Being Well With Dr. Rick Hanson

We usually experience ourselves as being one "self," but we all have different characters, different "parts," running around inside our heads. And our relationship with some parts is better than others. Today's guest, Susan McConnell, joins Forrest to explore Somatic Internal Family Systems, a powerful form of therapy that helps us bring those parts together as a unified self. About Our Guest: Susan is a senior trainer for the IFS Institute, and has taught Internal Family Systems both in the United States and around the world since 1997. She developed the Somatic IFS approach, which is a synthesis of Susan’s forty years of study, teaching, and clinical practice. Her new book Somatic Internal Family Systems Therapy, came out late last year.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 3:50: The Internal Family Sys

Henry Shukman, the guiding teacher of Mountain Cloud Zen Center, joins Rick and Forrest to explore self-transcendent experiences, relaxing self-identification, and the warm heart at the core of Zen practice. About our Guest: Henry Shukman is a writer, poet, and Zen Master of the Sanbo Zen lineage. He’s published nine books to date which have won numerous awards, and writes regularly for Tricycle, The New York Times and other publications. His most recent book is One Blade of Grass: Finding the Old Road of the Heart, a Zen Memoir.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 1:50: How Henry came to meditative practice. 3:30: Henry’s self-transcendent experience. 7:20: How Zen practice has changed Henry’s experience of himself. 10:35: Gradual cultivation, sudden awakening.  14:30: The role of transcendent experienc

Dr. Jennifer Ashton joins Rick and Forrest to discuss everything you need to know about the current state of the pandemic. This includes what vaccinated people should feel comfortable doing, the J&J vaccine pause, how to think about risk, and how we can support our mental health during the New Normal.  About Our Guest: Dr. Ashton is the Chief Medical Correspondent for ABC News, and has appeared on the ABC Network up to 14 hours a day in order to bring viewers important medical information. She is in regular contact with public health officials, including the Surgeon General and Dr. Anthony Fauci. Dr. Ashton is also the bestselling author of six books, including her recently published book The New Normal: A Roadmap to Resilience in the Pandemic Era.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 3:10: Why can’t we j

What's the "point" of meditation, and how can we build a practice that works for us? In this episode Rick and Forrest clear up some common misconceptions about meditation, explore major forms of meditation, and share how you can get more out of your practice. Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 1:15: Forrest’s history with meditation, and some of the benefits of practice. 5:30: What’s the “point” of meditation? 11:30: Skepticism toward narrow views of meditation. 14:10: Do you have to be “spiritual” or “religious” to meditate? 14:45: Three breaths practice. 16:30: Secular vs. spiritual orientations toward meditation. 17:45: The two major tools: insight vs. “calming” meditation.  20:40: Virtue, concentration, and wisdom. 23:20: The tendency to “skip” to insight.  26:30: Why Rick meditates. 32:30: What does

Over the last year we’ve all been through a lot. In addition to the many major costs, there have been smaller, subtler costs as well, including a pervasive feeling of anxiety. In this episode, Rick and Forrest walk through a normal experience of anxiety and offer some suggestions for how to overcome it.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 3:30: Accepting the presence of anxiety. 6:30: Recognize what’s alright right now. 10:00: Finding heart, and connecting with other people. 18:30: Take action.  26:30: Appreciating the biological part of anxiety. 32:00: Surrendering to what will happen. 37:00: What enables surrender? 41:20: Recap. Forrest has a new YouTube channel! Subscribe to the channel, and watch his newest video over there.  Sponsors: From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together th

How can we bring useful qualities of contemplative practice into our normal, everyday lives as people living in the real world? Senior meditation teacher and author Stephen Snyder joins us to explore that overarching question, alongside a variety of topics related to “not-self,” the true nature of the self, and self-transcendence. About our Guest: Stephen is a senior meditation teach who has been practicing meditation since 1976. He’s the author of three books, including Buddha’s Heart. Stephen is also a lawyer by trade, and has practiced law on behalf of a number of Zen masters and Buddhist organizations.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 2:35: Stephen’s background in Buddhism.  6:30: A brief background in types of Buddhist practice. 10:30: Bringing practice into our work life. 14:00: Why do contempla

One of the hardest, and most important, parts of creating great relationships is setting healthy boundaries with other people. Boundaries expert Nedra Glover Tawwab joins the show to explore how we can trust our instincts, work through codependency, and build better boundaries.  About Our Guest: Nedra has been a therapist for 13 years, and focuses on helping people build better relationships by teaching them how to implement healthy boundaries. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Psychology Today, Self, and Vice, and she’s the author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace, on sale now. You also might have encountered Nedra’s work on Instagram, where she has an extremely popular page that shares wonderful content.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts including Nedra during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 1:40: What drew Nedra

