Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

Afleveringen

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  Healing from Parentification: When the “Gifted Child” Grows Up 20.07.2026 1u 15min

  Some kids learn early on that the way to be loved is to be useful. They take on the emotional or practical care of their parents in a process known as parentification, and today Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the costs of being a “gifted child.” They discuss the “bargain” these kids make: suppressing their authentic self in order to fulfill a role and earn love. Over time, this bargain can harden into a false self that makes it difficult for the person to connect with their true wants and needs. They then walk through four tracks that allow us to reclaim authenticity: becoming visible to yourself, building a coherent narrative, reconnecting with what you gave up, and renegotiating relationships. Topics include the paired extremes of grandiosity and depression, why so many capable adults go blank when asked what they actually want, and why understanding a pattern isn't the same as changing it. This episode is heavily influenced by psychologist Alice Miller’s classic book The Drama of the Gifted Child. Key Topics: 0:00: Intro: what is parentification? 9:18: Examining your own childhood 13:18: Grandiosity and Depression 18:37: Peer-entification, self-narratives, and adult relationships 23:29: Emotional insight and grief 27:09: Tracks to healing 35:10: Track 1: Becoming more visible to yourself 39:26: Track 2: Building a coherent narrative 45:21: Track 3: Reparenting 50:49: Track 4: Building a new bargain 1:05:26: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Take our audience survey: https://rickhanson.com/survey/ Sponsors Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Understanding Dissociation and DID: What It's Really Like, and How People Recover w/ Dr. Milissa Kaufman and Dr. Lauren Lebois 13.07.2026 1u 26min

  Most of what people know about Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) comes from movies and short videos, and those media portrayals often have little to do with what DID is actually like. To get the real picture, today Forrest is joined by Dr. Milissa Kaufman and Dr. Lauren Lebois, experts in dissociative disorders and trauma research. Dr. Kaufman had DID herself, went through treatment, and made a full recovery.  They explore the spectrum of dissociation, from everyday experiences to clinical presentations like DID, before talking about how DID develops as a childhood adaptation to trauma, the problem with the term “multiple personality disorder,” and what the brain science tells us. Milissa describes her own “inside people,” the shame and secrecy associated with DID, and the slow shift from "that wasn't me" to "that was me all along." They then cover what treatment looks like, what to actually look for in a therapist, and what recovery means. About our Guests: Dr. Milissa Kaufman is a trauma psychiatrist at McLean Hospital and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Lauren Labois is a cognitive neuroscientist and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. They are co-directors of the Dissociative Disorders and Trauma Research program at McLean Hospital. Check out the Trauma Continuum at Hill Center: https://traumacontinuum.org/ Key Topics: 0:00: Intro and Dr. Kaufman's personal experience with DID 6:51: The spectrum of dissociation: Depersonalization, Derealization, and Dissociative Identity Disorder 17:12: Dr. Kaufman's experience of DID 22:58: The paradoxes and shame involved with DID 36:46: History of skepticism around DID, and the role of modern neuroscience 43:09: Treatment for DID and trauma-informed treatment 1:00:43: What healing and recovery looks like 1:10:48: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Take our audience survey: https://rickhanson.com/survey/ Sponsors Go to Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  From Insight to Action: How to Face the Fear You Keep Avoiding 06.07.2026 1u 15min

  Dr. Rick and Forrest continue last week’s conversation on avoidance coping, this time focusing on how to move from insight into meaningful action. They explore why self-awareness often isn’t enough to create change, focusing on common impediments like ambivalence, shame, and the difficulty of seeing our patterns in real time. They then unpack the practical science of change: surfacing predictions behind avoidance, testing them through right-sized experiments, and fully internalizing the outcomes. Other topics include scaffolding, state-dependent learning, the HEAL process, and what to do when the dreaded experience actually happens. Key Topics: 0:00: Intro: why awareness isn't enough 4:54: Ambivalence to change 13:50: Other impediments to change22:00: How to want to change 28:42: Creating predictions 32:26: Setting up an effective experiment 43:26: Linking new outcomes to old memories 1:01:51: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Take our audience survey: https://rickhanson.com/survey/ For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code BEINGWELL at https://oneskin.co/BEINGWELL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Breaking the Avoidance Loop: Why You Keep Repeating the Same Patterns 29.06.2026 1u 7min

