Being Well With Dr. Rick Hanson

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

What allows people to push on even during the darkest times?  And how can we use that answer to influence our behavior, or the behavior of other people? Today Rick and Forrest are joined by Dr. Tali Sharot to explore the optimism bias, how optimism can exist alongside negativity, and how we can influence others more effectively.  About our Guest: Dr. Sharot is a Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience at University College London, and the director of the Affective Brain Lab. She’s also the author of a number of wonderful books, including The Optimism Bias: A Tour of the Irrationally Positive Brain, and The Influential Mind: What the Brain Reveals About Our Power to Change Others.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Ideas: 1:30: What is the optimism bias, and how does it appear in people’s lives? 3:30: Where does the optimism bias come from? Did we evolve it? 8:45: How can someone cultivate an attitude of optimism?  13:00: Bringing good things into ou

What do you want to achieve in 2021? In this short episode, Dr. Rick Hanson walks you through a guided practice focused on helping you achieve your goals.  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.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Connect with the show: Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Subscribe on iTunes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all have something we want to do "someday," but for most of us "someday" just never seems to come around. Here's how to make 2021 the year you finally put all the pieces together, and achieve the goals you've set for yourself. Key Topics: 4:00: What leads to change that lasts? 5:40: Do you really WANT to change? 9:00: How to change your self-concept.  14:00: “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.” 16:00: Small changes that lead to big ones. 20:00: Appreciating the finite nature of life.  22:30: “What do you want to give as a gift to the person you will be tomorrow?” 25:30: What makes for a good resolution? 29:00: Using Forrest as a guinea pig: setting good goals and maximizing your resolutions. 33:00: Picking very clear commitments, and making things simple. 34:30: Thinking about how it would feel at the end of 2021 if you accomplished what you set out to do. 41:00: Finding consistent effort.  45:00: Summarizing the key questions.  48:00: Recap. Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd lik

We all have things that frighten us. But some fears can become so core to who we are that we start to organize our lives around not having to experience them. In this not-to-be-missed episode, Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore how we can identify and face our "dreaded experiences," which exert a quiet power over our lives.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 2:40: What is a “dreaded experience?” 6:40: The three step process of a dreaded experience. 9:10: The critical distinction between “event” and “experience.” 12:20: Forrest’s dreaded experiences.  16:30: Normal avoidance vs. making yourself small. 18:15: Where do dreaded experiences come from? 24:10: Starting to risk the dreaded experience.  29:00: Ways to start safely facing fears. 38:00: Identifying your dreaded experience.  41:20: Being seen as your whole self. 46:30: Our journey of growth.  49:30: Recap From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a li

Why does talking to a therapist have such a huge impact on people's lives? On the first edition of "10 Good Minutes," Forrest Hanson dives into the research behind the key factor in any therapeutic relationship.  If you enjoy this episode, you'll love our Patreon account! Studies: Psychotherapy is as effective for the treatment of depression as medication. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is particularly effective when it comes to treating depression and anxiety disorders. Only a few of the studies demonstrating therapy’s effectiveness provide evidence without bias, and there’s a lot of publication bias. Psychotherapy changes how clients use their brains in meaningful ways. Therapeutic outcome doesn’t seem to be affected by how experienced the therapist is. The strength of the alliance established between therapist and client is a key factor. Empathy appears to be a key factor in the formation of a strong alliance and therapeutic outcomes more generally.  Sponsors: From Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being b

Does power corrupt? Where does compassion come from? And do positive or negative emotions serve as the basis for our true nature? Today we're exploring these questions with Dr. Dacher Keltner, a world-class expert on emotion, power, and morality. About Our Guest: Dr. Keltner is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, where he directs the Berkeley Social Interaction Lab. He’s also the founder and co-director of the Greater Good Science Center. Dr. Keltner is also the author of three books: Born to Be Good, The Compassionate Instinct, and most recently, The Power Paradox: How We Gain and Lose Influence.  Here's the referenced research from Dacher on emotion and facial expression. Key Topics: 2:15: What is an emotion, and how many emotions are there? 7:45: The complex weave of positive emotions.  11:30: Why did we evolve positive emotions? 15:00: The influence of compassion.  20:45: Power dynamics, and in-groups vs. out-groups. 25:30: How and why power corrupts. 33:30: Are we only ni

It’s been a long, strange, challenging year. As we get toward the end of it, and look forward to 2021, it feels appropriate to start by taking a look back and seeing what, if anything, we can learn from the year that’s gone by.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 2:30: The importance of internal resources. 4:15: "It can happen to us too." 6:00: Putting more effort into what’s local. 8:30: Interdependence and interconnection.  12:30: Appreciating the pains that aren’t happening. 17:30: Seeing clearly and allowing yourself to take appropriate action. 22:30: Your compassion is not dependent. 25:45: Avoiding playing into grievance theater. 30:40: Nonattachment. 33:00: Focusing on what really matters, and being fed up. 38:45: Lessons from our listeners. 43:30: What’s still here? 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 c

