Rick Hanson

Rick Hanson is a psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and meditation teacher whose career centers on positive neuroplasticity—the science of how the brain can be trained to develop resilience, compassion, and well-being. Born Richard Hanson, he holds a PhD in clinical psychology and has built a body of work that bridges neuroscience, contemplative practice, and practical psychology for general audiences.

Hanson's approach draws from two traditions: contemporary affective neuroscience and Buddhist psychology. He translates research on memory consolidation, emotional learning, and brain plasticity into accessible exercises that help people internalize positive experiences and counteract the brain's negativity bias. Unlike many mindfulness teachers who emphasize present-moment awareness alone, Hanson's method focuses on taking in the good—actively encoding beneficial experiences into long-term memory to reshape neural structure over time. This synthesis of Western neuroscience and Eastern meditation distinguishes his teaching within both the secular mindfulness movement and neuroscience outreach.

Hanson has published six major books. Hardwiring Happiness outlines his core method for using neuroplasticity to overcome the brain's negativity bias. Buddha's Brain, co-authored with neurologist Richard Mendius, maps Buddhist practices onto brain function and has become a standard text in mindfulness-based therapy training. Resilient, co-authored with Forrest Hanson, identifies twelve inner strengths and offers practices to develop each one. Neurodharma applies positive neuroplasticity specifically to classical Buddhist meditation stages. Just One Thing collects 52 brief practices for daily use. Making Great Relationships applies the same neuroplasticity framework to couples and family dynamics. His books have been translated into 33 languages, with more than one million copies sold in English alone.

Hanson trained in clinical psychology and later studied with meditation teachers in the Theravada and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. He spent years integrating insights from neuroscience research—particularly the work of Donald Hebb on synaptic strengthening and the studies emerging from affective neuroscience labs—with practices he learned in Vipassana and mindfulness retreats. In 2009, he became a Senior Fellow of the Greater Good Science Center at the University of California, Berkeley, where he has contributed to research and public education on well-being, compassion, and resilience. He also founded the Global Compassion Coalition, an organization that supports projects promoting empathy and care across cultures.

Hanson has lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford University, and Harvard University, and has taught at meditation centers and conferences on six continents. He has been featured on the BBC, CBS, and NPR, and his writing has appeared in outlets including Tricycle and the Greater Good Magazine. His weekly Being Well Podcast, co-hosted with his son Forrest Hanson, reaches a broad audience interested in psychology, meditation, and personal growth. He also offers a free weekly Wednesday talk and guided meditation, a blog, a Substack newsletter, and the Just One Thing email series. His online courses cover anxiety, trauma recovery, self-worth, relationships, and meditation, and serve students worldwide.

Today Hanson continues to teach through digital platforms, in-person retreats, and collaborations with research institutions and meditation communities. He remains active in developing new practices and writing, with ongoing projects that apply neuroplasticity research to trauma healing and advanced meditation. For anyone exploring the intersection of brain science and contemplative practice, Hanson offers a practical, evidence-informed path to building the inner resources that support lasting well-being.