The Kindness Cure: How the Science of Compassion Can Heal Your Heart and Your World

It's time for a kindness revolution. In The Kindness Cure, psychologist Tara Cousineau draws on cutting-edge research in psychology and neuroscience to show how simple practices of kindness-for ourselves, for others, and for our world-can dissolve our feelings of fear and indifference, and open us up to a life of profound happiness.

Compassion for ourselves and others is our birthright as humans-hardwired into our DNA and essential to our happiness. But in our fast-paced, technical savvy and hyper competitive world, it may come as no surprise that rates of narcissism have risen, while empathy levels have declined. We now find ourselves in a "cool to be cruel" culture where it's easy to feel disillusioned and dejected in our hearts, homes, and communities. So, how can we reverse this malady of meanness and make kindness and compassion an imperative?

The Kindness Cure draws on the latest social and scientific research to reveal how the seemingly "soft skills" of kindness, cooperation, and generosity are fundamental to our survival as a species. In fact, it's our prosocial abilities that put us at the head of the line. Blended with moving case studies and clinical anecdotes, Cousineau offers practical ways to rekindle kindness from the inside out.

We are wired to care. The very existence of our human species evolved because of an intricate physiology built for empathy, compassion, and cooperation. Yet we have an epidemic of loneliness, indifference, and cruelty, and we see these destructive trends on a daily basis in our families, schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces. This important book teaches effective skills in compassion, mindfulness, and social and emotional learning, and reveals successful social policy initiatives in empathy taking place that inform everything from family life to education to the workplace.

Kindness has the exponential power to renew relationships and transform how we think, feel, and behave in the world. Will you be a part of the revolution?

Tara Cousineau, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and a parent of two teenage girls in Boston, MA. Her expertise spans child and adolescent health, women's health, mind-body medicine, the science of happiness, and the use of innovative technologies to promote positive coping and well-being. As a social entrepreneur, Cousineau is the founder of BodiMojo, a health communications company that develops empowerment and wellness tools for youth. She is a recipient of numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health's Small Business Innovative Research Program. Her research and work has appeared in peer reviewed scientific journals.

Cousineau served as a global advisor to the Dove Self-Esteem Project with the social mission to improve girl's body confidence and self-esteem. She contributes to several blogs including The Huffington Post and her own websites: bodimojo.com and taracousineau.com. She has been quoted in Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, Brides, Seventeen, Dove's Self-Esteem Project website, and Savvy Auntie.