TOGETHER WHILE APART

Former U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Vivek Murthy, in conversation with NYT Bestselling Author, Daniel Pink: How Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders Can Overcome Loneliness While Strengthening Our Connections and Relationships in a Covid-19 World

After becoming the 19th Surgeon General of the United States, one of the first things on Dr. Vivek Murthy’s agenda was to spend the first few months on a listening tour of the United States. What he didn’t expect to discover was that loneliness would emerge as a major public health concern–a root cause and contributor to many of the epidemics sweeping the world today, from alcohol and drug addiction to violence to depression and anxiety.

In his groundbreaking book TOGETHER: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World Murthy argues that loneliness is affecting not only our health but also how our children experience school, how we perform in the workplace, and the sense of division and polarization in our society.

Murthy found that few issues elicited as much enthusiastic interest from both very conservative and very liberal members of Congress, from young and old people, or from urban and rural residents alike. Loneliness was something so many people have known themselves or have seen in the people around them. It’s a universal condition that affects all of us directly or through the people we love.

We’re biologically primed not just to feel better together but to feel normal together.  Loneliness is a built-in reminder that we are stronger together, not just as clans and tribes or family and friends, but also as caring communities that form the foundation of a healthy culture.

The Covid-19 outbreak has made it even more difficult to stay connected, but Dr. Murthy has some incredible insights for how we can stick together even while we are apart physically.

During this interview/workshop, Dr. Murthy will address many questions, including:

• What is the health impact of loneliness?
• How does the stress of being lonely impact our overall health?
• How do we balance the need to physically distance ourselves from others with our relationships with others?
• How do we improve the quality of virtual interactions with all the distractions at our fingertips: email, social media, etc.?
• Can mental health and loneliness become the real problem from COVID-19 and isolation?
• How do we deal with this moment, and how do we turn it around from something that could deepen our loneliness to something where we can appreciate and even strengthen our relationships?
• How do we make sure to not forget the lessons we’ve learned about the importance for social connection when this is all over?

In addition to learning from one of the top health experts in the world, you will also have opportunities to connect with other successful business leaders throughout the event!

BONUS: All attendees will receive a copy of Dr. Murthy’s book, Together, shipped to you (a $26 value)

What others are saying about Dr. Murthy and Together:

“Some books enlighten, but others stun. TOGETHER is a stunner. It made me rethink much of what I believe about physical health, public policy, and the human condition. By revealing America’s epidemic of loneliness — and then offering an array of remedies for the condition — Murthy has done a great service, and made TOGETHER the most important book you’ll read this year.”

— Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When and Drive

“Vivek Murthy reminds us that our national conversation about medicine has been too narrowly focused on hospitals, doctors and drugs–and not enough on the human connections that sustain us. “Together” stands with Atul Gawande’s classic, “Being Mortal.”

— Malcolm Gladwell, best-selling author of The Tipping Point, Blink, and Talking to Strangers

“Dr. Murthy had the intuition and insight to identify one of the most vexing health problems affecting people from all walks of life when he was serving our country as surgeon general: loneliness. Now, in Together, he compassionately unveils the hidden perils of loneliness and offers stories of healing. His book is a welcome beacon toward meaningful connection.”

​ — Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global

“This surgeon general isn’t here to warn us about smoking. He’s on a mission to fight loneliness and show us what it takes to build community and connection. With a compelling narrative, rigorous evidence, and a timely call to action, this book is a good omen for our mental health and social well-being.”

—Adam Grant, New York Times bestselling author of Originals and Give and Take

Dr. Vivek H. Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States from December 15, 2014 to April 21, 2017. As America’s Doctor, he called the nation’s attention to critical public health issues including the opioid epidemic, e-cigarettes, and emotional health and well being. As the Vice Admiral of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he oversaw a uniformed service of 6,600 officers dedicated to safeguarding the health of the nation. Prior to serving in government, he conducted research on vaccine development and clinical trial participation and founded several organizations focused on HIV/AIDS education, rural health, physician advocacy, and clinical trial optimization. He received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard and his M.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Yale. He completed his internal medicine residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he later joined the faculty. Dr. Murthy resides in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Dr. Alice Chen, and their two children.

Daniel H. Pink is the author of six provocative books — including his newest, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, which spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list and was named a best book of 2018 by Amazon, iBooks, Goodreads, and several more outlets. His other books include the long-running New York Times bestseller A Whole New Mind and the #1 New York Times bestsellers Drive and To Sell is Human. His books have won multiple awards, have been translated into 39 languages, and have sold three million copies worldwide. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his family.