Kelly McGonigal, PhD, is a research psychologist, lecturer at Stanford University, and an award-winning science writer. Her scientific research focuses on the mind-body connection, and how to cultivate resilience and compassion. She is the author of the international bestseller The Willpower Instinct, The Upside of Stress, and Yoga for Pain Relief. Her work is published in twenty-eight languages. Since 2000, she has taught dance, yoga, and group exercise in the San Francisco Bay Area. In her free time, she volunteers as an adoption counselor for animal rescue.