Best Terry Borderline Podcasts (2025)

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Against Nonchalance: How to Embrace Caring in 2026 1:11:35

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1d ago1:11:35

1:11:35

Not caring - or nonchalance - is having a cultural moment. Nihilism is in, trying too hard is cringe, and the best way to cope with an often disappointing world is by not getting that invested. There’s just one problem: it’s hard to live a meaningful life without caring. In this episode, Forrest and Dr. Rick close 2025 by making the case for health…

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Resentment, Situationships, and Highly Sensitive People: December Mailbag 1:03:02

8d ago1:03:02

1:03:02

Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about resentment, highly sensitive people, situationships, and expanding the window of tolerance. In the first three questions, they explore how resentment shows up across different relationships, including with coworkers, family members, and romantic partners. They discuss when …

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The Therapy Wars: Science, Self-Help, and that IFS Article 1:41:18

15d ago1:41:18

1:41:18

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore one of the major topics in psychology today: the tension between "mainstream" and "alternative" approaches, and how to understand evidence-based care. Using the recent IFS controversy as a backdrop, they discuss what it means for an approach to be evidence-based, the real-world dangers of inflated claims, and therapy’s …

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Borderline Personality: DBT and Working with Self-Hatred with Dr. Blaise Aguirre 1:12:01

22d ago1:12:01

1:12:01

Forrest is joined by psychiatrist Dr. Blaise Aguirre to discuss Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). They explore how extreme emotional sensitivity can lead to despair, self-hatred, suicidality, and an intense fear of abandonment, and how DBT can teach the skills needed to regulate those feelings. They dis…

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Toxic Relationships: Why We Stay and How to Leave 1:24:24

29d ago1:24:24

1:24:24

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore toxic relationships, focusing on how to identify and exit them. Rick talks about how positive traits like empathy, loyalty, and a sense of duty can keep us stuck. They then discuss common relationship red flags like lovebombing, cycles of idealization and devaluation, power imbalances, and what Forrest calls “the fuzz.”…

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Dr. Becky on Becoming the Person (and Parent) You Needed 1:30:51

1M ago1:30:51

1:30:51

Dr. Becky Kennedy joins Forrest for a conversation about building better relationships, with ourselves, our partners, and our children. They talk about Dr. Becky’s framework of “good inside,” and how we can apply it to ourselves. Dr. Becky explains how many of the struggles parents face trace back to their own childhood experiences, and suggests ho…

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Dealing with Guilt Trips, Boundaries, and Non-Monogamy: November Mailbag 1:15:40

1M ago1:15:40

1:15:40

Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about effective communication, healthy relationships, and contentment. They explore how defining boundaries, taking maximum reasonable responsibility, and extending an olive branch can help manage ongoing conflict without sacrificing your own needs. They then discuss the power dy…

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How to Be Yourself: Authenticity in Relationships with Elizabeth Ferreira 1:12:58

2M ago1:12:58

1:12:58

In this very fun episode, Forrest and Elizabeth discuss how to get on the same team in a relationship. They explore how conditions of worth, masking, and developmental trauma can get in the way of showing up authentically, and how falling into common relationship roles can reinforce this. Elizabeth talks about how healthy anger can actually be a pr…

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Fighting the Loneliness Epidemic and the Power of Intergenerational Friendships: Feed Drop 34:34

2M ago34:34

34:34

Today we’re featuring an episode from another show I think you’re really going to connect with: Turning Points: Navigating Mental Health. Can a meaningful friendship bridge a 51-year age gap and help combat social isolation? Meet Peter and Pooja; two unlikely companions whose intergenerational bond proves that friendships can flourish when we break…

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Trauma Masterclass: Understanding and Repairing Our Hidden Wounds 2:43:28

2M ago2:43:28

2:43:28

Today we’re revisiting some of our favorite episodes to explore one of the most salient topics in psychology today: trauma. We begin by tracing its developmental roots with Dr. Lindsay Gibson and Dr. Bessel van Der Kolk, before looking at how it can be passed down through family systems with Dr. Mariel Buqué, associate somatic therapist Elizabeth F…

