The holidays are coming up, and for many people they’re likely to be very different this year from usual. Experiencing sadness or disappointment around the holidays is normal even among the best circumstances, and we're far from those. On this episode, Dr. Hanson and Forrest explore how to work with this year's natural feelings of sadness and disappointment.
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Key Topics:
4:50: A therapy session focused on sadness with Rick. 
9:30: Associations between current sad experiences and our past material. 
11:45: A process for experiencing and working with sadness. 
17:45: Imagery to aid experiencing.
19:00: Helping sadness soften and release. 
24:30: Non-judgement 
28:40: Identifying underlying beliefs.
29:40: Letting in good experiences alongside challenging ones. 
33:10: Finding the root experience, and communicating our needs. 
37:00: Sadness vs. depression. 
41:30: Dealing with disappointment. 
45:00: Finding agency in a moment of disappointment. 
48:10: “Strong hopes, weak expectations.” 
50:20: Recap. 
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Sadness and Disappointment Around the Holidays

Forrest Hanson is joined by clinical psychologist 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.

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Forrest and Dr. Rick explore “manifesting:” the idea that our thoughts impact the world around us, and by changing those thoughts we can change our lives. Talking about manifesting is complicated, because on the one hand our thoughts really do matter. On the other, manifesting is closely tied to a small mountain of problematic pseudoscience. They discuss and debate some of the issues with manifesting and the law of attraction before focusing on how to apply key psychological principles to create the life you want. 
Rick and Forrest talk about creating clarity around our goals, setting intentions, improving self-worth and self-efficacy, and overcoming some of the negative unconscious beliefs that can get in our way, before exploring authenticity, consistent effort, and working with fear and inhibition. Then Rick closes the episode by walking us through a practical example of how to change a belief.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
3:00: Defining manifestation, and separating psychological and supernatural mechanisms of action
6:55: The mind-body connection, and the psychological aspects of manifesting
15:50: Charlatanism, preying on uncertainty, and the problems with the law of attraction
25:20: Changing behavior vs. changing thoughts, and the lure of the supernatural
32:10: If you want to skip the context, start here.
32:35: Getting what we subconsciously believe we are worthy of, and “don’t know” mind
38:50: Identifying wants, surrendering to the best within us, and using pain as a guide
48:55: Embracing the reality of consistent effort
54:55: How to change a negative belief
1:08:10: Recap
I am now writing on Substack, check out my work there. 
Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.
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Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!
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The Psychology of Manifesting: How to Create the Life You Want

Dr. Rick and Forrest discuss the “flight” response to stress, which includes feelings of anxiety and fear, avoidant behavior, and an underlying sense of insecurity. They explore the emotions and behaviors associated with the flight response, and how we can build up a stronger, more secure sense of who we are. Rick shares some practical tools that will help you change your self-concept, safely apply principles from graduated exposure, and feel safer from the inside-out.
I’ve loved this series on the stress responses, and think you’ll get a lot out of this episode.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:00: The purpose of the flight response, and when it is and isn’t useful
5:35: Social withdrawal, conflict avoidance, and preserving safety vs. comfort
12:15: The trouble with low likelihood, high-cost risks
16:35: Exploring our capacity for stress, and identifying the risks worth taking
26:30: Feeling “sturdy,” and why we choose the flight response vs. other stress responses
33:30: Graduated exposure 
39:05: Learning to trust our new capabilities as we change
44:50: Overdoing a change as a form of self-sabotage, and reserving the power to flee
54:25: Responding to anxiety
1:01:40: Being present with painful situations we can’t escape
1:08:40: Recap
I am now writing on Substack, check out my work there. 
Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.
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!
If you’re navigating something messy, call The Dr. John Delony Show. Dr. John shares practical advice on how to connect with people, face depression, overcome anxiety, and learn what it means to be well. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 
Transform your health with the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
OneSkin focuses on delivering more than superficial results for your skin. Get started today with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at oneskin.co. 
Connect with the show:

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Understanding the “Flight” Response: Anxiety, Avoidance, and Feeling Safe

Dr. Rick and Forrest continue their series on the stress responses with the “fight” response to stress. They explore anger, repression, and the balance of self-expression and self-regulation before talking about how we can claim the adaptive aspects of the fight response without falling prey to its more problematic aspects. A major focus of the episode is resentment and repression, alongside related topics like empowering yourself, managing expectations, and “experiencing out.”
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:15: The useful aspects of anger
5:40: Specific behaviors associated with the fight response
8:35: Giving yourself permission to express anger
13:40: Navigating resentment
21:40: Thwarted expectations as a source of unhealthy anger
32:05: Claiming your anger, and being wary of its seductive nature
35:45: Developing an authentic sense of empowerment
39:45: Going from complaint to request
43:30: Antidotes to unhealthy anger
52:40: Challenging authority without feeling intimidated or shamed
54:20: When we’re angry at ourselves
59:00: Recap
I am now writing on Substack, check out my work there. 
Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.
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!
If you’re navigating something messy, call The Dr. John Delony Show. Dr. John shares practical advice on how to connect with people, face depression, overcome anxiety, and learn what it means to be well. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 
Transform your health with the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
OneSkin focuses on delivering more than superficial results for your skin. Get started today with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at oneskin.co. 
Connect with the show:

