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  • The Science of Self-Compassion with Dr. Kristin Neff

    The Science of Self-Compassion with Dr. Kristin Neff
    2025/11/25
    Dr. Kristin Neff on the Science of Self-CompassionHow self-kindness rewires your emotions, your health, and your ability to cope.Dr. Kristin Neff — pioneering researcher, psychologist, and author of Self-Compassion — joins Mind Body Health & Politics for a deep exploration into the one skill most of us were never taught: how to treat ourselves with warmth instead of judgment.She and Dr. Richard Louis Miller discuss why human beings evolved to be harsh toward themselves, how self-criticism keeps us stuck in a threat state, and why self-compassion isn’t “soft”—it’s a biological accelerator for resilience, calm, and emotional strength.Kristin explains the three pillars of self-compassion, how physical touch signals safety to the nervous system, and why just 20 seconds a day of self-kindness can measurably change your mental health.She also shares deeply personal stories—from her own divorce to raising her autistic son—and how practicing self-compassion allowed her to stay grounded through fear, shame, and uncertainty.Richard and Kristin explore mindfulness, cultural conditioning, evolutionary psychology, childhood wounds, the crisis of anxiety in America, and why being on your own side is one of the most powerful health interventions we have.This conversation is warm, practical, and profoundly human—an invitation to finally stop being your own worst critic.GuestDr. Kristin Neff — Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin; co-founder of the Center for Mindful Self-Compassion; author of Self-Compassion and Fierce Self-Compassion; and the world’s leading researcher on self-compassion.Key TopicsWhy we’re evolutionarily wired to be harsher with ourselves than with othersThe three components of self-compassion: mindfulness, common humanity, and kindnessHow physical touch activates the care system and quiets the threat systemWhy self-criticism creates anxiety but does not create motivationHow self-compassion improves immune function, inflammation, cortisol, and heart-rate variabilityThe difference between self-compassion, self-esteem, and self-appreciationHow cultural messages (“don’t get a big head”) distort our inner voiceUsing self-compassion in parenting—especially with neurodivergent childrenAutism, sensitivity, and the story of her son RowanHow shame dissolves when we remember our shared humanityWhy anxiety levels are rising nationwide—and how self-compassion protects usPractical tools: touch, gentle self-talk, mindful awareness, and 20-second practicesHow to take the Self-Compassion Scale and build a daily practiceTimestamps00:00 — Why human beings are tribal animals, and how isolation harms us02:27 — Introducing Dr. Kristin Neff & the concept of self-compassion03:16 — What self-compassion is and is not04:07 — Treating yourself as kindly as you treat others05:35 — Why we attack ourselves: evolution, fear, and defense mode07:51 — How compassion calms the nervous system08:32 — Richard’s own journey with cancer and gratitude09:30 — Kristin’s story: divorce, shame, and discovering self-kindness11:16 — How mindfulness allows compassion to arise13:31 — The three elements of self-compassion15:11 — Common humanity vs. self-pity16:31 — How self-talk rewires the brain17:58 — Self-compassion vs. self-esteem19:36 — Self-appreciation and acknowledging what you do well21:20 — Gratitude, wisdom, and interdependence22:57 — Richard’s cancer + heart failure story23:35 — How the immune system responds to compassion26:03 — Why culture discourages self-kindness27:28 — Being harsh to ourselves: a misunderstood attempt at safety28:53 — Childhood conditioning: “don’t get a big head”30:24 — Spare the rod, spoil the child—carried into adulthood31:14 — Is self-compassion a feeling or a motivation?33:14 — The neuroscience of compassion34:55 — Ego, self, and Buddhist misunderstandings35:30 — How to apply self-compassion during suffering36:58 — The power of physical touch37:28 — Touching the body where the emotion lives40:00 — How mammals regulate through contact41:00 — Dr. Neff’s self-compassion test43:22 — Anxiety epidemic in the U.S.44:10 — AI, uncertainty, and emotional overwhelm45:27 — The “inner ally” and asking yourself, “What do I need?”47:00 — Parenting Rowan: sensitivity, autism, and Mongolia50:14 — The Horse Boy story and healing in nature53:13 — Rowan today: independence, strengths, and challenges55:27 — What autistic children teach us about attunement57:21 — One of Rowan’s best lessons: “You’re not a terrible singer—you just sing terribly.”58:06 — Why 20 seconds of self-compassion a day is enough59:04 — Richard’s excitement to share the research60:00 — Where to find Dr. Neff + closing reflections This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit ...
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    59 分
  • The Fastest Way to Stop Making Yourself Miserable

