Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson

Rick Hanson is a clinical psychologist and bestselling author who has spent decades translating neuroscience and contemplative practice into something usable for regular people. His son Forrest co-hosts, and that generational dynamic is part of what makes the show land. Rick brings the research and the hard-won perspective of a therapist who has sat with thousands of clients. Forrest pushes back, asks the questions a skeptical listener would ask, and keeps his dad honest when the language drifts too far into jargon. Episodes run around an hour and drop weekly, covering emotional regulation, self-compassion, anxiety, relationship repair, resilience after loss, and the slow work of rewiring habitual reactions. The emotional intelligence angle runs through nearly every conversation: how to notice what you're feeling before it hijacks you, how to sit with discomfort without immediately fixing or numbing it, how to build empathy that actually holds up under stress. Expert guests show up often, including researchers, therapists, and meditation teachers, but the show never feels like a lecture. Rick is patient about explaining why the amygdala does what it does without making listeners feel stupid, and Forrest keeps the pacing human. For anyone working on self-awareness as an actual practice rather than a slogan, this one earns repeat listens.