This book, written by Dr. Rick Hanson and his son Forrest Hanson, focuses on developing inner strengths such as grit, gratitude, and compassion to enhance resilience. It draws on neuroscience, mindfulness, and positive psychology to provide concrete suggestions, experiential practices, and personal examples. The book helps readers overcome the brain's negativity bias, release painful thoughts and feelings, and replace them with self-compassion, self-worth, joy, and inner peace. It also includes effective ways to interact with others and repair and deepen important relationships, all grounded in the science of positive neuroplasticity[2][5][6].
Sweet Thursday is a novel by John Steinbeck, published in 1954, and serves as a sequel to his earlier work, 'Cannery Row'. The story takes place in Monterey, California, after World War II and revolves around Doc, a central figure in the community, as he navigates personal and professional challenges. The novel explores themes of love, community, and personal growth, as the town comes together to help Doc find his place again. It was originally conceived as a potential Broadway musical, reflecting Steinbeck's interest in theater at the time.
In this episode, Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the all-too-common challenge of social anxiety. They break down what it really means to be socially anxious (hint: it's not just being shy), where those feelings come from, and why they stick around. Rick explains the roots of social anxiety, highlighting the role of attachment styles and individual temperament, before Forrest shares how to locate yourself on a spectrum from everyday nervousness to Social Anxiety Disorder. They then discuss evidence-based approaches to working with social anxiety like exposure therapy, cognitive defusion, and mindfulness techniques. Whether you experience feelings of anxiety or are trying to understand a friend who does, this episode will help you feel more confident and connected.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:45: What is social anxiety?
7:10: Where does social anxiety come from?
13:40: Feeling worthy, and other social factors
17:00: Nature vs. nurture
24:15: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and comorbid diagnoses
29:50: Exposure therapy, and how to practice it safely
42:00: Positive reinforcement, and responding to ruminative thoughts
55:45: Widening our view, and taking in the good
1:03:15: Talking with younger parts, and self-compassion
1:10:15: Normalizing anxiety
1:11:35: Recap
I am now writing on Substack, check out my work there.
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Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson 