    The Fastest Way to Stop Making Yourself Miserable
    2025/11/24

    In this short episode, Dr. Richard Miller explains why comparison quietly damages your peace—and the simple mental shift he teaches to break the habit before it steals your joy



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe
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    1 分
  • How to Create Meaning When Life Stops Making Sense

    How to Create Meaning When Life Stops Making Sense
    2025/11/18
    How to Create Meaning When Life Stops Making SenseA conversation on mood, purpose, community, and the pressures of modern life with Eric Maisel.Psychologist and author Eric Maisel joins Mind Body Health & Politics to explore one of the deepest struggles of modern life: how to create meaning in a world that feels increasingly overwhelming, isolating, and disconnected.Together, he and Dr. Richard Louis Miller discuss why so many people feel lost, how meaning is made rather than found, and why community—and creative connection—are essential for our emotional well-being.Eric shares insights from his decades of work with creative and performing artists, describing a new global initiative he’s helping build: the International Association of Creative and Performing Artists, a worldwide community designed to support creatives through loneliness, rivalry, depression, and the unique pressures of artistic life.Richard and Eric also talk about authoritarian family systems, the decline of the arts, the crisis of loneliness, existential wellness coaching, mood regulation, and why human beings must learn to “matter while we are here.”This conversation is a rich exploration of purpose, creativity, and the inner life we’ve forgotten to nurture.GuestEric Maisel — Psychologist, creativity coach, and author of more than 60 books including Redesign Your Mind, The Van Gogh Blues, Rethinking Depression, and The Power of Daily Practice.Key TopicsWhy meaning is a feeling—not something you “find”The modern crisis of loneliness and alienationWhy creative minds face unique psychological challengesRivalry, comparison, and depression in the artsThe International Association of Creative and Performing ArtistsHow community protects mental healthExistential wellness coaching and life purposeAuthoritarianism inside familiesThe role of moods and how we can influence themStoicism, existentialism, and internal agencyHow sleep thinking boosts creativityThe pressures on artists in the age of AIWhy “doing the next right thing” anchors purposeCreating personal meaning through valuesDesigning the “room of your mind” to change your thoughtsWhy many people feel they don’t matter—and how to reclaim inner worthTimestamps00:00 — Why human beings are tribal animals and need community01:10 — Introducing Eric Maisel: psychologist, author of 60+ books01:50 — Eric’s radar: a new global community for creative and performing artists03:37 — What the ideal worldwide organization would look like05:45 — Challenges creatives face: loneliness, rivalry, anxiety, depression06:40 — What artists truly need: hope, connection, meaning08:00 — Are the arts under attack?12:22 — Power outage pause — resuming the conversation13:00 — Do artists have unique sensitivities? The creative personality15:40 — Creative identity vs. the “almost-artist” (artist manqué)16:03 — Eric’s next radar theme: multiple life purposes vs. a single purpose17:20 — Meaning as a feeling, not a destination18:24 — Learning from past meaningful experiences20:00 — Creating value-based meaning; the Churchill example22:02 — Do we choose our moods? Richard and Eric debate24:00 — Richard’s story of surviving a life-threatening accident25:54 — The high bar of mood control — but it is possible26:18 — A second real-life example: childbirth without a C-section27:04 — Richard’s current AFib episode — choosing the mood anyway28:27 — Can most people handle modern life? The overwhelm of the mind29:50 — Stoicism and existentialism: ancient tools for modern crises31:27 — Why mainstream psychiatry avoids existential issues31:55 — Label culture and the limits of the DSM33:19 — Coaching creative clients: guilt, pressure, and overwhelm34:30 — Eric’s daily routine: writing at 5:30 a.m.35:14 — The importance of “sleep thinking” for creativity37:28 — Writing in chunks: completing one thousand-word piece38:41 — Afternoons, rest, cooking, and life rhythm39:46 — Richard proposes a new term: “accumulated intelligence”40:30 — Using AI to assist the writing process41:16 — Accumulated intelligence as humanity’s collective memory42:10 — How the new artist organization will include global suffering communities43:21 — Richard’s Ukrainian heritage and the role of war in creativity44:26 — Introducing Timothy Snyder and the book On Tyranny45:59 — Family authoritarianism and childhood wounds47:48 — Why the only solution is often to leave the authoritarian48:25 — Gender dynamics, dominance, and archaic biases49:07 — Leadership, archetypes, and political psychology49:20 — Break: Richard invites listeners to explore MBHP archives51:06 — Returning: Richard promotes Eric’s work51:33 — Redesigning the “room of your mind” — the core of Redesign Your Mind53:59 — Life purpose statements — doing the “next right thing”55:20 — Creating a personal life-purpose icon55:56 — Closing ...
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    51 分
  • Comparison Is a Form of Self-Harm We Don’t Recognize