  We all have patterns we can see clearly…and still can't seem to stop. Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how avoidance fuels these patterns, and how we can break the avoidance loop by updating our expectations and predictions about the future. They discuss what avoidance coping is, how the brain works as a prediction machine, why that means insight alone usually isn't enough to break a pattern, and what the current science of exposure and expectancy violation says about how change actually happens.  This is the first of two episodes dedicated to this topic, the second will focus on how to brave our feared experiences and go from insight to action. Key Topics: 00:00: Intro: avoidance coping and mental predictions 8:07: Five types of avoidance behaviors 17:35: The invisible cage 23:50: Predictive processing 29:49: Identity and high confidence predictions 34:30: How avoidance can perpetuate painful experiences 40:01: Exposure and the Inhibitory Learning Model 52:00: Answering common questions 56:07: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Go to Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Let Rocket Money help you reach your financial goals faster. Join at RocketMoney.com/BEINGWELL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Secret to Happiness: How to Feel Loved with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky 22.06.2026 1u 14min

  Forrest is joined by one of the world's leading happiness researchers, Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, to discuss the real secret to happiness: feeling loved. Dr. Lyubomirsky explains the key difference between being loved and feeling loved, why self-improvement (usually) isn’t the answer, and how giving love leads to getting love. They then walk through five mindsets that help people both get more love and feel more loved. Other topics include the vulnerability paradox, capitalization and the importance of enthusiasm, using the mindsets to evaluate our relationships, polyamory and non-monogamous love, and AI companions. You can find Sonja's diagnostic quiz at howtofeelloved.com  About our Guest: Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky is a Professor of Psychology at UC Riverside, and the author of a number of bestselling books including How to Feel Loved with Dr. Harry Reis. She is one of the most frequently cited well-being researchers in the world. Key Topics: 0:00: Intro: connection as the key to happiness 2:31: The difference between being loved and feeling loved 6:58: What love is 9:09: If only beliefs and the vulnerability paradox 19:36: Mindsets to embrace if you're looking for more love and connection 23:26: The relationship “sea”saw 31:44: Five mindsets to embrace if you want to feel more loved 51:51: AI companionship, polyamory, and MDMA 1:08:03: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Visit Rula.com/BEINGWELL to find affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance.  Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  How to Repair: The Key to Successful Relationships 15.06.2026 1u 24min

  Last week, Dr. Rick and Forrest discussed why healthy conflict is a vital part of strong and intimate relationships. Today, they focus on the how-to of effective repair: what it looks like, why it’s so hard, and how to do it well. Together they walk through four common patterns of conflict, offering guidance on how to interrupt the cycle, turn down the heat, and get back on the same team. They offer tools such as compassionate curiosity, affectionate humor, and taking maximum reasonable responsibility. Finally, they discuss the personal benefits of healthy conflict and repair: when we have a new experience and truly take it in, we can learn that conflict doesn’t have to lead to disconnection, disappointment, or abandonment.  Key Topics: 0:00: Intro and what healthy repair looks like 5:26: Red flag: the withdrawal of caring and compassionate curiosity 9:26: Initiating repair 12:24: Scenario 1: The "accidental argument" 21:10: Scenario 2: The chronic broken commitment 40:01: Scenario 3: The missed bid 1:01:38: Scenario 4: The “seeming” change in relationship 1:07:11: Taking in repair 1:16:23: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/beingwell.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Healthy Conflict: The Most Important Relationship Skill We Don’t Learn 08.06.2026 1u 4min

  Most of us are pretty bad at conflict, usually because we weren’t taught how to handle it well. But healthy conflict can be one of the best ways to deepen intimacy and trust. In this episode Dr. Rick and Forrest discuss why conflict is so difficult, the models of conflict we inherit from childhood, healthy repair, what emotional flooding does to the brain and body during a fight, and the research on what actually predicts relationship success. They close with a handful of things that get mistaken for repair but aren't, including submission, thin apologies, and just solving the surface problem.  Key Topics: 0:00: Intro 3:19: Repair as the biggest predictor of relationship success 5:29: Models of conflict and where they originate from 16:08: What is healthy repair, and why is it so hard? 24:54: What to do about emotional flooding 30:25: When to let things go, and when to address them 38:36: What repair is and what it's not 46:47: The power of authentic apologies 57:04: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. SponsorsVisit Rula.com/BEINGWELL to find affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Gut-Brain Connection: Anxiety, Depression, and Wellness Fads with Dr. Trisha Pasricha 01.06.2026 1u 4min