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End Self-Punishment: Curiosity, Joy, and Real Growth with Joe Hudson 1:16:52

2M ago1:16:52

1:16:52

Forrest is joined by one of the world’s top executive coaches, Joe Hudson, for a conversation focused on how we can reduce self-punishment and live more fulfilling lives by welcoming our emotions and loosening identification with the critical mind. They discuss Joe’s “The Golden Algorithm” - our tendency to recreate the emotions we try to avoid - a…

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Emotional Regulation: How to Feel Your Feelings Flexibly 1:27:05

2M ago1:27:05

1:27:05

Dr. Rick and Forrest discuss how we can regulate our emotions by feeling, managing, and processing them more effectively. They begin by unpacking common misconceptions and clarifying what healthy regulation looks like - feeling our feelings without being overwhelmed by them. From there, they walk through the three key steps of emotional regulation,…

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Trauma or Personality, When to Walk Away, and Burnout: October Mailbag 59:46

3M ago59:46

59:46

Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag to answer listener questions about trauma and its impact on personality, boundaries, anger, and burnout. They discuss how to distinguish the authentic self from the patterns we needed to learn to survive, how to balance duty to self with duty to others, and how to work with explosive anger by first joining w…

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The Psychology of Resentment: Over-Functioning, Repression, and Repair 1:18:39

3M ago1:18:39

1:18:39

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the silent killer of relationships: resentment. They discuss resentment as a combination of perceived grievance (“I was wronged”) and helplessness (“and I can’t fix it”), before talking about how over-functioning and control tendencies can lead to resentment in relationships - one person shoulders more of the load while…

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How to Believe in Yourself: Carl Rogers and Humanistic Psychology 1:21:17

3M ago1:21:17

1:21:17

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore humanistic psychology, the mid-20th century movement that redefined how therapists relate to clients. It challenged the pessimism of Freud and the mechanism of behaviorism, offering a more hopeful alternative: that our nature is fundamentally good, and our job is to let it shine through. They discuss Carl Rogers’ work, …

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AI Therapy Deep Dive: Can a Chatbot Be Your Therapist? w/ Dr. Nick Jacobson 1:25:50

3M ago1:25:50

1:25:50

AI chatbots may already be the largest providers of mental health services in the United States, raising big questions about safety, effectiveness, and oversight. Dr. Rick and Forrest are joined by Dr. Nick Jacobson to explore the risks and opportunities of AI therapy: Can a chatbot be good at therapy? Will it replace human therapists? What about A…

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How to Have a (Good) Life Crisis: Authenticity, Healthy Discontent, and the Anxiety of Choice 1:12:02

3M ago1:12:02

1:12:02

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how to use a life crisis productively, drawing on developmental stage theories, existential philosophy, literature, personal experience, and Rick’s clinical work. They examine the anxieties of death, freedom, responsibility, and choice that often underlie these crises, and discuss how we can not only cope with these anx…

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People Pleasing and the Fawn Response with Meg Josephson 1:14:32

4M ago1:14:32

1:14:32

Forrest and therapist Meg Josephson explore the fawn response, a survival strategy where safety is sought by pleasing other people. They discuss how fawning can start as self-protection in childhood, but later morph into overthinking, hypervigilance, and self-abandonment. Meg shares her own experience, including how fawning creates resentment and m…

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Anxious-Avoidant Relationships, Narcissism, and Insight to Action: Mailbag 1:11:30

4M ago1:11:30

1:11:30

Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag to answer questions about complex situations where good process really matters. They discuss whether to get back with an ex who has seemingly changed, relationships with someone with addictive tendencies, the difference between Narcissistic Personality Disorder and narcissistic tendencies, and why genuine ch…

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Limerence: The Psychology of Romantic Obsession with Brandy Wyant 1:04:07

