From the Blog
Writings on Well-Being Dr. Rick Hanson

See What’s Likable
Liking feels good, and it encourages us to approach and engage the world. We’re wired to like some things, but our liking or disliking depends greatly on what we pay attention to and our own perspective.
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Being Well Podcast: Evolving Our Approach to Treating Trauma with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
We explore with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk how trauma keeps us stuck, and how we can use imagination, self-expression, and creativity to break away from those old patterns.
Meditation + Talk: Appreciating Humanness in Others – and Yourself
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on Appreciating Humanness in Others – and Yourself.
Hug the Monkey
Hug the monkey inside yourself helps satisfy an innate human need for connection can remedy old pain and provides that fundamental human sustenance: love.
Being Well Podcast: Changing Old Patterns, Using Psychedelics Thoughtfully, and Exploring Human Nature: October Mailbag
Rick and Forrest answer questions from listeners, including what they’re still working on in their relationship, how we can disengage from obsessive thoughts and old patterns, Rick’s thoughts on psychedelics and how they can be used with discernment, and their views on whether human nature is innately cooperative or competitive.
Meditation + Talk: Living in Harmony While Also Taking Care of Yourself
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on Living in Harmony While Also Taking Care of Yourself.
Give Over to Good
Give over to good and let this good be your guiding principle. Just One Thing Newsletter.
Being Well Podcast: PTSD and Politics with Jason Kander
Jason Kander joins Forrest to talk about his personal journey recovering from PTSD, the impact of his time serving in Afghanistan, and what we can do to better support veterans.
Meditation + Talk: The Power of Realistic Optimism in Your Relationships
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on The Power of Realistic Optimism in Your Relationships.
Feel the Support
The more you feel supported by the people that care about you, by the natural world, and by your own capabilities, the better you’ll feel. Plus your load won’t seem so heavy, and you’ll be more able to carry it. By focusing on the support that truly does exist for you, you can have a sense of ease, relief, calming, or happiness.
Being Well Podcast: How to Effectively Communicate What You Want
We explore best practices to effectively communicate so we can claim and express our needs. This includes navigating shame and inhibition, making effective agreements, being considerate of the person on the receiving end of our wants, and becoming more skillful at negotiation and repair.
Meditation + Talk: Not-Knowing in Your Relationships
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on Not-Knowing in Your Relationships.
Be Home
When the body is not disturbed by hunger, thirst, pain, or illness, and when the mind is not disturbed by threat, frustration, or rejection, then most people settle into their resting state, which is our “home base” – our fundamental nature as human beings.
Your body and mind want to come home: that’s where energy is conserved for the marathon of life. Try this practice to help yourself come home more naturally.
Being Well Podcast: Discovering Your Wants and Needs
In this week’s episode of the Being Well Podcast, we talk about the wants and needs we all have — and especially those that we find difficult to identify. Listen and reflect to discover your own wants and needs, and take practical steps to achieve meeting those needs.
Meditation + Talk: Trusting Yourself
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on Trusting Yourself.
Gift Yourself
When you give more to yourself, you have more to offer others.
Being Well Podcast: Healing Trauma in a Toxic Culture with Dr. Gabor Maté
Renowned physician Dr. Gabor Maté joins Rick and Forrest on this episode of Being Well to explore the many problems for our body and mind that arise out of our modern culture, and what we can do to meet our needs, heal ourselves, and become more whole.
Meditation + Talk: Trust, Mistrust, and Deep Trust
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on Trust, Mistrust, and Deep Trust.
Being Well Podcast: Understanding Narcissism and Narcissistic Traits with Dr. Craig Malkin
On today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Craig Malkin to explore narcissism and narcissistic traits. We talk about the different forms narcissism takes, the difference between narcissistic traits and narcissistic personality disorder, red flags, dealing with narcissists, treatment options, and finding the “right amount” of feeling special.
Meditation + Talk: Love and Power
In this Wednesday Night Meditation, Dr. Rick Hanson offered a meditation and talk on Love and Power.
Find Your Own Way
In the body or the mind, there is no life without goals. Trying to “transcend” goals is itself a goal. The only question is: Are your goals good ones?
Being Well Podcast: Dealing with Challenging Emotions with Mollie West Duffy
On today’s episode, we’re joined by the wonderful author, coach, and content creator Mollie West Duffy to explore how we can accept those big feelings, learn to live alongside them, and develop tools that help us deal with them more effectively.