Why You Don't Feel Loved (Even When You Are)

Unlikely Collaborators Hosts Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD for the Launch of her New Book.

LOS ANGELES, May 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- In a world where we are more connected than ever, many people still feel unseen, misunderstood, or alone. The issue is not always how much love we have in our lives, but how we experience it.

Why do some people feel deeply loved while others, in similar relationships, do not? What gets in the way of love actually landing?

On Thursday, May 14 at 7pm PT, Unlikely Collaborators will host psychologist and bestselling author Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD, for a Spark Salon exploring how we can shift the way we show up in our relationships to feel more connected titled:

How to Feel Loved

Drawing from her just released latest book How to Feel Loved, Lyubomirsky explores how our internal lens shapes the way we give, receive, and interpret love. Her research suggests that feeling loved is not simply a reflection of what others do, but of how we notice, interpret, and respond to those moments.

At the heart of this conversation is a powerful shift in perspective: What if feeling loved is not something we wait for, but something we actively create?

Through research from well-being and relationship science, Lyubomirsky introduces a set of relational mindsets that can help people approach conversations and connections differently. By making small but meaningful changes in how we express care, listen, and respond, we can help the people in our lives feel more seen and valued, and in turn, feel more loved ourselves.

This session invites audiences to reflect on how they show up in their relationships and what it might take to close the gap between being loved and actually feeling it.

The evening will take place in person at Unlikely Collaborators' Santa Monica headquarters and will also be livestreamed online. In-person attendees will receive a complimentary copy of How to Feel Loved.

Event Schedule
6:00 p.m. — Doors open and reception
7:00 p.m. — Program begins promptly (late entry not permitted)
8:00 p.m. — Reception

Cost: Free (registration required)

Register to Attend in person

Register to join live online

About Sonja Lyubomirsky
Sonja Lyubomirsky is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside, a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the bestselling author of The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness (published in 39 countries), as well as her latest book, How to Feel Loved (Harper Collins, 2026). A Harvard and Stanford-trained scientist, her research has been featured in the New York Times, on podcasts, and in documentaries worldwide. She is widely recognized as one of the world's leading experts on the science of happiness.

About Spark Salons
Spark Salons are a signature program of Unlikely Collaborators, the nonprofit founded by Elizabeth R. Koch. These gatherings bring together grantees, researchers, artists, and collaborators for conversations that challenge perspectives and deepen connections. Past Spark Salon speakers have included illusionist Harris III, psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, PhD, nutrition therapist Kim Shapira, MS, RD, mythologist John Bucher, Harvard Business School professor and author Michael Norton, PhD, visionary violinist Vijay Gupta, chef and entrepreneur Ellen Bennett, artist Candy Chang, digital workplace expert and author Alexandra Samuel, PhD, grief experts Brennan Wood and Dr. Donna L. Schuurman, neuroscientist and best-selling author Lisa Feldman Barrett, PhD, neuroscientist and NYU Dean Wendy Suzuki, PhD, futures designer Nick Foster, RDI, sleep psychologist Jade Wu, PhD, broadcaster and author Krista Tippett, journalist and author Eliot Stein, medical anthropologist and author Theresa MacPhail, PhD, and poet, activist, and author Ian Manuel.

Watch the Spark Salons Trailer

About Unlikely Collaborators
Unlikely Collaborators is a nonprofit dedicated to helping people see themselves and the world more clearly. Founded by Elizabeth R. Koch, the organization is built on the Perception Box™ framework, the understanding that our experiences, beliefs, fears, and physiology shape the lens through which we interpret reality. By becoming aware of that lens, we create more space for reflection, flexibility, and meaningful change.

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SOURCE Unlikely Collaborators