4M ago1:04:07

1:04:07

Forrest and therapist Brandy Wyant discuss limerence, an intense and often one-sided state of romantic obsession. They explore how limerence differs from both love and ordinary crushes, why uncertainty fuels it, and how it can take over a person’s inner world. Brandy shares both clinical insights and her own lived experience, describing the obsessi…

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Mingyur Rinpoche: A Meditation Master on Anxiety, Awareness, and Awakening 1:08:50

4M ago1:08:50

1:08:50

Dr. Rick and Forrest are joined by Mingyur Rinpoche, a renowned Tibetan Buddhist teacher, to explore calming anxiety with awareness, relaxing unhealthy wanting, and finding a deeper sense of our innate goodness. Rinpoche shares how a near-death experience during his four-year “wandering retreat” transformed his relationship to fear and deepened his…

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9 Lessons from the Great Minds of Psychoanalysis 1:47:55

5M ago1:47:55

1:47:55

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the evolution of psychoanalysis after Freud, highlighting key ideas from figures like Adler, Klein, Winnicott, and Hillman. They track how the field expanded from focusing on the individual ego all the way out to exploring the existential forces that shape who we are. They focus on what lessons we can take away from eac…

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Reclaiming Anger: Trauma, Repression, and Healthy Protest with Elizabeth Ferreira 1:07:06

5M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

Forrest and associate therapist Elizabeth Ferreira talk about healthy (and unhealthy) anger. They challenge the common framing of anger as a “secondary emotion,” and explore why anger matters, how it relates to trauma, and what it can tell us about our wants and needs. They discuss how to access healthy protest and work with less healthy forms of a…

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Psychoanalysis: Therapy’s Controversial Origins 1:32:46

5M ago1:32:46

1:32:46

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore the ideas, context, and legacy of psychoanalysis, the often-controversial origin point for modern therapy. They discuss psychoanalysis’ early history and key concepts like the unconscious mind, repression, inner conflict, and transference. Alongside those major contributions, they wrestle with what hasn’t aged so well: …

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Is Self-Help Making You Miserable? 1:26:38

5M ago1:26:38

1:26:38

Forrest and Dr. Rick discuss what's really wrong with the self-help industry, going beyond the obvious pseudoscience and snake oil to examine deeper structural issues. They explore the industry's mixed-bag focus on individual responsibility, the risks of turning healing into a never-ending project, performative personal growth, narcissism, social m…

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The Freeze Response, Gifted Kid Syndrome, and BPD: July Mailbag 1:17:57

6M ago1:17:57

1:17:57

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 your actual self right now. They discuss…

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How Real Change Happens with Elizabeth Ferreira 1:09:06

6M ago1:09:06

1:09:06

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. Elizabeth and Forrest unpack the therape…

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Why Modern Life Doesn't Make Us Happy, and How to Fix It with Dr. William von Hippel 1:29:03

6M ago1:29:03

1:29:03

Life today is safer and more comfortable than ever before, so why do so many people feel unhappy, lonely, and anxious? Forrest talks with evolutionary psychologist Dr. William von Hippel about this paradox in light of our two core needs: autonomy and connection. He argues that modern life has pushed us too far in the direction of autonomy, and that…

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Rethinking Masculinity: Strength and Connection w/ Terry and Justin Real 1:05:49

6M ago1:05:49

1:05:49

Forrest is joined by renowned therapist Terry Real and his son Justin for a frank exploration of modern masculinity. They talk about why so many men feel like they’re struggling these days, and how the traditional model of masculinity perpetuates this problem. They discuss the appeal of red pill cultures, the cultural pushback against gender equali…

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Self-Sabotage: Why You Do What You Shouldn’t, and How to Stop 1:13:12

7M ago1:13:12

1:13:12

We’ve all had moments where we watch ourselves make the exact wrong choice: procrastinating on an important task, picking a fight in a good relationship, or pulling back just when things are starting to go well. This is self-sabotage, and in this episode Dr. Rick and Forrest explore why we do it and how to stop. They talk about how self-sabotage of…