    Comparison Is a Form of Self-Harm We Don’t Recognize
    2025/11/14

    In this short episode, Dr. Richard Miller explains why comparison quietly damages your peace—and the simple mental shift he teaches to break the habit before it steals your joy



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe
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    1 分
  • The Future of Healing May Not Come from a Pill

    The Future of Healing May Not Come from a Pill
    2025/11/11

    Psychotherapist Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to discuss a groundbreaking psilocybin-assisted therapy study for young adults with anorexia nervosa at the University of California, San Francisco.

    Together, they explore how psychedelics can help restore connection between mind, body, and community—and how true healing extends beyond the individual to include family, culture, and environment.

    The study, led by UCSF’s Tripper Lab, is one of the first in the world to focus on the developing brain and the inclusion of families in psychedelic therapy. Gisele explains how this approach moves away from blame and control toward empowerment, self-awareness, and compassionate healing.

    She and Richard also discuss the cultural factors that shape body image, the impact of social media, the rising rates of eating disorders since the pandemic, and why anorexia remains one of the deadliest mental health conditions.

    “Recovery isn’t just gaining weight. It’s gaining yourself.” — Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold

    This conversation is a powerful reminder that healing is not isolation—it’s reconnection.

    Guest

    Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold — Director of Facilitation for Psychedelic Therapy at the University of California, San Francisco; faculty at the California Institute of Integral Studies; and researcher at the Tripper Lab, UCSF.

    Key Topics

    The UCSF psilocybin study for young adults (ages 18–25) with anorexia nervosa

    Why including family in therapy can support long-term healing

    How psilocybin-assisted therapy reduces cognitive rigidity and self-critical thought loops

    Understanding anorexia beyond weight—seeing it as a disorder of identity and control

    Trauma, intergenerational pain, and the importance of family systems

    The role of social media in shaping self-image and body dysmorphia

    How the pandemic amplified isolation and eating disorders among adolescents

    Shifting from authoritarian treatment models to trauma-informed care

    Why “non-directive” therapy helps patients rediscover their own motivation to heal

