The brain is highly integrated, so these three key functions – avoiding, approaching, and attaching – are accomplished by all parts of the brain working together.
Rick Hanson
Author / Psychologist
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Biography
Rick Hanson, Ph.D. is a psychologist, Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His seven books have been published in 33 languages, and include Making Great Relationships, Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, Buddha’s Brain, and Mother Nurture – with over a million copies in English alone. He's the founder of the Global Compassion Coalition and the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, as well as the co-host of the Being Well Podcast – which has been downloaded over 25 million times. His free newsletters have over 260,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those in need. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, his work has been featured on CBS, NPR, the BBC, and other major media. He began meditating in 1974 and has taught in meditation centers worldwide. He and his wife live in Northern California and have two adult children. He loves the wilderness and taking a break from emails.
Articles
Being Well Podcast: Self-Regulation: How a Little Becomes a Lot with Eric Zimmer
Forrest talks with Eric Zimmer about what healthy self-regulation actually looks like, the gap between insight and action, how shame can derail us, and why most change comes down to small steps taken consistently.
Talk + Meditation: Compassionate Action for Upstream Sources of Suffering
Feeling overwhelmed by the world? Learn how compassion + collective action can turn helplessness into meaningful change.
Avoid The Rush
Be mindful of rushing. See how other people assume deadlines that aren’t actually real, or feel pressured about things that aren’t that important.
Being Well Podcast: The Self-Abandonment Loop: Shame, Self-Criticism, and How to Break Free
Dr. Rick and Forrest discuss how shame and the inner critic fuel self-abandonment and what breaks the cycle.
Talk + Meditation: Wise and Courageous Compassion for Others – and Yourself
How to let go, speak truth, and practice fierce compassion for others and yourself without losing your heart or your strength.
Let It R.A.I.N.
R.A.I.N. is an acronym developed by Michelle McDonald but adapted a bit by me, to summarize a powerful way to expand self-awareness.
Being Well Podcast: Trauma in Relationships: What Actually Helps with Elizabeth Ferreira
Forrest is joined by associate therapist and his fiancée Elizabeth Ferreira for an honest, personal conversation about what it’s actually like to be in a relationship when one partner is living with trauma, complex PTSD, or another ongoing mental health challenge.
Talk + Meditation: The Personal Benefits of Empathy for “Them”
Discover how empathy for others can reduce stress, soften reactivity, and help you feel calmer, wiser, and more at peace.
Stay Well
To stay well, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating correctly, doing exercise regularly, avoiding health hazards, and having regular checkups.
Being Well Podcast: Family Systems Theory: The Invisible Force That Runs Your Relationships
Dr. Rick and Forrest explain why through one of the most influential frameworks in psychology: Family Systems Theory (FST).
Talk + Meditation: Exploring Radical Helplessness, Radical Trust, and Radical Acceptance
What happens when we stop fighting the vulnerability of being human? What if we practiced living with radical helplessness, radical trust, and radical acceptance?