Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
@RickHanson and I discuss 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, we discuss what it means for an approach to be evidence-based, the real-world dangers of inflated claims, and therapy’s complex relationship with the medical model. We get into the weeds on study design, effect sizes, insurance, why different approaches may or may not have a large body of evidence, and how to think about the research on “common factors” in therapy. Dr. Rick and I offer a simple framework for making good decisions amidst all of this complexity.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction: the IFS article
7:27 Psychotherapy as medicine vs. personal growth practices
15:31 “Don’t know” mind versus “durrr who knows?” mind
19:50 What counts as evidence?
29:58 What does it mean for a therapy to be evidence-based?
42:38 How do we know therapy works?
53:45 Getting on your own team
59:07 Complexities with the medical model
1:10:24 How insurance and the healthcare system complicate the picture
1:18:27 Dr. Rick’s top two takeaways
1:29:05 Recap
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
@RickHanson and I discuss 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, we discuss what it means for an approach to be evidence-based, the real-world dangers of inflated claims, and therapy’s complex relationship with the medical model. We get into the weeds on study design, effect sizes, insurance, why different approaches may or may not have a large body of evidence, and how to think about the research on “common factors” in therapy. Dr. Rick and I offer a simple framework for making good decisions amidst all of this complexity.
Key Topics:
0:00 Introduction: the IFS article
7:27 Psychotherapy as medicine vs. personal growth practices
15:31 “Don’t know” mind versus “durrr who knows?” mind
19:50 What counts as evidence?
29:58 What does it mean for a therapy to be evidence-based?
42:38 How do we know therapy works?
53:45 Getting on your own team
59:07 Complexities with the medical model
1:10:24 How insurance and the healthcare system complicate the picture
1:18:27 Dr. Rick’s top two takeaways
1:29:05 Recap
I'm not a clinician, and what I say on this channel should not be taken as medical advice.
Subscribe to Being Well on:
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/being-well-with-dr-rick-hanson/id1120885936
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/5d87ZU1XY0fpdYNSEwXLVQ
Who Am I: I'm Forrest, the co-author of Resilient (amzn.to/3iXLerD) and host of the Being Well Podcast (apple.co/38ufGG0). I'm making videos focused on simplifying psychology, mental health, and personal growth.
Subscribe to Rick on YouTube: youtube.com/@RickHanson?sub_confirmation=1
Get Rick's Free Newsletters: rickhanson.com/writings/newsletters-from-dr-rick-hanson
Follow Rick Here:
🌍 rickhanson.com
📸 instagram.com/rickhansonphd
You can follow me here:
🎤 apple.co/38ufGG0
🌍 forresthanson.com
📸 instagram.com/f.hanson