  Forrest is joined by neurogastroenterologist Dr. Trisha Pasricha for a conversation about the gut-brain connection, including how gut health impacts our mood and mental health. Dr. Pasricha explains how the gut and the brain communicate, how early gut experiences can shape adult anxiety and depression, why GI symptoms are often misunderstood or dismissed, and what the research actually says about probiotics, leaky gut, and detoxification. They also discuss simple, evidence-based ways to improve gut health, dispelling social-media fueled myths along the way.  About our guest: Dr. Tricia Pasricha is a physician-scientist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, and columnist for the Washington Post. Her new book, You've Been Pooping All Wrong, explains the connection between your gut, your brain, and your mental health. Key Topics: 0:00 Intro: what's neurogastroenterology? 5:48: Believing your patient 9:31: The lifelong impact of childhood gut issues 18:27: The relationship between the gut and the brain 23:20: The tiktokification of gut health information 30:56: Probiotics – do they help? 34:15: The microbiome 43:34: Advice to people with gut issues 46:21: What about cleanses? 55:52: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! ⁠If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.⁠ Sponsors Go to ⁠Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL⁠ to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Right Effort: When to Push and When to Let Go with Yung Pueblo 25.05.2026 1u 2min

  Forrest is joined by author, meditator, and friend Diego Perez, also known as Yung Pueblo, for a conversation about right effort, the balance between pushing through and letting go, and the death of nuance in the age of social media.  They start with Diego’s experience on his recent 60-day silent meditation retreat, and what that kind of practice teaches about craving, attachment, and getting unstuck from old roles. Diego frames right effort as the middle path between forcing your life and going with the flow, and that tension leads into a conversation about social media, including the appeal of reductive advice and being told what to do. Diego closes with what he'd recommend for someone who wants some of the rewards of practice without committing to a long retreat. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro 2:02: Diego's 60-day silent retreat 8:17: Right Effort: balancing pursuit with letting go 15:49: Attachment, craving, and suffering 19:25: Diego's journey to the sensitive boy’s club 25:19: Resistance: a sign that something is wrong or that we should push harder? 31:07: How to stop outsourcing your decisions & find guidance within  42:41: The limitations of labels and therapy-speak 52:26: Practices for those who aren't serious meditators 55:39: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Go to Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Visit Rula.com/BEINGWELL to find affordable, high-quality therapy that’s actually covered by insurance. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Reparenting Yourself: How to Develop Emotional Maturity | Dr. Lindsay Gibson 18.05.2026 1u 23min

  Dr. Lindsay Gibson joins Forrest to explore how we can reparent ourselves, recover from emotionally immature parenting, and develop greater emotional maturity. They discuss what emotional maturity actually is, the "good enough" parent, the voices we internalize, and how adults can begin to give themselves the internal security and emotional attunement they missed in childhood. Other topics include why feeling misunderstood is so painful, the lifelong dance between connection and autonomy, and the hidden costs of authoritarian parenting.  About our guest: Dr. Lindsay Gibson is a clinical psychologist and bestselling author of a number of books, including Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents and her new book, How to Raise an Emotionally Mature Child. Key Topics: 0:00: Intro & what emotional maturity looks like 7:45: Why our culture undervalues emotional maturity  12:56: The “good enough” parent 20:05: What happens to children with emotionally immature parents 27:15: Repair in adulthood 36:22: The importance of feeling understood 43:40: Mirroring: why it’s important and how to get better at it 49:07: Balancing connection and autonomy 53:39: The appropriate level of parental authority 1:04:34: Parenting mistakes to avoid 1:15:29: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell.  For a limited time, your gift will be matched, to help students and teachers who need our support. Go to DonorsChoose.org/BEINGWELL to find a classroom near you and have your gift matched today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Becoming Securely Attached (to yourself): Reparenting and Healing Insecure Attachment 11.05.2026 1u 11min

  Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how we can become securely attached to ourselves: building an internal foundation that lets us connect with others, regulate our emotions, and explore the world from that secure base. They talk about how this is supposed to develop in childhood, why it doesn't for many people, and what we can actually do about it as adults. Topics include the research on early attachment, why so many of us arrive at adulthood with a strong inner critic and weak inner support, and four practical paths forward: creating a coherent narrative about your past, reparenting yourself, rescaling your sense of self in relation to others, and building self-trust through healthy exploration.  Rick’s Attachment Course: Join Rick for a 5-week online course on using the research-backed HEAL method to heal insecure attachment and create new neural pathways for interacting and connecting securely. You can learn more at RickHanson.com/attachment and get 25% off with coupon code BeingWell25. Key Topics  0:00: Introduction 2:00: The research on becoming a “secure base” 8:17: How we internalize early sources of regulation and recognition 15:43: What happens when love is contingent 18:44: Forming a coherent narrative 29:14: Reparenting yourself 42:07: Rebuilding your sense of self 57:40: Using your secure base to explore, try, and fail 1:09:18: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Go to https://DonorsChoose.org/BEINGWELL to find a classroom near you and have your gift matched today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Using Constraints to Improve Creativity, Focus, and Decision-Making with David Epstein 04.05.2026 1u 17min

  If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by the options in your life, you’re not alone. Today, Forrest is joined by best-selling author David Epstein to discuss how constraints can lead to greater creativity, generativity, and, paradoxically, freedom. They trace how intentional constraints have led to some of the most influential contributions to the world, including Mendeleev’s periodic table, Viriginia Woolf’s groundbreaking novels, and Kyrie Irving’s (potential) hall of fame career. Throughout, they focus on how we can go from seeing constraints as an obstacle to appreciating them as an asset, and then apply this principle to building more meaningful and satisfying lives.  About our guest: David Epstein is a renowned science journalist and the best selling author of The Sports Gene and Range. His new book, Inside the Box: How Constraints Make Us Better, comes out May 5th. Key Topics:  0:00: Why focus on constraints? 5:21: Why constraints are good for us 13:50: Time and attention as (productive) bottlenecks 17:10: Why ‘flashes of genius’ are often exaggerated 25:02: What Virginia Woolf teaches us about constraints and creativity 29:35: How unlimited freedom undermines the scientific process 38:29 Constraints make for better sports training 40:23: Applying constraints to our work and relationships 46:02: Satisficers vs maximizers, and how to become a satisficer 48:50: Expanding our notion of constraints 55:14: Death and impermanence; the ultimate constraints 57:45: Will constraints help the Celtics win the NBA Championship? 1:05:49: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Go to Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Recovering from BPD with Mentalization-Based Therapy with Robert Drozek 27.04.2026 1u 38min

  Have you ever had a friend not text you back, and you’re certain that they’re mad at you? This is often a disruption in the process of mentalization: the ability to recognize that our thoughts and feelings might not be facts. Mentalization is a process we can all struggle with, but it’s particularly important for people who have Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In this episode, Forrest is joined by psychotherapist and author Robert Drozek to discuss mentalization-based treatment (MBT) and the tools that can help us develop more flexibility and curiosity around our assumptions. Bob outlines the three common modes of mentalizing, explains how childhood experiences shape mentalization, and offers a map for building healthier ways of relating to our thoughts and feelings.  About our Guest: Robert Drozak is a clinical social worker, the clinical director of the Mentalization-Based Treatment Clinic at McLean Hospital, and a teaching associate in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. His new book, Mentalization: Utilizing Reflection to Heal from Borderline Personality Disorder, is the first book about Mentalization-Based Treatment aimed at a general audience.  Key Topics:  0:00: Intro: what is mentalization? 5:12: Ways mentalization can go wrong 13:25: Borderline Personality Disorder as a deficit in mentalization 22:13: How mentalization is shaped in childhood 28:54: The alien self 32:23: Developing an MBT formulation 42:03: MBT in the therapy room 54:40: Challenging your beliefs and assumptions 1:11:21: How to get out of pretend mode 1:21:37: Addressing problems with interoception 1:30:00: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Sleep Reset is offering a free 7-day trial, available only at thesleepreset.com/podcast. Start your first week of real, clinician-designed insomnia treatment tonight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Breaking the Habit of Overthinking: Rumination, Cognitive Bypassing, and the Insight Trap 20.04.2026 1u 22min

