

Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson
Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Forrest Hanson
Forrest Hanson is joined by clinical psychologist (and his dad) Dr. Rick Hanson and a world-class group of experts to explore the practical science of lasting well-being. Conversations focus on the key insights from psychology, science, and contemplative practice that you need to build reliable inner strengths, overcome your challenges, and get the most out of life. New episodes every Monday.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 28, 2020 • 58min
Children, Trauma, and Racism with Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith
How have children experienced this year's challenges, and how can we get better at talking with them about race and racism?Today we’re focusing on trauma, resilience, and effective coping, and particularly on the unique challenges experienced by young people and their parents.About our Guest: Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith is a child clinical psychologist who specializes in trauma and issues of race. She is a senior fellow of Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and is both a professor and the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the Wright Institute. Here's Allison's wonderful article on parenting during overwhelming times that I referenced during our conversation.Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Key Topics:2:25: Honoring the small challenges alongside the big ones. 5:30: What challenges are children facing this year?7:30: How are children processing our challenges differently from adults?9:50: Helping children manage this time.11:30: Finding hope, and having things to look forward to.13:30: Signs of PTSD, and listening to our children. 16:30: How can we get better at talking to kids?21:00: How children are processing racial violence.24:10: Talking with children about racial violence.28:00: Bias, implicit and otherwise.34:30: How does bias find its way into the virtual classroom?37:05: What are we privileging in different spaces?42:00: The first time a kid experiences or perpetrates racism.48:30: Creating a family mission statement.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.Connect with the show:
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Sep 21, 2020 • 50min
Angry and Content
How can we maintain contentment, calm, or inner peace, while still aiming high, pursuing good goals, and experiencing natural frustration and anger? And is contentment even a good goal when there's so much injustice out in the world?Rick's Course: If you'd like to learn how to change your brain for the better, check out Rick's Positive Neuroplasticity Training. It's a six-week online course that will teach you how to beat your brain's negativity bias, and have more confidence, compassion, and inner peace. Use coupon code BEWELL50 at checkout for $50 off the purchase price.Key Topics:1:45: Why contentment matters.4:30: Can we be content when things are hard?6:00: Being skeptical of the “wanting mind.”8:30: How can we return to contentment when moved from it?12:10: What’s wrong with being driven? Does contentment make us lazy?16:20: Self-actualization and taking action from a place of fullness.19:00: Staying content while performing basic tasks.21:50: Contentment vs. complacency. 25:20: Content while hurt or angry. 29:30: How to build contentment when times are tough.35:00: Can we be content and afraid?46:00: RecapFrom 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. Sponsors:Explore your creativity at Skillshare.com/BEINGWELL and get a free trial of their Premium Membership.Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Support the Podcast: We're now 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
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Sep 14, 2020 • 53min
Authentic Happiness with Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar
How can we find happiness even when times are challenging? Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar joins us to explore authentic happiness, accepting difficult emotions, and giving yourself permission to be human. About our Guest: Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar is the bestselling author of six books, founder of the Happiness Studies Academy, and former professor of two of the largest courses in Harvard’s history. Learn more about his Certificate in Happiness Studies program here. Use the code HAPPY for a 10% discount. Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.Key Topics:2:45: Unhappiness in spite of success.4:15: How do you define happiness?5:50: Combining self-actualization with in-the-moment happiness. 8:45: Accepting our painful emotions. 10:10: Giving ourselves permission to be human.19:10: What did students learn in Tal’s courses that they didn’t expect? 22:30: How to make hard personal choices. 28:00: Authenticity and comparison. 30:15: Does pursuing happiness actually make you unhappy?36:10: Creating lasting change. 40:10: Happiness as a business value-add. 43:00: Managing expectations. 46:00: The Happiness Studies Academy.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. Sponsors:Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Connect with the show:
Follow us on Instagram
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Subscribe on iTunes
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19 snips
Sep 7, 2020 • 58min
How to Change Your Brain
Explore the power of neuroplasticity and deliberate practice in changing the brain for lasting growth. Learn how to overcome the negativity bias and transform deep-seated issues. Discover the Positive Neuroplasticity Training for enhancing confidence and compassion. Dive into self-concept changes, behavior modification, and active participation in personal development.

