Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

Dr. Rick Hanson, clinical psychologist and author known for resilience and inner-strength work, joins to unpack shame and the self-abandonment loop. They map the loop and the inner critic, explore parts work and the double-bind, and discuss anger, grief, and practical tools like self-compassion and graded exposure to reclaim agency.

Elizabeth Ferreira, an associate therapist who lives with complex PTSD, shares personal and clinical perspectives. They explore how trauma shapes relationships and how safety and reciprocity emerge. Conversations cover supporting without enabling, avoiding power imbalances, managing resentment, communicating without shame, and why diagnostic labels can be limiting.

Dr. Rick Hanson, clinical psychologist and author known for positive neuroplasticity work, offers concise clinical wisdom on Family Systems Theory. He explains hidden family rules, roles like the golden child, triangulation, how anxiety circulates, and practical moves toward healthy differentiation. Short, vivid examples show how systems shape identity and how small changes can loosen old patterns.

Michael Easter, journalist, professor, and bestselling author who studies how deliberate discomfort builds resilience. He explains why engineered comfort backfires, how variable rewards like social media hijack us, the lost value of boredom and nature, the idea of chosen hardship, and practical practices like rucking and the nature pyramid.

They explore the freeze response and how naming small steps can help shift it. They discuss when psychoeducation creates power imbalances in relationships and how real listening repairs that. They examine rising ADHD-like behaviors, screens versus true ADHD, and attention strategies. They debate the right balance of directness and tenderness in therapy fit.

Nedra Glover Tawwab, a licensed therapist and bestselling author known for her work on boundaries, explores the balance between rigid boundaries and isolation. She traces codependency’s roots, maps the spectrum from hyper-independence to enmeshment, and links attachment styles to relational patterns. Short, practical conversations cover asking for help, tolerating distance, deepening friendships, and repairing after conflict.

Sharon Salzberg, legendary meditation teacher and co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, offers simple ways to work with anger, fear, and reactivity. Short, clear conversations explore noticing emotions early, naming feelings, and turning anger’s energy into clarity and courage. Lovingkindness and self-compassion are presented as active, strengthening practices that create space without numbing or appeasing.

Elizabeth Ferreira, a somatic therapist specializing in trauma-informed relationship work, joins to unpack why people default to “fixing” or “feeling.” She traces these patterns to socialization, trauma, and nervous-system activation. Short takes cover attunement before problem-solving, co-regulation, and simple tools like asking “empathy or solutions?” to get on the same team.

Brad Stulberg, writer and performance coach focused on sustainable high performance, explains excellence as involved engagement with what matters. He contrasts real care with performative pseudo-excellence. Short, practical strategies are discussed: micro-milestones, consistency over intensity, constraint-based discipline, identity-building, community, and finding joy in hard work.

In this thought-provoking discussion, Dr. Rick Hanson, a clinical psychologist and author known for his insights on well-being, joins Forrest to delve into the shadows of self-help. They explore how the attention economy fosters overclaiming and misinformation. Rick warns of the dangers of authority manufactured in the digital era while addressing the risks of pseudoscience becoming mainstream. The duo also shares practical criteria for evaluating personal-growth claims and emphasizes the importance of scientific rigor in a landscape riddled with 'cultish' dynamics.