Meet Dr. Samantha Gnanasegaram, MD, FAPA

Dr. Samantha Gnanasegaram is a board-certified adult psychiatrist with a passion for transforming the way we understand and talk about mental health. With a career spanning diverse settings — from inpatient units serving individuals with serious mental illness to outpatient practices supporting high-functioning professionals — she brings a nuanced, deeply human perspective to the complexities of the mind. Dr. Gnanasegaram was recognized as one of New Hampshire's 40 under 40 in 2025.

What was your first job?

My first job was when I was in high school, tutoring middle school students in various subjects.

Share a fun fact about yourself that most people don’t know?

I have a bilingual degree in French.  

What’s one TEDx talk, book, podcast that inspired you recently?

“How to Sound Smart in Your TEDx Talk” by Will Stephen inspired me because it humorously reveals the importance and power of delivery over content. Even though his talk had no real content, he kept the audience engaged with his confidence, tone of voice and body language. It reminded me that how we communicate can be as important as what we communicate. This talk made me realize that you can have the most intellectual and substantive content, but it can fall flat if you do not deliver in an engaging way. Likewise, it also reveals that we can be easily influenced by smooth delivery with lack of substance.

Describe your talk in 3 words

Thought-provoking, empowering, scientific

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

Take risks and don’t let the fear of failure or the unknown hold you back.

What song captures the essence of your TEDx talk?

“Anxiety” by Doechii – but not in the way you would expect. You will need to tune in to my TEDx talk to learn more!