Elissa Epel, PhD
Slowing biological aging through rejuvenation
Dr. Elissa Epel is a leading expert on stress, well-being, and healthy longevity at UCSF. Her research reveals how our daily choices—from managing stress to our food choices—directly impact cellular aging and longevity, as well as mood. She is the co-author of the bestseller The Telomere Effect (with Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn), and author of The Stress Prescription, both have been translated into many languages, and have been life-changing for many people. Elissa translates complex science and contemplative practices into practical strategies and protocols that anyone can use to live healthier, happier, longer lives. She also guides people--including students, activists, and leaders-- in building resilience through mindsets, meditations, and joy, despite dealing with adversity and polycrisis stress.
Science-Backed Habits: Transform complex stress biology into practical, daily micro-practices that measurably enhance your cellular health and well-being.
Master Stress, Rather Than Avoiding It: Learn to distinguish beneficial 'hormetic' stress from damaging chronic stress, building robust resilience and a positive mindset.
Optimize Your Metabolism: Deepen your understanding of interconnections between diet, hormones, and nervous system balance with metabolism, and enhance your insulin sensitivity and vitality.
Personalized Aging Toolkit: Gain insight into how your unique lifestyle and thoughts impact your biological age, offering tailored strategies for a longer, healthier 'healthspan'.
Science-Backed Strategies: Receive actionable advice grounded in cutting-edge research, ensuring your well-being practices are truly effective at a cellular level.
Holistic Stress Transformation: Learn to reframe stress and leverage its beneficial aspects, transforming it from a detriment into a powerful tool for resilience and growth.
Personalized Healthspan Roadmap: Gain insight into your unique biological aging process and discover micro-practices tailored to extend your years of vibrant, healthy living.
Dr. Epel fundamentally believes that our biological age, and thus our healthspan, is remarkably flexible and within our influence, challenging the notion of fixed aging. She asserts that while chronic, toxic stress accelerates cellular wear, beneficial 'hormetic' stress can actually build resilience. This perspective empowers individuals to harness the profound, bidirectional connection between mind and body, leveraging daily micro-practices and authentic social connections to cultivate vibrant health, not just a longer life. Her philosophy extends beyond the individual, advocating for health equity and climate wellness as essential components of a thriving global healthspan.
Dr. Epel's mastery lies in her ability to bridge elite academic research with actionable, life-changing wisdom. She is a leading scientist in stress, aging, and telomere biology, having co-authored bestsellers that demystify complex cellular processes. Her unique strength is translating these biological insights into concrete, daily practices for enhancing healthspan, rather than merely managing symptoms. She illuminates how your mindset, lifestyle, and even systemic factors impact your cellular health, equipping you with science-backed strategies for profound personal and collective well-being.
- • Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, UCSF
- • Past Leadership roles as Vice Chair of Psychology, UCSF, President of Academy of Behavioral Medicine Research, Co- Chair of Mind & Life Institute Steering Council
- • PhD in Clinical and Health Psychology, Yale University
- • Co-author, 'The Telomere Effect' (with Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn) in 30 languages, New York Times Bestseller
- • Author, 'The Stress Prescription', Independent Book Store Bestseller
- • Member, National Academy of Medicine, and American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
- • Medical Advisory Board Member, Oura
- • Wellness Retreat Leader (at various centers, including Esalen in Big Sur, Blue Spirit in Costa Rica, WEF/Davos, and Kripalu in Massachusetts)
- • Resilience Training Leader, Founder of Eco-Resilience Initiative for University of California, and Resilience Training Team Member, Human Rights Foundation
- Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco
- Director, Aging, Metabolism, and Emotion Center, UCSF
- Associate Director, Center for Health and Community, UCSF
- Co-author, The Telomere Effect (with Nobel Laureate Elizabeth Blackburn)
- Author, The Stress Prescription
- Member, National Academy of Medicine
- PhD in Clinical Psychology, Yale University
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This onix was curated by the expert. Their knowledge, their methodology, their voice.