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Kelly McGonigal Ph.D.

About

Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D., is a health psychologist teaching at Stanford University and specializing in the mind-body connection. Her work focuses on how we can translate neuroscience and modern psychology research into practical strategies for better health, happiness, personal success, and relationships. She is the author of The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It and Yoga for Pain Relief: Simple Practices to Calm Your Mind and Heal Your Pain. McGonigal is also the editor in chief of the International Journal of Yoga Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal of research on yoga, meditation, and integrative medicine.

Books by Kelly McGonigal Ph.D.
Recent Posts
Smile Your Way Out of Stress?

A new study finds even a phony smile can help you handle stress.

A new study finds even a phony smile can help you handle stress.

Does Self-Compassion or Criticism Motivate Self-Improvement?

Self-compassion beats self-criticism any day, and in every way. But I had to share the latest set of studies showing how important self-compassion is for motivating change.

Self-compassion beats self-criticism any day, and in every way. But I had to share the latest set of studies showing how important self-compassion is for motivating change.

The Bad Science of Banning Soda

The uproar about Mayor Bloomberg's new ban on selling supersized sodas has focused on two issues: 1) personal freedom (as in, I have the God-given right to buy a 72-oz cola), and 2) efficacy ("It won't make a difference anyway; people are obese because of what they eat.")

The uproar about Mayor Bloomberg's new ban on selling supersized sodas has focused on two issues: 1) personal freedom (as in, I have the God-given right to buy a 72-oz cola), and 2) efficacy ("It won't make a difference anyway; people are obese because of what they eat.")

Five Temptations That Actually Boost Your Willpower

If you’ve suspected that you run out of willpower as the day wears on, you’re right. Scientists have discovered that willpower is a kind of energy that gets spent over the course of your day. Like a muscle that gets tired from exercise, our self-control strength gets sapped by the many decisions, distractions, and stresses we face.

If you’ve suspected that you run out of willpower as the day wears on, you’re right. Scientists have discovered that willpower is a kind of energy that gets spent over the course of your day. Like a muscle that gets tired from exercise, our self-control strength gets sapped by the many decisions, distractions, and stresses we face.

Are You Sure You Want a Habit?

Is creating new habits the solution to changing bad behavior? Unfortunately, we aren't so easily programmed (or deprogrammed).

Is creating new habits the solution to changing bad behavior? Unfortunately, we aren't so easily programmed (or deprogrammed).

Try This: Willpower Experiment for Making Smarter, Healthier Choices

Given the choice, would you rather eat a can of curried grasshoppers or a bag of potato chips? If you're feeling a little squeamish, what if some scientist had just discovered that grasshoppers are a miracle food? What if they could prevent cancer, burn off excess fat stores, cure depression, and regrow receding hairlines?

Given the choice, would you rather eat a can of curried grasshoppers or a bag of potato chips? If you're feeling a little squeamish, what if some scientist had just discovered that grasshoppers are a miracle food? What if they could prevent cancer, burn off excess fat stores, cure depression, and regrow receding hairlines?