In this episode of the Being Well Podcast, Forrest is joined by associate therapist Elizabeth Ferreira to discuss parts work, psychological defenses, and how real change happens. They talk about the inner child work Forrest recently did during an episode with renowned therapist Terry Real, and how that led to meaningful changes in their relationship….
What helps you carry your load? The Practice:Feel the support. Why? We’re all carrying a load, including tasks, challenges, worries, inner criticism, mistreatment from others, physical and emotional pain, loss and illness now or later, and everyday stresses and frustrations. Take a moment to get a sense of your own load. It’s very real, isn’t…
Life can feel like it’s coming at us from all sides—relationships change, plans fall through, our bodies age, and the world keeps shifting under our feet. It’s totally normal to feel uneasy or anxious in the face of all this unpredictability. But what if we could relate to change in a different way—not as something…
In this episode of the Being Well Podcast, Dr. Rick and Forrest answer listener questions about perfectionism, performance anxiety, trauma, and relationships. They explore how early praise for being “gifted” can create a fear of failure and contribute to “failure to launch,” and share ways to shift from focusing on an idealized future to appreciating…
What is living you? The Practice:Give over to Good. Why? In every moment, you and I and everyone and everything else – from quantum foam to fleeting thoughts, intimate relationships, rainforest ecosystems, and the stars themselves – are each a kind of standing wave, like the ever-changing though persistent pattern of water rising above a…
When the world feels hostile, when outrage is everywhere, and when even small disagreements seem to erupt into full-blown conflict—it’s easy to feel helpless, hardened, or just plain exhausted. In this powerful talk, my friend Matthew Legge offers a surprising, hopeful path forward through the practice of active nonviolence. Based on his real-world experience, Matthew…
In this episode of the Being Well Podcast, Dr. Rick and Forrest explore what’s really wrong with the self-help industry, going beyond the obvious pseudoscience and snake oil to examine deeper structural issues. They discuss how the industry’s focus on individual responsibility reinforces shame and ignores context, the risks of turning healing into a never-ending…
Is it truly urgent? The Practice: Lower the pressure. Why? Things come at us with so much urgency and demand these days. Phones ring, texts buzz, emails pile up, new balls have to be juggled, work days lengthen and move into evenings and weekends, traffic gets denser, financial demands feel like a knife at the…
Longing for love? The Practice: Hug the monkey. Why? To simplify a complex process spanning 600 million years, your brain developed in ways that are loosely related to three major stages of vertebrate evolution: Reptile – Brainstem, focused on avoiding harms Mammal – Subcortex, focused on approaching rewards Primate/human – Neocortex, focused on attaching to…
So often, we feel torn between striving for change and surrendering to what is. In meditation—and in life—we can get stuck trying too hard, or give up entirely. In this talk, I explore how to find a wise balance between deliberate intention and choiceless awareness, and how to grow lasting inner strengths like compassion, kindness,…