The creator of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dr. Steven C. Hayes, joins the show to help us explore how to use techniques from this powerful approach to therapy to address major challenges and improve our wellbeing. About our Guest: Dr. Steven C. Hayes is Nevada Foundation Professor in the Behavior Analysis program at the Department of Psychology of the University of Nevada. He's the creator of ACT, and the  author of 44 books and over 600 scientific articles. His most recent book is A Liberated Mind: How To Pivot Toward What Matters, an essential guide to ACT.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts including Dr. Hayes during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 2:25: The basics of ACT. 5:30: The Lord of the Rings and psychological flexibility. 7:15: Accepting our own history.  10:45: How can we accept painful things? 13:45: Language, technology

How can we bring together psychological science and contemplative practice, and what can we all learn from the world’s great wisdom traditions? Dr. Roger Walsh, a professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology, and expert on the world's great wisdom traditions, joins the show to help us explore this central question. About Our Guest: Roger is professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology, as well as professor in the religious studies program at UC Irvine. His scholarship has had a huge impact on the fields he’s participated in, and he’s the author of a number of wonderful books.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 1:35: What drew such a successful academic toward contemplative practice? 7:30: Conflict and synergy between psychological science and contemplative practice. 10:30: The challeng

Ever heard of the marshmallow experiment? The 10,000 hour rule? How about the Dunning-Kruger effect, the Stanford prison experiment, or willpower fatigue? These are some of the most well-known pieces of research from the social sciences. And they all share one problem: they're wrong. Or, at least, they're really misunderstood. On this episode of "10 Good Minutes," Forrest explores social science's Replicability Crisis, and asks whether you can actually trust the research that goes into Being Well. If you'd like to watch this episode rather than listen to it, Forrest has a new YouTube channel! Subscribe to the channel, and watch the video over there.  From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a lifetime of practice into one year-long online program. Podcast listeners can use the code BEINGWELL25 at checkout for an additional 25% off! Please don't hesitate to apply for a scholarship if you're in need.  Cited Research: Kruger, J.; Dunning, D. (1999) "Unskilled and Unaware of I

During this time of increased isolation our needs for connection are harder to meet than ever. Today Rick and Forrest are exploring how we can use the psychological technique of "attunement" to connect better with others, and meet our own need for connection. Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 2:15: Moments that satisfy our need for connection.  5:45: The “Still Face Experiment”  8:55: Attention, availability, responsiveness.  10:35: Which relationships fill you up? 13:50: What is attunement? 18:40: The “emotional risk” of attunement.  24:30: Paying attention.  31:20: Being open to being changed. 33:10: Do I matter to you? 37:30: Availability and co-regulation. 41:15: “Our interactions are systems.”  42:30: Rick pushes back a bit on co-regulation. 44:50: The impact of our nature on how we view interactio

Everyone has needs, there’s no avoiding them. In order to "be well" we need to meet those needs. But being "needy" is often viewed as a weakness, and accepting that we have needs can be painful. On today's episode, Rick and Forrest explore how we can accept our needs, identify the needs that are most important to us, and build the resources to meet our needs and the needs of other people.  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 2:30: The three core needs. 5:00: What it feels like when you don’t meet your needs.  8:45: The pain of not meeting needs for connection.  13:30: Rick’s story of coming to terms with being “needy.” 20:00: Admitting our needs.  27:00: Identifying our primary needs.  31:00: Forrest and Rick process an interaction.  37:45: Trying on different ways of being. 39:45: Key suggestions for ide

Relationships are hard, and making them last is even harder. Today we’re exploring how we can be happier and healthier in all of our relationships with a wonderful clinician, teacher, and researcher: Dr. Stan Tatkin. About our Guest: Dr. Stan Tatkin is an expert on human behavior, and particularly the unique dynamics found in couples relationships. He’s the creator of PACT: the Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy, and the author of six bestselling books, including Wired for Love and We Do. Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 1:45: The importance of attachment.  5:30: What happens when children are neglected? 9:00: Finding safety in our relationships. 13:30: How to build safety through physical cues.  19:10: Apology, and building a culture in our relationships. 23:00: Finding common principles.  3

We generally focus on topics related to mental health, but there's nothing like a pandemic to throw the importance of our physical health into sharp relief! Today Forrest is joined by Dr. Tim Spector to explore the importance of personalizing your nutrition, how our diet can help fight COVID, and why most everything we've been told about food is wrong.  About Our Guest: Dr. Tim Spector is professor of genetic epidemiology and Director of the TwinsUK Registry at Kings College, London. He’s also one of the leaders of the COVID Symptom Study, and one of the founders of the health science company Zoe . He's the author of The Diet Myth, and his most recent book is  Spoon-Fed: Why Almost Everything We’ve Been Told about Food is Wrong. Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 2:05: What is the microbiome? 4:10: How d

