Welcome to the Mattering Movement

We create communities where people know they matter.

Bring Mattering to Your School Today

"I have learned a lot through these lessons, and learning about mattering has changed my outlook on life." - student

“Having the shared understandings, frameworks, and language make growing our and our students' senses of mattering feel more possible” - teacher

"It has positively impacted my mental health because it made me feel like I matter." - student

Learn More

The Mattering Movement at Harvard

We are grateful to partner with Harvard College to create a campus where students and teachers know they matter. Along with Harvard, we are proud to work with New York University, Washington University, the University of Pennsylvania (PennPac) and Emory University (Oxford).

Mattering in Colleges & Universities

In 2024, over 40% of college students reported feeling too depressed to function, and over 60% reported overwhelming anxiety. Recognizing the deep need for actionable tools and resources for young adults and drawing on the large body of scientific research correlating mattering to positive mental health, our work increasingly focuses on bringing mattering to college campuses. We are grateful to work with Harvard, New York University, Washington University, the University of Pennsylvania (PennPac), and Emory University (Oxford).

Mattering in Middle and High School

In 2023, 40% of students in middle and high school reported persistent sadness or hopelessness, and over 50% of students reported that anxiety or depression are major obstacles to learning. Drawing on robust research illustrating the positive mental health outcomes of a strong sense of mattering, our curriculum for 6-12th grades is making a tangible impact throughout the U.S. and beyond.

Click here for more information about our Mattering curriculum.

What is The Mattering Movement?

Bringing together their deep expertise, co-founders Jennifer Wallace, author of NYT bestseller Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic - and What We Can Do About It and Dr. Sarah Bennison, NYU faculty and founder of Trinity School (NYC) Office of Public Service, provide powerful tools to help parents, students, and teachers untangle self-worth from achievement: it is called mattering.

Mattering is about how we treat ourselves and how we treat each other. It’s a research-backed mindset and a skill set that can be learned.

The Mattering Movement provides actionable steps to create environments that foster mattering right at home, in classrooms, and in wider communities. Research shows that at the root of the mental health struggles of our kids – the pressure, anxiety, depression, and loneliness they feel – is an unmet need to “matter” - that we are valued for who we are at our core, and that we can add meaningful value to the lives of others.

Get started today with our toolkits for students, parents and teachers.

Click Here to Access the Toolkits

Mattering: The Secret to a Life of Deep Connection and Purpose

From Jennifer Wallace, Mattering Movement co-founder and bestselling author of Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic - and What We Can Do About It comes Mattering—a landmark book that introduces a transformative new framework to confront the loneliness, burnout, and lack of purpose so many of us face today.

“With thoughtful analysis and heartfelt stories, Jennifer Wallace helps us understand what is at the root of so many of our modern day struggles. At a time when so many people are feeling invisible, Mattering is an essential guide for how to restore meaning, comfort, and joy to our lives.”

Vivek Murthy, MD, MBA. 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States

TED: Why We Need to Know Our Lives Matter

It’s not enough to do important work — we need to know it truly matters, says Mattering Movement co-founder Jennifer Wallace. Drawing on her research into firefighters, caregivers and more, she shows how simple acts of acknowledgment and connection can fuel our sense of purpose in a world that too often undervalues recognition.

Who is the Mattering Movement?

We are a community of parents, students, educators, and experts committed to addressing the universal need we all share to feel understood and cared for by those around us.

Founders Jennie B. Wallace, Dr. Sarah Bennison, Kimberly Kravis and Kim Towner, along with a team of top academic advisors and advisory council members, are committed to providing adults and youth with the tools and skills they need to build meaningful community, to buffer against stress and anxiety, and to make a positive impact on the world.

Meet Our Team