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Terry Real: Relationships, Trauma, and Inner Child Work 1:17:54

7M ago1:17:54

1:17:54

What gets in the way of truly intimate, healthy relationships…and what can we do about it? In this moving episode, Forrest is joined by renowned couples therapist Terry Real to explore how we can build deeper, more meaningful connections. They unpack key concepts from Relational Life Therapy, including the shift from “me” to “us,” the difference be…

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OCD and Anxiety Disorders with Kimberley Quinlan 1:03:36

7M ago1:03:36

1:03:36

Forrest is joined by therapist Kimberley Quinlan to explore one of the most misunderstood anxiety disorders: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Drawing from her clinical and personal experience, Kimberley breaks down what OCD is, how it differs from general anxiety, and the ways it’s often mischaracterized. They discuss the core features of obses…

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People Pleasing, AI Therapy, and Sexual Transference: May Mailbag 1:17:40

7M ago1:17:40

1:17:40

In this very fun episode, Dr. Rick and Forrest open the mailbag and answer questions from listeners about people pleasing, the potential (and pitfalls) of using AI as a therapist, and what to do when you develop strong feelings for your therapist. They discuss existential themes like aloneness and agency, whether Gandalf would have made a good ther…

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Disorganized Attachment: Heal By Embracing Your Needs 1:12:28

8M ago1:12:28

1:12:28

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore disorganized, or “fearful,” attachment. This complex style occurs when emotional intimacy and distance both feel uncomfortable, and typically arises based on difficult life experiences. They unpack why this attachment pattern forms, what it feels like on the inside, and how it can change over time. Dr. Rick explains how…

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Living with Depression with Dr. Scott Eilers 1:13:26

8M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

Forrest is joined by clinical psychologist Dr. Scott Eilers to explore how he both treats and lives with chronic depression. They discuss anhedonia, the catch-22 of treatment resistance, how to build new practices when it’s the last thing you want to do, acceptance, and how a values-based approach can help someone move forward even when they’re fee…

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Live Show: Yung Pueblo on Relationships, Change, and Mindfulness 1:06:10

8M ago1:06:10

1:06:10

Forrest is joined by poet and author Diego Perez - better known as Yung Pueblo - for a live conversation recorded at City Arts & Lectures in San Francisco. They reunite the sensitive boys club to talk about how inner work transforms our relationships, what it means to love with an open hand, and the difference between attachment and commitment. Die…

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How to Change Your Personality with Olga Khazan 1:14:21

8M ago1:14:21

1:14:21

Can we really change our personalities? In this episode, Forrest is joined by someone who’s actually tried most of the things we talk about on the podcast: journalist and author Olga Khazan. Olga shares the personal experiments that led to her becoming more extroverted and agreeable, and less neurotic. They discuss the Big Five personality traits, …

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Your Parents Are Emotionally Immature. Now What? w/ Dr. Lindsay Gibson 1:20:11

8M ago1:20:11

1:20:11

Dr. Lindsay Gibson joins Forrest to explore emotional immaturity, the consequences of growing up with emotionally immature caregivers, and what we can do to change those patterns in adulthood. They discuss the key signs of emotional immaturity, including egocentrism, low empathy, and affective realism. Dr. Gibson then shares how having an emotional…

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Self-Concept: The Secret to Changing WHO You Are 1:07:24

9M ago1:07:24

1:07:24

Forrest and Dr. Rick explore how self-concept, the invisible architecture of who we are, shapes our lives. They discuss how identity can become a cage, the unconscious beliefs we have about who we are, and how loosening those beliefs might be the key to lasting change. Forrest and Rick talk about the science of psychological flexibility, how to cha…

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Linking: The Secret to Rewiring Painful Memories 1:10:35

9M ago1:10:35

1:10:35

Forrest and Dr. Rick explore one of his most powerful psychological tools: linking. Over time, linking can help us rewire the brain, softening the impact of painful memories. They discuss the neuroscience behind this process, the role of memory reconsolidation, and the importance of matching positive experiences to our original pains. Rick shares p…

