How to Lessen Suffering: A Powerful New Take

11 snips

Jan 22, 2026

Dr. Suzan Song, a Harvard- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist, dives deep into the nature of suffering and resilience drawn from her humanitarian work. She discusses how pain is a part of life, but our narratives can amplify suffering. Embracing instability rather than chasing certainty is vital. Suzan introduces a model of healing through narratives, rituals, and purpose, explaining that genuine healing occurs in relationships. She emphasizes daily rituals and the importance of recognizing inherited scripts to rewrite personal narratives and foster resilience.

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INSIGHT

Embrace Instability To Reduce Suffering

Pain is inevitable but suffering often grows from resisting instability and chasing certainty.
Suzan Song argues flourishing comes from learning to embrace instability, not eliminating it.

ANECDOTE

Hiding In Burundi Sparked A Career Insight

Suzan Song recounts being pushed into hiding in Burundi after a former child soldier targeted her for money.
That event triggered a realization connecting her father's assault to her lifelong drive to help suffering people.

INSIGHT

Narrative, Ritual, Purpose Framework

Narratives give insight, rituals create movement, and purpose provides direction in healing.
Song frames these three as cross-cultural tools available to everyone for lessening suffering.

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It's said, pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. But, is that true? Many of us live our lives in pursuit of certainty, believing that if we could just get things more stable - emotionally, financially, relationally - then we’d finally feel at ease. We wouldn't struggle with anxiety, stress, and fear. we wouldn't suffer so much. Problem is, that approach often deepens our suffering, rather than relieves it. Maybe you've felt this very thing.

In this powerful episode on healing and resilience and how to relieve suffering, Jonathan sits down with Dr. Suzan Song, a Harvard- and Stanford-trained psychiatrist, humanitarian researcher, and author of the new book Why We Suffer and How We Heal. Dr. Song has spent decades working with individuals and communities living through profound instability, revealing a gentler, more honest reframe: healing, lessening suffering, doesn’t come from chasing certainty and stability, but from learning how to relate differently to the inevitability of pain, uncertainty, and change.

In this conversation, discover:

Why pain is inevitable, but suffering often grows from the stories we tell.
The hidden role of our nervous system and memory in shaping our experience of hardship.
The power of ritual—not as performance, but as a path to emotional grounding and resilience.
What purpose really is, and why it’s often already present, woven into our lives through mattering.
How genuine healing happens in relationship, not in isolation, transforming our approach to mental health.

This is an invitation to stop blaming yourself for not feeling satisfied, let go of suffering, and remember that you don’t have to navigate life’s instabilities alone. Sometimes, relief comes not from doing more, but from allowing yourself to feel everything, then learn how to live with the truth of uncertainty in a world that will never stop changing.

You can find Suzan at: Website | Linkedin | Episode Transcript

If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversations we had with Adam Grant about rethinking beliefs and inner patterns.

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