Maybe you feel uncomfortable when you disagree with other people, even on small matters. Perhaps you can’t bring yourself to turn down requests for help, regardless of how busy you are. You might find yourself constantly apologizing and taking the blame for things you know didn’t do, just because you don’t feel confident ...

Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, but the Supreme Court’s decision still impacts many people and will continue to have a ripple effect for generations to come. So, it should come as no surprise that many are still struggling with post-roe uncertainty. You might find yourself worrying about your rights, your health, or ...

An intimate relationship is supposed to be a safe space. You enter into this partnership with another person to gain a sense of support, trust, respect, and safety. It should be something filled with love, fulfillment, and personal growth. Unfortunately, if you end up in a relationship with someone who demonstrates narcissistic behaviors, your ...

OCD or obsessive-compulsive disorder is a mental health condition that is characterized by unwanted or intrusive thoughts or obsessions followed by repetitive behaviors or compulsions. Compulsions are performed as a way to reduce any stress or fear that is caused by the obsessions. OCD can affect anyone, no matter their age, background, gender, or ...

Infidelity is one of the most painful breaches of trust a couple can experience. Discovering a partner’s betrayal can feel like your entire world has spun upside-down. You may be second guessing your choices, your love, your meaning, and most of all, your relationship value. The path to healing is never straightforward, but ...

Living with insomnia is challenging. Maybe you’ve been tossing and turning at night while going through a major life transition or other events that have brought on chronic stress. Perhaps you’ve been struggling with anxiety, depression, or another mental health concern, and insomnia is one of your most frustrating symptoms. You might also ...

Depression can make even the smallest tasks feel impossible. While recovery from depression often involves professional treatments, small, intentional daily habits can make big changes in your ability to function. These habits don’t require a huge effort, but their cumulative effect can shift your mental and emotional state. If you or someone you care ...

As your teen nears adulthood, you might question their readiness for life’s challenges. Beyond academic achievements, success hinges on developing core competencies for navigating challenges independently. These vital skills fall under the umbrella of executive function, which governs self-regulation. Parents play a pivotal role in nurturing these abilities, fostering resilience and adaptability in their ...

It can be a wonderful thing to find love again and remarry after losing a spouse or going through a divorce. However, when you both have children, there’s no denying that bringing your two families together can come with some unique challenges. Blended families are more common than ever, but that doesn’t mean it’s ...

Anxiety in children is more common than we realize. While traditional talk therapy can be effective for some, many kids struggle to articulate their feelings through words alone. Play therapy is a unique and developmentally appropriate approach to helping anxious children express themselves, process their emotions, and develop coping strategies in a safe ...

Your brain is an incredible supercomputer, processing multiple electrical impulses per second. However, like any computer, it’s vulnerable to damage. Trauma doesn’t just affect your mind; it leaves a lasting imprint on your body, disrupting memory storage and altering brain function. Untreated trauma can lead to severe health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, ...

It’s normal to be nervous in public sometimes. But if that fear is persistent, and you experience symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, and nervousness, you may have social anxiety. Thanks to recent advances in neuroscience, we now have a clearer picture of why social anxiety happens: it’s rooted in a fear of ...

Grief is one of life’s most challenging emotions, and it can begin even before a loss occurs. This form of grief, known as anticipatory grief, often arises in situations involving serious illness or impending death. While commonly associated with adults, children can also experience anticipatory grief, though it may look quite different and ...

No one is perfect, and everyone deals with failure throughout life. While great things can often come from failures, it’s hard to recognize that in the moment. If you’ve put forth a lot of effort and come up short, it can cause you to look inward and start criticizing yourself, even with negative ...

You’ve probably heard this before: communication is the key to any relationship. But how do you use this key effectively? Communication isn’t just about talking; it’s about conveying ideas and feelings. To be a great communicator, you must be both an excellent speaker and an attentive listener. While it’s easy to emphasize the importance ...

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, is a condition where a person experiences obsessions or intrusive and unwanted thoughts followed by compulsions or repetitive behaviors. The cycle of obsessions and compulsions can cause a lot of added stress and disruptions in a person’s day, making it more difficult for them to function in their daily ...

