Emiliana R. Simon-Thomas, Ph.D, University of California-Berkeley

When you think of gratitude and happiness, what do you think of? How about sadness, anger and empathy?

After sitting with Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas, science director of the Greater Good Science Center, professor at University of California-Berkeley, mother of three, we gained a whole new understanding of the human species.

Dr. Emiliana has made it her life mission through research to help people better understand and appreciate the small, simple acts of kindness and how gratitude plays a critical role in our mental wellbeing that, in turn, affects our physical wellbeing.

The hour-long interview took us down many paths of insightful discussion, all of which will have a profound impact on our film, Death is Not the Answer.

We thank Dr. Emiliana Simon-Thomas for sharing her time with us. You are a wonderful teacher!

To read about the work of Dr. Simon-Thomas, please go to http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/author/emiliana_simon_thomas