Born Joyce Diane Bauer on this day in New York City, television celebrity psychologist and beloved motivational speaker Dr. Joyce Brothers (1928–2013) shared her wisdom and advice with millions for over 30 years. One of the first women to make psychology approachable on television, she brought conversations about love, grief, and self-worth into living rooms with grace.

A graduate of Cornell, she first caught America’s attention as the two-time winner of television’s The $64,000 Question, correctly answering questions about boxing. Her unexpected expertise opened doors for a groundbreaking career that blended compassion with practical psychology.

“Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success,” she encouraged, becoming a trusted voice on talk shows, in syndicated columns, and in magazines. A United Press International poll once named her one of America’s Ten Most Admired Women.

Her advice was rooted in both strength and tenderness: “Children of strict parents are generally happier, better adjusted, and higher achievers than those of permissive parents… They feel secure and loved, believing that their parents care about what they do and what they become.”

After losing her husband of 39 years to cancer, she opened her heart in her book Widowed, writing with raw honesty about grief, anger, and loneliness, and the courage it takes to emerge “into the light” of healing.

“Pain is necessary,” she believed. “Only by experiencing it to its full degree can you heal yourself.” Through every triumph and heartbreak, Joyce Brothers reminded us to keep pressing the limits of our potential—and to trust that the heart, too, can grow stronger when stretched by love. She believed that helping others heal was the highest success—and in doing so, she gave us all permission to grow gentler with ourselves.