychology at Santa Clara University before earning a doctorate in educational psychology at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.

Her published research has focused on the psychological sciences of well-being for over 20 years, including the areas of positive psychology, social connectedness, emotions, stress, and compassionate love. Seppala’s work focuses on the importance of feeling well to lead healthy, fulfilling lives, and the positive implications that have for society and those community members.

Seppala’s first book, Science of Compassionate Love, was released in 2014 and outlines the power of compassionate love and its role in our overall happiness, health, and well-being. The book explores why and how compassionate love can help us become stronger and more resilient as individuals, while bettering our relationships with others and with the world.

Seppala’s second book, The Happiness Track, was published in 2017 and tackles the many misconceptions around the idea of happiness. Seppala conceptualized the idea of the “happiness track” to direct readers to a deep understanding of what it means to be genuinely happy, including how to break away from the myths of life-long happiness, uncovering emotional patterns, and recasting strengths in order to make life more meaningful.

In addition to her work as an author, Seppala is also highly active in advocating for women and minorities in the workplace, as well as a national speaker and workshop leader on the topics of stress, compassion, and well-being. She’s had her work appear in a variety of publications, including the Huffington Post, San Francisco Business Times, Stanford Social Innovation Review, CNBC, and Forbes.

Emma Seppala is an inspiring author and science leader whose research and publications offer readers a genuine understanding of the power of compassionate love, while also seeking to refashion popular ideas of happiness in order to make life more meaningful. With readily available tactics and strategies for a better life, Seppala’s work is sure to help readers create the life they’ve always dreamed of.