Dr. Jud Brewer works in the field of habit change and the “science of self-mastery”, combining over 20 years of experience with mindfulness training and a career in scientific research. He is passionate about understanding how our brains work, and how to use that knowledge to help people make deep, permanent change in their lives — with the goal of reducing suffering in the world at large.

Dr. Jud is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University, as well as a research affiliate at MIT. Before that, he held research and teaching positions at Yale University and the University of Massachusetts’ Center for Mindfulness.

Learn more about Dr. Judson Brewer: https://drjud.com/
Follow Dr. Jud on X: https://twitter.com/judbrewer

00:00:33 – Sean introduces Dr. Judson Brewer
00:05:07 – Dr. Jud outlines the layout of the workshop
00:06:21 – Reflection questions to begin the session
00:15:56 – Case study: A connection between anxiety and mindful eating
00:20:40 – Dr. Jud’s first meditation retreat
00:24:44 – New brain vs. old brain
00:25:23 – The research of B. F. Skinner
00:26:45 – Weight Watchers commercial
00:28:52 – Reinforcement learning
00:33:52 – Reward-based learning
00:40:39 – A common misconception about dopamine
00:49:25 – Question: Does dopamine cause attention?
00:52:26 – Question: Does running create dopamine?
00:54:37 – Responding to cravings with awareness
01:00:27 – Increasing our awareness of hunger cues
01:04:27 – Question: What role does the vagus nerve play in our eating habits?
01:08:29 – Three steps of habit change (followed by breakout room)
01:10:43 – Exercise: Mapping out a habit loop
01:12:09 – Reflections from the awareness exercise
01:15:56 – Free habit mapper
01:16:22 – Working with our habits
01:25:07 – The math of mindful eating
01:28:52 – Exercise: Asking, ‘What are you getting from this?’
01:30:18 – Reflections from the second exercise
01:33:56 – Question: What foods do you suggest using for mindful eating exercises?
01:38:56 – Rewards that are more rewarding
01:43:10 – Question: When surfing the urge, what is the difference between willpower and curiosity?
01:45:00 – ‘The only way out is through.’