    A new paradigm of recovery centered on autonomy, compassion, and community

    Timestamps

    00:00 — The importance of community and connection02:00 — Introducing Gisele Fernandes-Osterhold and the UCSF Tripper Lab03:30 — Inside the psilocybin-assisted therapy study for anorexia nervosa06:00 — Understanding anorexia as a life-threatening mental health disorder08:30 — Why the study includes diverse participants and families11:00 — The impact of anorexia on families and caregivers15:00 — Family inclusion as a healing model18:00 — Psilocybin therapy protocol and study design23:00 — The psychology of “parts work” and the path to self-integration29:00 — How psilocybin reduces rigid, self-destructive thought loops32:00 — The influence of culture, media, and pandemic isolation35:00 — Understanding suffering and motivation in eating disorders40:00 — Extending psychedelic research toward obesity and body image45:00 — How to apply for the UCSF clinical trial47:00 — Redefining success: recovery as engagement with life50:00 — Trauma-informed, patient-centered therapy54:00 — Mary Oliver’s “The Summer Day” — a poetic close on life’s preciousness



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe
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    51 分
  • Beyond Profit: The Human Cost of Capitalism — with David McNally

    Beyond Profit: The Human Cost of Capitalism — with David McNally
    2025/11/04

    Beyond Profit: The Human Cost of Capitalism — with Dr. David McNally

    Historian Dr. David McNally joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to explore the deep relationship between capitalism, slavery, and community — and why the path forward may depend on reclaiming our capacity for cooperation and hope.

    Together, they trace how capitalism evolved from feudal systems, how slavery became its brutal engine, and how modern life still reflects those same dynamics of exploitation and insecurity. They discuss the moral cost of wealth built on oppression, the erosion of academic freedom, and the possibilities for new forms of collective ownership and economic justice.

    Through it all, McNally reminds us that hope is more powerful than anger and fear, and that history shows our greatest progress comes when people act together in community.

    Guest:

    Dr. David McNally — Cullen Distinguished Professor of History and Business at the University of Houston, and author of Slavery and Capitalism, Blood and Money, and Monsters of the Market.

    Key Topics:

    How capitalism emerged from feudalism through the expulsion of peasants from common lands

    Why slavery was not a premodern system but central to modern global capitalism

    The immense wealth generated by enslaved labor

    The psychological and moral consequences of exploitation

    Living paycheck to paycheck as a modern form of economic bondage

    How fear and insecurity maintain systems of control

    The importance of academic freedom and independent thought

    Collective action as the most powerful form of resistance

    Reviving the commons and exploring alternatives to capitalism

    Why hope remains the foundation of social transformation

    Timestamps:

    00:00 — The Importance of Community and Connection02:22 — Understanding Capitalism and Its Historical Context07:20 — The Shift from Feudalism to Capitalism13:00 — Slavery in the Context of Capitalism20:11 — The Moral Dilemma of Enslavement24:07 — The Wealth Generated by Slavery24:47 — Exploring Alternatives to Capitalism29:00 — The Monopoly Game of Capitalism30:53 — The Power of Collective Action34:56 — Living Paycheck to Paycheck: A Modern Form of Slavery40:45 — The Assault on Academic Freedom50:19 — Freedom Dreams and Cultural Resistance



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe
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    55 分
  • Modern Psychedelics and the Lost Art of Community

    Modern Psychedelics and the Lost Art of Community
    2025/10/28

    The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson

    Psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to explore how compassion, community, and love can rewire the human brain — and why our survival as a species may depend on it. Together, they discuss the “two wolves within us,” how positive neuroplasticity turns fleeting moments of kindness into lasting change, and what it takes to heal both personally and collectively in a divided world.

