Ask yourself,
“How can I develop and nurture myself in a way that benefits me and those around me?”

Dr. Darlene Mininni is a psychologist, applied researcher, and educator. She spent more than twenty years teaching at UCLA, where she was known for turning cutting-edge science into everyday strategies that help people feel better, work better, and live with more wellbeing.

While at UCLA, Darlene created and taught the groundbreaking class LifeSkills—a course so effective at inspiring positive change, it became the foundation of the book "The Emotional Toolkit: 7 Strategies to Nail Your Bad Feelings" (St. Martin’s Press).

She has spoken for audiences including TEDxUCLA, The Juilliard School and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and she was named the endowed Frank Roehr Memorial Lecture Speaker by the Stein Institute for Research on Aging for her presentation, The Science of Resilience: How to Thrive in Your Life. Her insights have been featured on media outlets such as: CNN with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, PBS, NPR and in publications including Prevention, SELF and Huffington Post.

With a passion for the transformative power of the arts and media, Darlene founded and was artistic director of UCLA’s award-winning Kaleidoscope Theatre, a performance troupe that used storytelling to enhance wellbeing. She is also a Founding Wellness Advisory Board member for the publication, Everyday Health. and previously hosted SiriusXM’s The Emotional Toolkit Series and Clear Channel's, The Dr. Darlene Mininni Show in Los Angeles.

My Story

I grew up in the warmth of a tight-knit, New York Italian family. When I think about my childhood, I remember my brothers’ silly pranks and my mom’s famous raviolis and meatballs on Sunday.

I also think about my dad, who struggled since I was a little girl with chronic illnesses too numerous to name. Watching him and my mother bravely endure his threatening conditions left me with a profound appreciation for life. And a strong desire to answer the question, “How can you thrive no matter what?” In time, my interests expanded beyond health to ask: How can you thrive in your career, relationships, and just plain living?

A WELLBEING CLASS

These questions led me to UCLA, where I developed the first undergraduate course to teach students scientifically-based strategies to thrive in their lives focusing on the 4 pillars of wellbeing: mind, body, relationships and purpose.

Within 10 weeks, my students made profound shifts in their lives and shared their stories of greater success, increased happiness and better relationships. By 18 months, the number of applicants to the class jumped from 30 to 700 and soon my students’ parents were calling to learn these simple lessons.

THRIVING IS A SKILL

It has become my mission to teach the evidence-based skills of wellbeing to people of all ages. I believe that small changes in our mindset and actions can create powerful shifts in our lives, both personal and professional. 

No matter where life takes you, ask yourself this: “How can I develop and nurture myself in a way that benefits me and those around me?” That’s the question I ask myself. It’s a question that opens the door to your wellbeing.