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Dr. Rick Hanson

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 15 million times. His free newsletters have over 260,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those i 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

Relaxed and Content, Part 2

Learn about the long-term results effects of chronic sympathetic nervous system activation, a simple but comprehensive strategy for dampening the sympathetic nervous system and fueling the “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system and more.

Making Time for Your Relationship

During periods of intense demands – such as the first months after birth – it’s normal for a couple to have less time for each other. Time together for conversation, doing fun things together, sweet moments, and affection is the foundation of a strong and enduring love. Here are some suggestions for busy parents.

Relaxed and Content, Part 1

In this article, you’ll get a crash course in your own nervous system and how the PNS fits into it, mixed with lots of ways you can use to activate your own PNS.

15 Ways to Feel Good

With some simple strategies, you can hardwire more happiness, love and wisdom into your brain, and thus your life, according to psychologist, speaker and New York Times bestselling author Dr Rick Hanson

Getting More Help From Your Partner

Some couples are equal partners in the work of making a family, but not all. If you are one the many who would like more help from your partner, here are some suggestions for you.

How to Take in the Good

This is a brief article outlining the basic steps of training your brain to retain positive experiences.

Issues with Relatives

When children come along, relatives can be an incredible blessing or something of a curse – and sometimes both at the same time. Happily, there are lots of ways to keep things on a good footing with the relatives. Here are just a few.

Which Diet Will Help You Lose The Most Weight?

Which Diet Will Help You Lose The Most Weight?

Rick’s Picks is a series of posts highlighting the very best content online. Using science to determine which of the many diets will help you lose the most weight; this article shows charts to compare. Read more...

Of Mice and Mindfulness

Neuroscientists have treated mice with 30 minutes of light therapy for 20 days to mimic meditation to test the effects of their behavior.

New Neuroscience and the Path of Awakening

We all want to be truly happy. The question is, how? In Buddhist practice, the “how” includes gradually transforming the mind – the seat of clinging in all its forms – to increase the causes of happiness and reduce the causes of suffering – ultimately, to complete Awakening.