87 snips
Aug 31, 2020 • 56min
Complex PTSD and Developmental Trauma with Pete Walker
In this discussion, Pete Walker, a licensed psychotherapist and author specializing in childhood trauma, sheds light on the differences between Complex PTSD and traditional PTSD. He emphasizes the lifelong process of recovery, the significance of healthy anger, and the importance of empathy in healing. Pete shares insights on reparenting the inner child and navigating family relationships post-trauma. His practical advice includes managing emotional flashbacks and the necessity of self-compassion, providing listeners with a roadmap for overcoming their past.

Aug 24, 2020 • 47min
Psychological Safety with Dr. Amy Edmondson
Dr. Amy Edmondson, a psychological safety expert, discusses the importance of creating a psychologically healthy environment in teams. Topics include stress and high performance, the difference between me vs. we, creating a safe group environment, giving good feedback, and a message to your younger self.

Aug 17, 2020 • 50min
Real Change with Sharon Salzberg
Sharon Salzberg, a mindfulness teacher and author, discusses creating real change through mindfulness, sitting with painful feelings, turning towards the good, mindfulness to change the world, dealing with burnout and overwhelm, effective compassion, generosity, metta, kindness towards difficult people, and patience in a heartfelt and inspiring podcast episode.

Aug 10, 2020 • 58min
Key Skills for Great Relationships
In part two of our conversation, we explore some of the key psychological skills that lead to a truly great relationship informed by 35 years of couples counseling experience. The Relationships Workshop: Join Rick for a live, online relationship workshop that will teach you how to have more fulfilling, effective, and joyful relationships than ever before. Follow the link to learn more, and podcast listeners can enter code BEWELL50 at checkout for $50 off the purchase price! Key Skills:3:00: Give your full attention. 6:30: Tune into your body. 7:20: Cultivate interest. 11:00: How can we know if we’re actually empathic?13:00: Your attention is yours. 16:00: Accepting some level of discomfort. 17:45: Getting comfortable with people wanting things from you. 21:00: Three stories of relating.22:30: Fulfilling relationship tasks. 24:30: Changing our relationship to criticism. 30:30: Chronic giving, and setting firm boundaries. 37:30: Cultivating a stronger sense of self. 44:30: Talk about what matters. 50:50: The desire to be found. Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.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. Sponsors:Want fresh, delicious, simple dinners delivered right to your doorstep? Check out HelloFresh, America’s #1 meal kit, and use code beingwell90 to get $90 off including free shipping! 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.Connect with the show:
Follow us on Instagram
Follow Rick on Facebook
Follow Forrest on Facebook
Subscribe on iTunes
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Aug 3, 2020 • 51min
How to Have Great Relationships: Attachment and the Self
We all want great relationships - ones that are fulfilling, loving, stable, and fun. This is the first of two episodes focused on becoming a 'great relater.' Today Dr. Hanson and Forrest focus on understanding our individual attachment style, and how we can work through our personal material. The Relationships Workshop: Join Rick for his online relationship workshop that will teach you how to have more fulfilling, effective, and joyful relationships than ever before. Follow the link to learn more, and podcast listeners can enter code BEWELL50 at checkout for $50 off the purchase price! Key Topics:0:25: Staying content while striving for achievement. 4:00: Information on the relationship workshop. 6:20: Who helps you feel enlarged? 7:55: Rick makes fun of Forrest…and managing different levels of standard. 9:00: Building a good relator.10:15: Attachment theory17:00: Getting less attached to our attachment style. 19:15: Insecure attachment styles. 23:00: What issues does anxious attachment create?26:00: A relationship between anxious and avoidant. 29:00: Skills for relating with an anxious person. 32:00: Finding optimal distance. 35:30: Working through a dreaded experience. 39:30: Exposure and blame. 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. Sponsors: Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month! Use code beingwell to let them know you came from us. Want to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.Support the Podcast: We're now 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

Jul 27, 2020 • 52min
The Pitfalls of Self-Help: Comparison and The Secret
Exploring the pitfalls of self-help, the podcast discusses comparison, healthy goal-setting, and identifying good teachers in the self-help community. They debate on the natural vs. supernatural frames, and ways to deal with comparison. Emphasizing the importance of self-acceptance and avoiding exploitative practices, the hosts tackle the challenges of comparison in the digital age.


