Practical Wisdom: Dr. Judson Brewer

Posted By Linda Tucker on May 9, 2017 |


With a background in both molecular biology and mindfulness training, psychiatrist and addiction expert Judson Brewer is here to help us to better understand how our brains work and how to break bad habits. You might be surprised to hear that the answer has more to do with being rather than achieving.

In his new book, “The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits,” Judson unpacks the science behind addictions and how we can conquer them. His groundbreaking research has been featured on 60 Minutes, NPR, Time, and the BBC. He is currently an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Medicine at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine, where he is Director of Research at the Center for Mindfulness.

Judson has become an important voice in the relatively young field of mindfulness research because he makes it accessible to everyone; reminding us that curiosity is the only prerequisite for becoming more mindful. And when we are more mindful, we can stay more present to our one and only precious life. We hope you’ll join us as Judson shows us that:

  • Developing mindfulness means noticing the “push and pull” or habitual reactions that we experience throughout the day
  • Mindfulness is restful being rather than doing
  • If we can stay curious, then we can stay mindful
  • When we foster curiosity inside ourselves, we help create more favorable conditions for concentration and equanimity to arise

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