Laurie Santos

Photo courtesy of Mike Marsland and Yale University

Laurie Santos is a professor of psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab. Follow her on Twitter here.

Hi, Laurie! Kindly introduce yourself, and tell us about The Happiness Lab.
My name is Laurie Santos. I’m a professor of psychology at Yale University and host of The Happiness Lab podcast.

This show started as a course you taught at Yale. How did you decide to turn it into a podcast?
I decided to develop the podcast for a few reasons. First, I got lots of email from people explaining that they wanted to learn more about the science of happiness but were too busy to take an entire online Ivy League class. The podcast allowed me to give those folks all the insights I teach in the course but in short podcast-sized chunks. But the second more important reason is that a podcast is the perfect format for exploring the science of well-being. The best part of podcasting is that it allows you to share a narrative— I can dive deep into real people’s stories about putting the scientific insights into practice. And this has been the best part of doing my podcast— getting to hear these stories one-on-one and sharing them with my listeners.

Women podcasters are so often criticized for their voices. What is your relationship to yours?
Oh yeah. I get a LOT of criticism for how my voice sounds. I have a whole email folder of surprisingly mean comments people have sent me. But I try to accept it, and to realize it’s something that nearly every woman in media goes through. Also, we have millions of downloads, which means my voice can't be all that bad. 

Can podcasts make us happier?
Well, I think The Happiness Lab can! J  In all seriousness, our goal is to give listeners straightforward tips that they can put into practice in their own lives. But it’s up to listeners to put in the work and actually use what they’ve learned. The science suggests that putting these tips into effect is the real challenge.

What's the best thing about making this show?
The best thing about making this show is getting to work with one of my best friends, my brilliant producer and co-writer Ryan Dilley. He’s such a great storyteller and he’s taught me a lot about how to craft the best kinds of narratives. Plus, he’s hilarious and a blast to hang out with.

What has the reception of the show been like? What do people tell you about it?
It’s been incredible. We now have millions of downloads and I get emails and letters all the time from people who’ve put the tips into practice and become happier. Knowing that the podcast is really helping people makes the work all the more meaningful. 

Do you have a ritual for podcasting?
I usually drink a lot of peppermint licorice tea before recoding. It helps my throat and it also smells amazing. And since my producer is often in the UK, I also often record the podcast voiceovers while talking to a huge stuffed orange bear. He’s my real partner in tracking. 

Thanks, Laurie!