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How to Get On the Same Team: Relationship Mailbag 1:08:12

9M ago1:08:12

1:08:12

Dr. Rick and Forrest answer questions focused on navigating common relationship conflicts, focusing on situations where people need to find a middle path between different needs. The discussion covers balancing sensitivity with directness, bridging differences in emotional processing speeds, setting healthy boundaries without anger, and understandi…

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How to Find Your Path in Life with David Epstein 1:23:18

9M ago1:23:18

1:23:18

In one of my favorite conversations, bestselling author David Epstein joins the podcast to explore how to find your path in life, the problem with 10,000 hours, and why generalists triumph in a specialized world. David and I discuss why sampling different paths before specializing tends to lead to more fulfillment. David explains why feeling "behin…

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How to Stop Overthinking: Rumination, OCD, and Breaking the Awareness Trap 1:11:23

10M ago1:11:23

1:11:23

Self-awareness is a good thing…right? In this episode, Forrest and Dr. Rick Hanson explore how we can stop overthinking and break the self-awareness trap: when knowing ourselves becomes an obstacle to change. They discuss the difference between reflection and rumination, the pitfalls of being "an expert on yourself," and why overthinking is often a…

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How to Get Your Life Together: The 90/10 Rule 1:19:19

10M ago1:19:19

1:19:19

There’s never been more information out there about psychology, self-improvement, and mental health, making it easy to get lost in the details and lose sight of what matters. In this special episode, Forrest and Dr. Rick apply the 90/10 rule to psychology and self-help: what are the small handful of things that tend to make the biggest difference f…

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Improving Focus and Fixing Your Attention Span 1:17:51

10M ago1:17:51

1:17:51

Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how we can improve focus and fix our attention spans in a world that is constantly trying to distract us. They discuss common reasons it’s hard to focus and three key interventions that can help most people. Rick teaches approaches from mindfulness practice, and Forrest explains how we can improve focus motivation and d…

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Protecting Yourself from Narcissistic People with Dr. Ramani Durvasula 1:20:34

10M ago1:20:34

1:20:34

Dr. Ramani Durvasula, one of the world’s leading experts on narcissism and narcissistic abuse, joins Forrest to help us learn how to understand, identify, and recover from relationships with narcissistic people. They start by discussing the traits associated with narcissism, the spectrum of narcissistic behaviors, and Dr. Ramani’s critiques of the …

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What to Do When Your Worst Fears Come True: Mailbag 59:16

11M ago59:16

59:16

Dr. Rick and Forrest open up the mailbag and answer questions from listeners, many of which focused on anxiety experiences. They start by discussing “dreaded experiences,” and how we can respond when our worst fears come true. Rick then shares how we can respond effectively to feedback, before answering a short question about taking in the good. Fo…

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Learning to Trust Yourself: How to Stop Self-Abandonment 1:06:57

11M ago1:06:57

1:06:57

In this special episode, Dr. Rick and Forrest explore how we can become more self-reliant, and learn to trust ourselves. This helps us be resilient in the face of life’s challenges, and it’s a key resource for people who tend to abandon their wants and needs. They start by discussing why some people struggle with self-trust, the difference between …

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Everything I've Learned (so far): A Guide to Personal Growth 55:46

11M ago55:46

55:46

In this special episode, Forrest focuses on the key lessons from 400 episodes of Being Well, giving you a crash course in personal growth and development. If you’re just getting into the show, or are looking for a good episode to share with people who are new to this kind of content, this is a great place to start. You can watch this episode on You…

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Letting Go: Rumination, Breakups, and How to Stop Feeling Attached 58:52

11M ago58:52

58:52

Forrest and Dr. Rick focus on one of life's most challenging but essential skills - letting go. Whether you're trying to break free from repetitive thoughts, move on from a relationship, or change an old pattern of behavior, this episode will help you learn how to release what no longer serves you. They start by exploring why letting go is so diffi…