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Our physical and mental well-being are orthogonal to everything modern society promotes.
While we know that human connection is fundamental to our health, our world seems designed to pull us apart rather than bring us together.
At pivotal moments, generational thinkers emerge who can see beyond symptoms to address root causes—visionaries capable of understanding the complexities of public health without losing grasp of what makes us innately human. It’s an honor to have someone of this stature speak so candidly about their vision.
My guest today is Vice Admiral Dr. Vivek Murthy, the outgoing U.S. Surgeon General, visionary public health leader, and architect of groundbreaking initiatives addressing loneliness and youth mental health. Returning to continue our dialogue from episode 784—in what is likely his final interview in office—he reveals an approach fundamentally different from his predecessors. While most favor reductionist solutions to specific ailments, he shows how our well-being is inextricably linked to the strength of our relationships.
Over his eight transformative years in office, he has emerged as one of medicine’s most compelling and proactive voices, challenging conventional wisdom about what truly drives our collective health.
“Relationships, purpose, and service are the three key elements of a meaningful life.”
– DR. VIVEK MURTHY
Today, we explore the crisis of parental mental health—where 48% of parents report overwhelming stress compared to 26% of non-parents—and social media’s mounting toll on youth. As Dr. Murthy reminds us, we’re communal creatures who survived millennia by raising our children collectively—not as isolated individuals.
Throughout our exchange, he makes the case that rebuilding community—through relationships, purpose and service—may be our most essential medicine.
The episode spans masculinity, vulnerability, the power of play, and the courage required to choose interdependence over independence. We even recreate his viral mango-peeling moment.
Note: Shortly after the new year, Dr. Murthy issued a landmark advisory on alcohol warning labels that created quite a news cycle. At the time of our conversation, this initiative was under embargo and not yet public, thus it is not part of our discussion.
For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
This was a profound conversation with one of public health’s most vital voices.
Whether you’re trying to understand the underlying causes of our shared challenges or searching for practical ways to rebuild community in your own life, this episode provides wisdom and hope for the future.
Peace + Plants,
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- Connect with Dr. Vivek Murthy: Website | Facebook | Instagram | X
- Project Gather: About
- Podcast: House Calls with Dr. Vivek Murthy
- Book: Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World
- U.S. Department of Health And Human Services: Office of the Surgeon General (OSG)
- U.S. Department of Health And Human Services: Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA
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Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Jason Camiolo for audio engineering, production, show notes and interstitial music; with additional audio engineering by Cale Curtis and additional music by Moby; Dan Drake & Morgan McCrae for video, & editing; graphics by graphics by Alejandro Ribadeneira & Bryan Lawrence; portraits by Davy Greenberg; copywriting by Ben Pryor; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
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