  Why does knowing we overthink not help us stop? Dr. Rick and Forrest discuss why rumination becomes a self-reinforcing habit,  and why insight alone rarely helps. They distinguish between rumination and reflection, and talk about how balancing acceptance and agency can help us go from one to the other. Forrest talks about the relationship between overthinking and feelings of disappointment and failure, and Rick shares practical ways to interrupt the cycle, shift into more concrete forms of problem-solving, and finally stop ruminating. Rick's Rumination Course: If rumination is a persistent issue for you, check out Rick’s five-week online course focused on practical tools for letting go of these negative thought loops. Learn more at RickHanson.com/ruminating, and use coupon code BeingWell25 to receive a 25% discount. Previous episodes on rumination and overthinking: Breaking the Self-Awareness Trap: How to Stop Overthinking | Being Well Rumination: How to Disrupt Obsessive Thoughts Key Topics:  0:00: Intro: what is rumination 5:35: Why we ruminate 21:06: Why rumination doesn't help us 25:24: Moving from rumination to reflection 31:35: Rumination as a habit 38:40: Interrupting the rumination habit 46:44: Radical helplessness and radical resourcefulness 53:43: More ways to move from abstract to concrete thinking  1:07:23: The role of mindfulness 1:13:32: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell.  Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Trauma Therapy: What It’s Really Like with Dr. Jacob Ham and Elizabeth Ferreira 13.04.2026 1u 16min

  In this very special episode, Dr. Jacob Ham and associate therapist Elizabeth Ferreira join me to discuss their work as trauma therapists. They talk openly about the messy, unglamorous reality of struggle, mistakes, and repair that characterizes trauma work, its nature as both art and science, how their work has changed over time, and what they’ve learned along the way. Topics include self-disclosure, working with shame and grief, dealing with situations where the client wants an apology, the difference between trauma work and more manualized approaches, therapist training and supervision, and “polishing the mirror.”  I loved listening to Dr. Ham and Elizabeth talk during this episode. It’s a truly unique one, and I hope you enjoy it.  About our Guest: Dr. Jacob Ham is a clinical psychologist, Associate Clinical Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and the Director of the Center for Complex Trauma there. He's the clinician featured in Stephanie Foo’s wonderful book What My Bones Know. Key Topics :  0:00: Introduction and nervousness 6:21: The role of disclosure 11:34: Mistakes, rupture, and repair 23:20: Sharing grief 33:04: Supervision and parallel process  36:29: Therapy as an art form 47:52: Structure, flexibility, and 'opening the hand' 52:50: A listener question: how to let it all go 1:02:40: How trauma work changes you 1:07:46: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. SponsorsGo to Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  6 Lessons from Existential and Transpersonal Psychology 06.04.2026 1u 26min

  Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the lessons we can learn from two of Humanistic psychology’s more challenging branches: existential psychology and transpersonal psychology. Existential psychology asks what it means to build a meaningful life in the face of death, while Transpersonal psychology wonders if the individual self is what we should be so focused on. Forrest and Rick focus on the work of Rollo May, Irvin Yalom, Abraham Maslow, and Stanislav Grof, and major themes include freedom, agency, anxiety, the limits of the “self,” and how confronting these can lead to a fuller and more meaningful life.  Rick’s Self-Worth Course: Starts this week! In this 6-week online course, Rick will guide you in practical, research-backed ways to release old patterns and grow a lasting sense of confidence, kindness toward yourself, and genuine self-worth. Learn more at RickHanson.com/worthy and use coupon code BeingWell25 to receive a 25% discount. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro and recap of humanistic psychology 6:12: History and context of existential psychology 12:04: Three important lessons from existentialism 26:03: Agency and meaning making within existential psychology 38:38: Overview of transpersonal psychology 1:00:43: Three important lessons from transpersonal psychology 1:11:14: Closing reflections, and a one word summary 1:14:07: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. SponsorsSleep Reset is offering a free 7-day trial, available only at thesleepreset.com/podcast. Start your first week of real, clinician-designed insomnia treatment tonight. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Self-Regulation: How a Little Becomes a Lot with Eric Zimmer 30.03.2026 1u 13min

