Sara Lazar, PhD, is an associate researcher in the Department of Psychiatry at Mass General and an assistant professor in psychology at Harvard Medical School. The focus of her research is to explain the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of yoga and meditation, both in clinical settings and in healthy individuals, using scientifically validated brain imaging technologies.
Her work has been covered by many news outlets, including The New York Times, USA Today, CNN and WebMD.
During her graduate studies in molecular biology, an over-training injury derailed Dr. Sara Lazar’s aspirations to run the Boston Marathon. During her recovery, she discovered yoga and, after a few classes, was surprised to find that she felt calmer, more compassionate and less reactive.
She wanted to understand why, and that quest ultimately altered the course of her career. In this episode, she discusses her work and how to integrate meditation into a busy life.