Subscribe on iTunes

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Managing The “Fight” Response: Anger, Repression, and Self-Regulation

In this mega-episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson explore everything you need to know about therapy. They share how you can get more from therapy, finding the approach that’s right for you, and some perspectives on why therapy is so expensive. They then run through the five major schools of Western psychotherapy before discussing a few alternative modalities. You’ll learn how long to stick with a therapist before looking for alternatives, questions to ask a prospective therapist, and how to maximize your results.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:40: The biggest factors that contribute to therapy going well
7:25: Finding the therapeutic modality that works for you
14:00: The cost of therapy, and the problem created by insurance companies
20:35: The five major schools of western psychotherapy
21:20: Psychodynamic therapy, and investigating the unconscious
23:20: Behavioral therapy, and variable reinforcement
25:55: Humanistic psychology, and seeing the good in yourself
29:05: Cognitive therapy, why insurance companies like CBT, and exploring our beliefs
36:15: Mindfulness-based therapies, and being with our experiences
41:15: Family systems therapy, social justice, somatic therapy, and non-Western thinking
46:20: The differences (and similarities) between therapy and coaching
52:40: How long therapy should take, and how to evaluate if it’s working
1:02:15: The role of client motivation 
1:04:55: Questions to ask a prospective therapist
1:10:15: The importance of the therapist’s engagement
1:12:50: Common qualities Rick found challenging with past clients
1:16:05: The importance of internalizing change, and recognizing what’s really shifting
1:21:20: Recap
Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there. 
Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.
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!
If you’re navigating something messy, call The Dr. John Delony Show. Dr. John shares practical advice on how to connect with people, face depression, overcome anxiety, and learn what it means to be well. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 
Transform your health with the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
OneSkin focuses on delivering more than superficial results for your skin. Get started today with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at oneskin.co. 
Connect with the show:

Subscribe on iTunes

Follow Forrest on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram

Follow Forrest on Instagram

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Visit Forrest's website

Everything You Need to Know About Therapy

Somatic psychology legend Dr. Peter Levine joins Dr. Rick and Forrest to explore how we can use body-based approaches to recover from traumatic experiences. Peter uses his personal history with trauma to illustrate the practices he’s taught to thousands of people through his work. They discuss the importance of resourcing experiences, creating safety, developing interoception, abandonment wounds, bringing a diverse perspective to somatic work, and working with shame. 
Please be aware that this episode includes a description of sexual assault.
About our Guest: Dr. Peter Levine is the creator of Somatic Experiencing and the Founder and President of the Ergos Institute for Somatic Education. He’s taught at a number of universities, has received Lifetime Achievement awards from numerous organizations, and is the best-selling author of several books, including Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma, and his most recent book An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey.
You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
2:15: Peter’s dream about publishing his recent book
6:40: Themes connecting the personal and professional for Peter
10:15: Physicalization, pendulation, and decontextualization of trauma
16:15: Presence with others, and moving gently into shame to move through it
20:55: The fundamental view that we our innately healthy, and completing the arc
23:05: When the prompt “feel it in your body” doesn’t work
28:15: Advice for when you don’t have access to therapy or a SEP practitioner
30:35: Tenderness
34:30: Anchoring in the here and now when accessing past memories
39:35: Conceiving of yourself as a source of safety
43:30: Generating your own internal wellbeing
46:20: Acknowledging the reality of your history, patience, and completion
49:45: Living by dying
52:15: Recap
Offer from Dr. Rick: If you'd like to improve your self-worth, check out Rick's new 4-hour, live online workshop. You'll learn methods and practices that can actually change your brain and your habits, so you start nurturing your sense of worth and belonging. Our listeners can get 20% off with coupon code BeingWell20: https://selfworthworkshop.com/
Forrest is now writing on Substack, check out his work there. 
Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.
Sponsors
If you’re navigating something messy, call The Dr. John Delony Show. Dr. John shares practical advice on how to connect with people, face depression, overcome anxiety, and learn what it means to be well. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. 
Transform your health with the ZOE Science & Nutrition podcast. Find it wherever you listen to podcasts.
Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!
OneSkin focuses on delivering more than superficial results for your skin. Get started today with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at oneskin.co.
Connect with the show:

Subscribe on iTunes

Follow Forrest on YouTube

Follow us on Instagram

Follow Forrest on Instagram

Follow Rick on Facebook

Follow Forrest on Facebook

Visit Forrest's website

Sadness and Disappointment Around the Holidays

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