Emotional invalidation can feel like a slow erosion of your sense of self. When your partner consistently downplays your emotions, responds with indifference, or turns your vulnerability into a debate, it’s harder to connect with them and with yourself. Emotional invalidation isn’t always dramatic or overt. It can be subtle: an eye roll when ...

As women, we’ve come a long way. We’ve earned the right to vote, to hold our wages, and to own property. We continue to fight tirelessly for equal rights and equal pay. It feels as though we still have a steep uphill battle against us. It’s hard not to notice the chaos that’s going ...

Generational trauma is a term that describes the passing down of trauma from one generation to the next. This can happen when the emotional, psychological, and even physical effects of a traumatic event are not properly processed, leading to patterns of stress, fear, and unhealthy coping mechanisms that are inherited by descendants. It ...

There’s much more to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) than meets the eye. In fact, there’s much more than how it’s portrayed in pop culture. It’s a complex and chronic condition that contains nuance far beyond jokes about forgetfulness or distractibility. Almost 10 percent of children have this diagnosis. For adults, the number ...

Parenting in the digital age of computers, smartphones, and hyper-connectivity presents unique challenges. It’s harder than ever to know who and what your children are interacting with, especially as they grow into teens. To keep your teen safe, you might feel the desire to monitor their behavior, on and offline. When does keeping your ...

Homophobia is a dislike or prejudice against members of the LGBTQIA+ community. It involves a fear, discomfort, lack of trust, or even hatred of people who are gay, lesbian, or bisexual. While we often think of homophobia in straight or cisgendered individuals, members of the LGBTQIA+ community can experience something similar due to the ...

Anxiety is often seen as a feeling of unease or nervousness. For others, it manifests in a way that may not be immediately noticeable to others. High-functioning anxiety is a common experience that many people deal with every day, yet it can be hard to recognize. While this type of anxiety does not show ...

Parenting a teenager comes with its fair share of challenges, but when your teen has ADHD, your life might be more complicated. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder impacts more than just attention spans; it influences their emotions, relationships, motivation, time management, and self-esteem. Your family isn’t alone — and there are ways to build understanding, connection, ...

Have you ever experienced a sudden, overwhelming sense of fear and physical distress that seemed to come out of nowhere? Panic attacks are sudden, intense episodes of fear that trigger severe physical reactions, despite no real danger being present. These alarming experiences can make you feel like you’re losing control, having a heart attack, ...

Nearly one-quarter of people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with a mental illness. How did we reach such a point? Of course, there are many underlying reasons and root causes, but one of the biggest is childhood trauma. When someone too young to understand undergoes a traumatic experience, it impacts their development, ...

Untreated anxiety disorders can significantly impact a teen’s life, affecting academic performance and relationships. These disorders often lead to co-occurring issues like eating disorders or substance abuse. It’s crucial to distinguish between normal worry and anxiety disorders. While worry involves dwelling on future uncertainties, anxiety disorders are characterized by excessive, disproportionate fears that ...

Most people would probably say that infidelity in a relationship is wrong. However, it’s more common than you might think, whether you’re married or not. Many factors can contribute to how common infidelity is, including age, whether a couple is married or not, and the duration of a relationship. But it can happen to ...

As a parent or caregiver, witnessing your teenager struggle with depression can be heart-wrenching. You may feel helpless and unsure how to support them through this challenging time. Adolescence can be turbulent, with mood swings and emotional ups and downs. However, when feelings of sadness or irritability persist for weeks or months, it ...

Good communication is the foundation of healthy relationships, whether personal or professional. It does not matter whether you are talking to a colleague, a family member, or a friend—how you express yourself can impact your connection. Here are five tools that can help you communicate more effectively and build stronger relationships. 1. Active Listening: ...

Listening is one of the most powerful skills you can develop in your personal and professional life. Yet, many of us are quick to jump into problem-solving mode when someone shares a difficulty or struggle. As a therapist, I see this frequently with the men and couples I work with: the natural instinct to ...

Trauma-informed therapy is an approach to therapy that understands the widespread impact of trauma on mental health. It recognizes that past traumatic experiences can shape how people think, feel, and behave. This kind of therapy creates a safe and supportive environment where clients can explore and heal from the effects of trauma at their ...

