Thanksgiving is the time each year when we, as a family, a community, a country, express, well, thankfulness—often, as a prerequisite to indulging in mashed potatoes, turkey and pie. But our guest today reminds us that gratitude isn’t something to confine to late November; it’s a powerful disposition that can transform our relationship—with ourselves, our neighbors, and even with God.

Dr. Monica Bartlett is a gratitude expert. She’s an associate professor and chair of the psychology department at Gonzaga University. She received her PhD in social psychology from Northeastern University, and now runs the Positive Emotion and Social Behavior Lab at Gonzaga where she examines how specific emotions influence relationship building and personal well-being outcomes. Much of her work has focused on the emotion gratitude and its role in shaping our relationships with others. Dr. Bartlett teaches Social Psychology, Psychology of Poverty and Social Class, and Human Flourishing.

Gratitude, empathy and kindness feel in short supply these days—but Dr. Bartlett has some easy, daily habits that we can cultivate to inject these virtues back into our everyday routines—and national discourse.

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