  Why don’t we choose the things we know are good for us? It’s usually because we’re struggling with self-regulation, one of the most important (and most misunderstood) skills out there. In today’s episode, 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. They discuss how to figure out what actually matters to you vs. what you want right now, the tension between acceptance and change, and how to get back on track after a slip without making it worse. About our Guest: Eric Zimmer is the creator of The One You Feed, an award-winning podcast with over 50 million downloads. He’s also the author of the new book, How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro: Why is self-regulation so important? 4:32: Moving from insight to action 8:14: Values versus desires 14:25: Eric’s sobriety journey 20:57: Changing our relationship to shame 32:05: When to accept things as they are, and when to move from acceptance to change  38:17: Choosing the more useful meaning 42:51: How to get over self-doubt 46:41: Having a backup plan for when things go sideways 53:54: Balancing striving with non-craving 1:06:16: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Sleep Reset is offering a free 7-day trial, available only at thesleepreset.com/podcast. Start your first week of real, clinician-designed insomnia treatment tonight.Visit https://carawayhome.com/BEINGWELL to take an additional 10% off your next purchase of non-toxic cookware made modern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  The Self-Abandonment Loop: Shame, Self-Criticism, and How to Break Free 23.03.2026 1u 20min

  Why is it so hard for us to do what we actually want to do? In this episode, Forrest explains the hidden structure of self-abandonment: how shame drives the loop, how the loop produces more shame, and how the inner critic uses a “can’t win” situation to keep us stuck. Then he and Dr. Rick explore what actually breaks the cycle, including the role of anger, the difference between shame and grief, self-compassion, and what it really means to get on your own side. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro and overview of self-abandonment 4:38: What are we abandoning? 8:30: The self-abandonment loop 21:55: How a parts model can help us understand the shame 26:20: The double-bind of self-criticism 32:56: How to get out of the double-bind 41:34: Anger and resentment 49:47: Moving from shame to grief 56:15: Breaking the self-abandonment loop 1:10:22: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Go to Zocdoc.com/BEINGWELL to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. Level up your bedding with Quince. Go to Quince.com/BEINGWELL for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Trauma in Relationships: What Actually Helps with Elizabeth Ferreira 16.03.2026 1u 8min

  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. Drawing on their experience together, they discuss supporting without enabling, avoiding power imbalances, managing resentment, dealing with moments of frustration, and the importance of reciprocity. Elizabeth has some thoughts about the DSM. Forrest shares about how Elizabeth has supported him. It’s a good one. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro and Elizabeth’s overview 5:50: How trauma shapes you 9:05: How Elizabeth found safety in her relationship with Forrest 11:12: How the relationship helped Forrest grow 15:44: Self-discovery through relationship 21:19: How to effectively support a partner with mental illness 33:42: Being ‘sturdy’ 39:18: Navigating criticism 43:30: Communicating without resentment or shame 54:57: Avoiding stigma, and why Elizabeth wants to throw the DSM out the window 59:52: Not buying in to the smallest version of your partner 1:04:27: Recap Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Grab Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BEINGWELL at huel.com/beingwell. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show!Sign up for a one-dollar-per-month trial period at shopify.com/beingwell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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  Family Systems Theory: The Invisible Force That Runs Your Relationships 09.03.2026 1u 23min

  Have you ever walked back into your parents' house and suddenly felt like you'd downloaded an old version of yourself? In today’s episode, Dr. Rick and Forrest explain why through one of the most influential frameworks in psychology: Family Systems Theory (FST).  FST argues that hidden rules govern the behavior of the groups we’re a part of, and when you know the rules it’s easier to see them in action. Rick and Forrest explore how systems replicate patterns of behavior, place people into specific roles, and manage anxiety through shifting alliances. They close with how we can become differentiated by building a stronger sense of self. Topics include balancing closeness and distance, triangulation, specific roles like the “golden child,” FST’s non-pathologizing stance, the intergenerational transmission of patterns, and building strong relationships outside the system. This episode includes references to self-harm. Key Topics:  0:00: Intro 2:19: What’s Family Systems Theory? 12:01: Overview of big concepts in FST 18:50: Family roles 25:19: How anxiety moves through a family system 36:42: The “identified patient” 46:51: Balancing compassion, agency, and responsibility 51:11: How healthy differentiation can disrupt a system 57:48: How to become more differentiated 1:11:33: Recap  Support the Podcast: We're on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link. Sponsors Grab Huel today with my exclusive offer of 15% OFF online with my code BEINGWELL at https://huel.com/beingwell. New customers only. Thank you to Huel for partnering and supporting our show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices