What happens when important emotional needs go unmet, especially when we’re young? Even with loving parents and a relatively good childhood, we can carry a lingering sense that something is missing — leaving us feeling anxious, disconnected, or constantly seeking reassurance. In this week’s talk, I explore how these early experiences shape the brain, fuel craving, and influence our relationships today. Learn how we can begin to fill those empty places inside with the psychological nutrients we need.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it at: https://rickhanson.com/talk-meditation-how-to-heal-whats-been-missing-in-your-life/

And if you'd like to check out any of my online programs at https://rickhanson.com/online-courses/, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

We all carry emotional baggage from the past. These old hurts, fears, insecurities, and patterns can continue to affect us long after the original experiences have passed. While mindfulness can help us relate differently to these painful experiences, what does it take to actually heal them?

In this talk, I explored how to release the burdens of the past, identify the inner strengths and positive experiences that are best matched to our particular struggles, and how we can use these resources to gradually change the brain, heal old wounds, and move forward with greater freedom and peace.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it at: https://rickhanson.com/talk-meditation-how-to-heal-the-emotional-baggage-youve-been-carrying/

And if you'd like to check out any of my online programs at https://rickhanson.com/online-courses/, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

Life brings unavoidable pain, uncertainty, and loss, but it also offers countless opportunities to develop the inner resources that help us meet those challenges without becoming overwhelmed by them. In this talk, I explore how understanding our needs for safety, satisfaction, and connection can help us loosen the grip of craving and the suffering it creates.

You’re welcome to join me live each week for these talks — for free — by signing up at https://rickhanson.com/wednesday-meditations-with-dr-rick-hanson/. We always start with a guided meditation to set the tone for the evening. If you’d like to experience the meditation that accompanied this talk, you can listen to it at: https://rickhanson.com/meditation-talk-rest-in-peacefulness-contentment-and-love/

And if you'd like to check out any of my online programs at https://rickhanson.com/online-courses/, you can receive 20% off by using coupon code PW20 during checkout.

[Note: This talk was recorded at the end of 2021.]