There are times in our lives when we recognize that something’s got to change. Today Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore a big question: What goes into making who we are, and how can we give ourselves the freedom to grow and change over time?  Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts during this FREE three-day online event to explore our life after COVID. Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 2:00: What does “self-concept” mean? 6:00: Where does self-concept come from? 11:30: Different ways to understand childhood development. 17:00: Why is it so hard for people to change?  26:00: Social forces that prevent us from changing. 33:00: Three case studies of personal change.  34:00: Who owns the problem? 38:30: Do you really want it? 44:30: We can change if we’re willing to take risks. 52:00: Trusting yourself, and feeling validated.  Sponsors: From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a lifet

Tara Brach joins Rick and Forrest to explore how we can find more compassion and acceptance while maintaining our motivation to change ourselves, and our world, in positive ways.  About Our Guest: Tara is the founder and guiding teacher of the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, D.C., and has a doctorate in clinical psychology. She is the author of three books: Radical Acceptance, True Refuge, and most recently Radical Compassion, and leads one of the largest mental-health and Buddhism-focused podcasts in the world. Key Topics: 2:00: Why “radical?” What does it mean to have “radical compassion?” 6:30: Practical applications of “no self.”  9:00: Maintaining “less self” while also being motivated to change. 10:30: How can we “accept ourselves” while also wanting to change in positive ways? 12:30: What gets in the way of compassion and self-acceptance.  17:15: The “trance” that keeps us away from compassion.  20:00: The RAIN meditation. 27:15: Making it easier to nurture ourselves. 32:15: “After the rain

With so much challenging stuff going on in the world around us these days, it's natural to ask a simple question: how much control do we have over how happy we are? On this episode of "10 Good Minutes," Forrest explores the research behind happiness, reveals the most important factors, and gives some practical advice for maximizing sustainable well-being. If you'd like to watch this episode rather than listen to it, Forrest has a new YouTube channel! Subscribe to the channel, and watch the video over there.  From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a lifetime of practice into one year-long online program. Podcast listeners can use the code BEINGWELL25 at checkout for an additional 25% off! Please don't hesitate to apply for a scholarship if you're in need.  Research: Pursuing Happiness: The Architecture of Sustainable Change Our podcast episode with Dr. Lyubomirsky. Twin studies find that identical twins raised in different households are more similar in their level of hap

When we’re presented with challenging circumstances it’s natural for us to cope with them through a wide variety of behaviors. Today Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore one of the most common coping mechanisms: dissociation. This includes what it is, the function it serves, the experiences that can lead to dissociation, and what we can do about it. Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 2:00: What is dissociation? 9:35: “Fragmentation and separation.” 11:45: Recovered and implanted memory. 17:45: Why do people dissociate? 22:10: Common symptoms of dissociation. 29:30: The risks of over-pathologizing.  31:40: Coming into your own life.  36:20: Growing self-worth as an antidote for dissociation.  40:15: Challenges of mindfulness for dissociation. 43:00: Focusing on an aspect of experience.  46:30: Enjoyment as a grounding experience.  48:55: “Our nature is to be associated.” 51:30: Recap Sponsors: From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being bring

On this timely episode, Dr. Bruce Perry joins the podcast to explore how we can limit the long-term impact of stressful events, and heal from past traumatic experiences.  About Our Guest:  Dr. Bruce Perry is one of the world’s leading experts on childhood trauma, and his clinical research and practice focuses on examining the long-term effects of trauma in children, adolescents, and adults. He is the Senior Fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy, and the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog. Life After COVID Summit: Join Dr. Rick Hanson, Forrest Hanson, and a roster of world-class experts including Dr. Perry during this FREE three-day online event to explore our "new normal." Click here to learn more about the Summit and register now. Key Topics: 1:15: Pandemic fatigue.  4:45: Experiencing acute stressors alongside chronic stress.  7:20: Practices to help yourself de-stress.  11:30: The impact of stress on our ability to regulate ourselves. 13:30: How to limit the long-term impact of str

We’re somehow both more efficient than ever before, and, at the same time, busier than ever before.  All of the many ways that we’ve found to optimize our performance has led to much more "doing," and not nearly as much "being." Today Rick and Forrest explore how we can get more in touch with being, and how by focusing more on "being" we might even be able to "do" more than ever before.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Ideas: 1:10: Rick making dad jokes.  2:00: The difference between “doing” and “being.” 6:20: Getting wrapped up in doing that crowds out “being.” 10:15: Craving in the brain.  15:05: How to grow what we want to be.  21:40: Allowing “being” to create friction-less “doing.” 25:45: How to get in touch with the feeling of “being.” 31:50: Internal resistance to being.  35:30: Who are you when you’re not scared?  41:15: Recap Sponsors: From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a lifetime of practice