Hardwiring Happiness And Other Brain Science Books

Dr. Rick Hanson is a summa cum laude graduate and psychologist who has written several books on the topic of happiness. In addition to his doctorate in psychology and career as a best-selling author, he has founded the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. In 2002, he and his wife, acupuncturist Dr. Jan Hanson, cowrote Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships. Since this accomplishment, He has written several books, including Hardwiring Happiness, Just One Thing, and Resilient, among others.

Who is Dr. Hanson? 

Dr. Hanson is a psychologist and author who primarily focuses on the concept of happiness. Hanson's books have been translated into 26 languages, and he has been invited to speak at several of the most respected organizations in the world, including:

• NASA
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• Oxford University

Hanson has also participated in interviews with NPR, the BBC, and CBS, and his free Just One Thing newsletter boasts over 120,000 subscribers. 

Dr. Hanson received his master's degree in developmental psychology from San Francisco State University, graduating from the Wright Institute in 1991 with his Ph.D. in clinical psychology. When his practice was still open, Dr. Hanson treated people of all ages, including couples. Dr. Hanson and his wife are parents to two grown children, and in his off time, he enjoys hobbies like rock climbing, sailing, and traveling the world.

Dr. Hanson's books and other resources

Below are a few of Dr. Hanson's books and how they explore the topics of happiness and mental well-being. 

Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide To Health In Body, Mind, And Intimate Relationships 

In his first book, Mother Nurture: A Mother's Guide to Health in Body, Mind, and Intimate Relationships, Dr. Hanson and his wife help new and experienced parents cope with the challenges of parenthood. The book covers topics like improving mood and eating a diet that supports well-being. It may also help parents discover ways of improving intimacy with their partners, which can be difficult after having children. 

The book presents challenges that a parent might experience, which may help them prepare in advance not to get overwhelmed and let adverse thought patterns arise during parenthood. Parents can recall the advice presented in this book when experiencing difficult moments with children, which may benefit everyone in the family. 

Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience Of Happiness, Love, And Wisdom 

Dr. Hanson's book, Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom, explores how Buddha, along with other leaders like Gandhi, Jesus, and Moses, were born with regular human brains like others yet managed to change the world through the way they changed their thought processes and behaviors. 

Hanson discusses how the more that is learned about the brain, the more scientists can confirm that people do have the power to change how they think by practicing positive thinking. This book contains exercises to help readers experience mindfulness while meditating on feelings of contentment and joy. The book aims to help people stop "practicing" feelings of sadness, anger, or worry. 

Hardwiring happiness

Dr. Hanson's Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence was released in 2016 and is one of Hanson's most popular books. The book offers ways to rewire your brain to approach life more optimistically. 

Hardwiring Happiness has over 1,500 reviews, with the majority positive. Over 40 well-known and respected doctors and authors in the self-help genre, such as Thich Nhat Hanh (Being Peace and Understanding Our Mind) and Mark Williams, Ph.D. (Mindfulness), have claimed the book is a life-changing work.

Instead, the book posits that it can be helpful to pick out and focus on the "little moments of happiness," whether they involve the first cup of hot coffee in the morning or the sense of accomplishment from finishing a difficult task. Over time, the more you focus on these positives and weed out the negatives, the more you may notice resilience and positivity. 

In his book, Hanson details the HEAL method, which stands for:

• Have
• Enrich
• Absorb
• Link. 

The HEAL method may help readers learn how to live more relaxed lives with increased appreciation and peace of mind.

Resilient

Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness is a book released in 2018. In this book, Hanson talks about how to hone your compassion, appreciation, and resilience skills to feel better prepared when confronted with a challenging situation.

Resilient is about moving forward in the face of everyday struggles, such as those you may experience at home or work, or when coping with past hurts. Hanson says the key to resilience is building up your inner strength to feel capable of caring for yourself regardless of what occurs in your life. 

Resilient builds on the concepts contained in Hardwiring Happiness by offering advice on coping with negativity bias and rewiring your brain to clear out the clutter and free your positive emotions. Dr. Hanson may help readers get in touch with happiness, keep looking ahead, and keep moving forward. 

The Just One Thing newsletter

The Just One Thing newsletter contains a short writing excerpt each week for those living busy lives. The newsletter offers a single practice each week that you can follow discreetly to help you enjoy more rewarding interactions with those in your life while increasing happiness. 

For instance, one such exercise is to set aside a few minutes each day to reflect on what you appreciate, like the smell of your cup of coffee or a kind gesture from a friend. These accomplishments might seem "small," but practicing daily exercises may change your mindset, which can cause your mood to follow. 

If you're unsure if you want to commit to receiving daily emails, you can try the Just One Thing archive. You can review past Just One Thing suggestions through the archive and incorporate them into your life. If you like them, you may consider signing up for the newsletter to keep updated on new suggestions. 

Bring brain science into daily life: The Positive Neuroplasticity Training

In addition to his books, Dr. Hanson created an online video program entitled "The Positive Neuroplasticity Training," which consists of six courses, advertised as being able to "help you permanently change your brain" to think more positively and hone your inner strengths. 

Dr. Hanson does not believe that anyone is beyond help. He believes finding which practice is best for you can be essential and that everyone is different in what works for them.

Finding professional support 

While books and other resources can be helpful ways to take steps to improve your life, it may be valuable to talk to a licensed therapist about any challenges you might face. Dr. Hanson's books focus on overcoming negativity by practicing positivity. Positive psychology is a modern field that focuses on finding your strengths to improve your life.  

Effectiveness of Positive Psychotherapy and Online Counseling

One study found that positive psychotherapy could be more effective in increasing happiness in people with major depressive disorder than popular traditional methods. Another study that involved positive psychotherapy for cancer patients found it helped improve their happiness, pleasure, commitment, and quality of life. 

Because positive psychology is a new practice, finding someone in your area who specializes in positive psychotherapy may be difficult. With online counseling through a platform like BetterHelp, you may encounter greater reach to licensed specialists who are well-trained in this modality.

In addition, studies have found that online positive psychotherapy can be as effective as in-person counseling.