    Guest: Dr. Rick Hanson – Psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and author of Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, and Buddha’s Brain

    Key Topics:

    The duality of human nature: love vs. hate

    How to “feed the wolf of love” through daily practice

    Positive neuroplasticity and the science of emotional rewiring

    Building compassion in polarized times

    Why community is essential to mental health

    How wealth inequality and power distort human connection

    The link between poverty and psychological suffering

    Simple daily tools for calm, resilience, and empathy

    The surprising role of playfulness in healing

    Timestamps:

    00:00 — Introduction: Humanity’s tribal nature and the need for connection02:15 — Meet Dr. Rick Hanson03:44 — The parable of the two wolves06:42 — Feeding the wolf of love vs. the wolf of hate08:07 — The power of brain science and compassion10:03 — Physical health as the foundation for mental well-being13:18 — The father-son dynamic and emotional intelligence17:04 — Keeping your “dad hat” on in relationships20:33 — How to stay in touch with the wolf of love under pressure21:33 — The longing for a better world22:05 — Rick’s top psychological tools for well-being24:38 — Getting on your own side25:38 — Taking in the good and letting it land29:18 — Linking positive experiences to old wounds34:35 — Why painful memories persist36:12 — How the media exploits our negativity bias38:33 — Vulnerability to manipulation and fear42:33 — Wealth concentration and its social consequences46:10 — From individual healing to collective action47:58 — Poverty as the biggest factor in mental health50:04 — Lessons from other nations’ social models53:14 — Why one in three adults in America isn’t registered to vote55:08 — The limits of traditional psychotherapy59:36 — What separates high responders from low responders01:02:21 — Repetition, practice, and rewiring behavior01:05:21 — Breathing as the foundation of change01:10:22 — Stop whining, start climbing: love as action

    Links & Resources:

    🌐 Website — rickhanson.net📘 Books — Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, Buddha’s Brain🎧 Podcast — Being Well with Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe
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    57 分
  • The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson

    The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson
    2025/10/21

    The Psychology of Love and Connection with Dr. Rick Hanson

    Psychologist Dr. Rick Hanson joins Dr. Richard Louis Miller to explore how compassion, community, and love can rewire the human brain — and why our survival as a species may depend on it. Together, they discuss the “two wolves within us,” how positive neuroplasticity turns fleeting moments of kindness into lasting change, and what it takes to heal both personally and collectively in a divided world.

    Guest: Dr. Rick Hanson – Psychologist, Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, and author of Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, and Buddha’s Brain

    Key Topics:

    The duality of human nature: love vs. hate

    How to “feed the wolf of love” through daily practice

    Positive neuroplasticity and the science of emotional rewiring

    Building compassion in polarized times

    Why community is essential to mental health

    How wealth inequality and power distort human connection

    The link between poverty and psychological suffering

    Simple daily tools for calm, resilience, and empathy

    The surprising role of playfulness in healing

    Timestamps:

    00:00 — Introduction: Humanity’s tribal nature and the need for connection02:15 — Meet Dr. Rick Hanson03:44 — The parable of the two wolves06:42 — Feeding the wolf of love vs. the wolf of hate08:07 — The power of brain science and compassion10:03 — Physical health as the foundation for mental well-being13:18 — The father-son dynamic and emotional intelligence17:04 — Keeping your “dad hat” on in relationships20:33 — How to stay in touch with the wolf of love under pressure21:33 — The longing for a better world22:05 — Rick’s top psychological tools for well-being24:38 — Getting on your own side25:38 — Taking in the good and letting it land29:18 — Linking positive experiences to old wounds34:35 — Why painful memories persist36:12 — How the media exploits our negativity bias38:33 — Vulnerability to manipulation and fear42:33 — Wealth concentration and its social consequences46:10 — From individual healing to collective action47:58 — Poverty as the biggest factor in mental health50:04 — Lessons from other nations’ social models53:14 — Why one in three adults in America isn’t registered to vote55:08 — The limits of traditional psychotherapy59:36 — What separates high responders from low responders01:02:21 — Repetition, practice, and rewiring behavior01:05:21 — Breathing as the foundation of change01:10:22 — Stop whining, start climbing: love as action

    Links & Resources:

    🌐 Website — rickhanson.net📘 Books — Hardwiring Happiness, Resilient, Buddha’s Brain🎧 Podcast — Being Well with Dr. Rick Hanson and Forrest Hanson



    This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.mindbodyhealthpolitics.org/subscribe
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    1 時間 5 分