Health Benefits
of Volunteering
as Self-Care
Exploring how volunteering improves mental health, strengthens connection, and reframes how we think about self-care and well-being.
Writing on Volunteering as Self-Care
I’m fascinated by the science and health benefits of volunteering. The self-care movement, as well-intentioned as it is, often suggests that we engage in activities that keep us focused on the self. I truly believe that we will see organized volunteering and mutual aid groups as the antidote to loneliness in our society.
Here are pieces I've written about the helth benefits of volunteering and community:
-
The online space for “recovered doomers”
Sickened by the onslaught of terrible news, a corner of the internet is choosing hope
-
Altruism is actually a fantastic survival strategy
Primate and neuroscience studies tell us a lot about how evolution rewards kindness and cooperation
-
How Minnesota nice became Minnesota strong
This is how a society builds resilience and creates lasting change
-
Why Doing Good Is Good for the Do-Gooder
Prosocial behavior provides both physical and mental health benefits, creating a "helper’s high"
The Health Benefits of Volunteering
The health benefits of volunteering are increasingly supported by research, particularly when it comes to mental and emotional well-being.
Volunteering isn’t just another task to optimize. Understanding how volunteering improves well-being requires looking beyond the individual. The benefits of volunteering are not just internal, they are shaped by connection, community, and shared experience.
Your Brain on Altruism
& Well-Being
Volunteering is one expression of a larger idea: that human connection and care are essential to health.
I explore this more deeply in my book Your Brain on Altruism: The Power of Connection and Community During Crisis, which examines the relationship between altruism and health, and how acts of care—both large and small—shape well-being over time.
By connecting individual actions to broader systems of support, this work offers a more expansive understanding of what it means to be well.
Get in Touch with
Nicole Karlis
I collaborate with editors, producers, podcasts and organizations looking for thoughtful, evidence-based perspectives on health and wellness.
Want to get in touch? I’d love that. Here’s how: Please fill out the form or email me directly.