We're all subject to forms of bias and prejudice. On this episode, Forrest and Rick are joined by Dr. Jack Glaser, an expert on intergroup bias and racial prejudice, to explore what we can do to overcome our innate tendencies.  About the Guest: Dr. Jack Glaser is a Professor at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley. He studies intergroup biases and the unconscious operation of stereotypes and prejudice, and is particularly interested in racial profiling. Jack is also the author of Suspect Race: Causes & Consequences of Racial Profiling, and is on the board of the Center for Policing Equity. Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 2:15: Jack’s history, what drew him to the study of bias. 4:50: What is implicit bias?  10:30: What’s the purpose of bias, where does it come from, and what consequences does it create? 18:15: How individual biases scale up to groups and systems. 23:10: The myth of meritocracy. 25:30: Assimilation, accomm

On today's short episode, Dr. Rick Hanson leads a guided meditation aimed at experiencing gratitude and finding the small pleasures in life.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Connect with the show: Subscribe on iTunes Follow us on Instagram Follow Rick on Facebook Follow Forrest on Facebook Forrest's Website Sponsors: 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.  Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!  Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The holidays are coming up, and for many people they’re likely to be very different this year from usual. Experiencing sadness or disappointment around the holidays is normal even among the best circumstances, and we're far from those. On this episode, Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore how to work with this year's natural feelings of sadness and disappointment. Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 4:50: A therapy session focused on sadness with Rick.  9:30: Associations between current sad experiences and our past material.  11:45: A process for experiencing and working with sadness.  17:45: Imagery to aid experiencing. 19:00: Helping sadness soften and release.  24:30: Non-judgement  28:40: Identifying underlying beliefs. 29:40: Letting in good experiences alongside challenging ones.  33:10: Finding the root experience, and communicating our needs.  37:00: Sadness vs. depression.  41:30: Dealing with disappointment.  45:00: Finding agency in

Learning is the single most important skill: if you know how to learn, you can get good at anything else. Today we're joined by Josh Kaufman, author of The Personal MBA, to explore the 20 hour rule, the problems with 10,000 hours, cognitive biases, and how you can learn anything more quickly. About our Guest: Josh is the author of three bestselling books: The Personal MBA, The First 20 Hours, and How to Fight a Hydra. The Personal MBA is a #1 international bestseller, and he's also responsible for one of my favorite TED talks which has more than 22 million views - The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything. Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 2:15: Why focus on business and learning? 5:30: 20 hours vs. 10,000 hours. 9:00: The power law of practice. 11:30: Precommitment, and making it through 20 hours.  15:00: The importance of deliberate practice.  17:00: Fast feedback loops.  19:45: Breaking big tasks into small tasks.  26:40: Responses to

If you live in the United States – and probably for many people who don’t – it’s been a bit of a stressful week. Today Dr. Hanson and Forrest talk about relaxing anxiety, weathering the storm, and taking in the year as a whole.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 1:30: Where do we want to allocate our attention? 5:00: Rational, appropriate stress and anxiety.  8:00: The cost of ‘negative’ emotions.  12:30: Practices of calming stress.  14:45: Giving yourself grace, and accepting some amount of stress.  17:40: Deal with the bad, turn toward the good, take in the good.  22:15: Seeing what is true.  26:45: Being happy when others are not.  36:40: A practice for calming and centering.  44:45: Learning from the hard parts of practice. If you'd like to learn more about Jaimal Yogis, here's his website.  Overcome Anxiety:  Let go of anxiety and grow a greater sense of calm strength with Rick's Dealing with Anxiety program, which offers 5 powerfu

In the second part of our 10 most essential lessons for a great life, we explore accepting difference, open heartedness, healthy skepticism, embracing life, and impermanence.  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 2:30: Different people are different. 10:00: Open your heart.  13:45: Open heartedness as a ‘field.’ 19:20: Cultivate a stance of healthy skepticism.  27:00: Honor the gift of your life.  33:00: All things end.  37:00: The feeling of one minute. Overcome Anxiety:  Let go of anxiety and grow a greater sense of calm strength with Rick's Dealing with Anxiety program, which offers 5 powerful practices for managing stress and worries. Save 10% with coupon code BEINGWELL. Sponsors: 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 s

What are the most essential lessons we've ever learned? Today we're exploring the first half of our 10 most important practices, skills, techniques, and reflections for the long road of life. Today we cover getting on your own side, the impact of childhood, widening your view, slowing down, and taking in the good. A quick summary of Rick's approach to taking in the good. Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Key Topics: 1:30: Introduction: The view from the porch.  4:10: Get on your own side.  7:10: Respect the impact of childhood experiences.  13:20: Widen your view.  21:10: Grow the space between stimulus and response. 30:00: Take in the good.  44:00: Recap and ending. 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 nee