A recent study of over one million teenagers around the world found that feelings of loneliness at school nearly doubled between 2012 and 2018. In turn, lonely children and adolescents are more likely to experience stress, anxiety, and depression. So what is causing this crisis of disconnection? And how can we address it? In this talk, Harvard-trained social scientist and nonprofit leader Kasley Killam will share evidence-based strategies and real-world examples of how to strengthen youth relationships to improve their health, well-being, and academic success. She will illuminate the underappreciated social dimension of health, while equipping parents to help their beloved kids to thrive at school and at home through connection and community.

Kasley Killam, MPH, is a leading expert in social health. Drawing from over a decade of studying, sharing, and applying the science of human connection, Kasley helps individuals, communities, and organizations alleviate loneliness and enhance social health as a writer, speaker, and consultant. After studying solutions for loneliness at the Harvard School of Public Health, she founded the nonprofit Social Health Labs to improve well-being through connection and community. Kasley’s expertise is regularly featured in outlets like the New York Times, Scientific American, Washington Post, and Boston Globe, and she writes the Social Health Blog for Psychology Today. Read her full bio at kasleykillam.com.