Perhaps you’ve just started going to trauma therapy. You were hoping to experience relief early on. Instead, you’re struggling with lots of complex emotions coming up during sessions. Maybe you’re thinking about pursuing therapy for trauma. Yet you’re nervous that sharing experiences you’ve tried to suppress will be too difficult. Going to trauma therapy ...

A mix of emotions washes over you as you stand in your child’s now-empty bedroom doorway. Pride in their accomplishments mingles with loss and uncertainty about their future. The transition to an empty nest can be both liberating and disorienting. Rediscovering yourself after your children leave home can be a daunting challenge. Many parents ...

We talk about it all the time — communication is key to any healthy relationship! Yet what happens if communication is different between couples? One partner may be direct and assertive, while another is more reserved and thoughtful. Both are communicating, but there is still tension. Why? Well, there may be a slight gap ...

We want to think of our families as our first sources of love, safety, and human connection. But for many people, family relationships are the roots of deep emotional wounds. Family trauma can have a lasting impact on a person’s emotional health, interpersonal relationships, and ability to function in daily life. Understanding the ...

How does one explain something as prevalent, impactful, and diverse as trauma? It takes many forms (see list below) and can occur over a long time. However, such traumatic events can take form, and they can result in immediate physical and emotional fallout that, left unchecked, can linger for decades. At least half the ...

Everyone wants to feel validated, especially when you’re in a relationship with someone you care about. However, if you’ve been in that relationship for a while, you might be guilty of letting things slide. Even if you and your partner are happy and healthy together, it’s still important to show them that they ...

The fear of rejection can profoundly affect our relationships. This anxiety goes beyond normal disappointment, manifesting as an intense worry about being disliked or abandoned. It stems from our fundamental need for connection and belonging, potentially casting a shadow over romantic, platonic, and familial bonds. Rejection anxiety can manifest subtly in relationships. Watch for ...

Parents with young children often come to mind when people think of blended families. But, with many people marrying or remarrying later in life, blended families with grown children are becoming more common. On paper, stepfamilies full of adults might seem easier. However, a blended family with grown children doesn’t come without its own ...

When you were growing up, you may have witnessed cartoons or television shows where one of the main characters was faced with a battle of having to choose between right and wrong. This was often depicted as an angel on one shoulder or a devil on the other. Each figure would give their ...

Graduating from high school is one of the significant milestones of life. As a teenager, it can be the most exciting, fulfilling thing you’ve done so far. However, as graduation season nears, you might also be thinking about your next steps. If you plan to go to college, you undoubtedly have at least a ...

Practice makes perfect. When it comes to something like communication, however, there is no such thing as perfection. Communication is something that can constantly be improved upon. And the communication styles you have with different family members, friends, or romantic partners may all look different from one another. Communication is key in any type ...

Attention to detail, hard work, and dedication are all positive qualities, and they are usually good to strive for. However, even the most positive qualities can be taken too far. When an overwhelming desire for perfect results is applied to everyday life, it can lead to unhealthy levels of pressure and stress. Perfectionism is ...

Some people view pornography as harmless entertainment. Some couples even enjoy watching it together, while others don’t have a problem if their partner watches on their own. However, pornography consumption can be a slippery slope in relationships. Studies have shown that it can damage trust, hinder communication, set unrealistic sexual expectations, and potentially lead ...

Body image struggles are often quiet, internal battles. They don’t always announce themselves loudly but instead show up in subtle, daily moments: the pause in front of a mirror, the hesitation before a photo, the way your heart sinks when clothes fit differently. These struggles can affect anyone, regardless of their size, age, gender, ...

Anxiety comes with a lot of fear and uncertainty. When you’re dealing with it, you might struggle with things like a racing heart, trembling, or feelings of nausea and dizziness. An anxiety attack, however, can exacerbate those symptoms and more. While some people refer to anxiety attacks as panic attacks, they are two different ...

Narcissistic abuse is a type of emotional abuse that is inflicted by a person who has narcissistic traits or narcissistic personality disorder. This type of emotional abuse involves a lack of empathy, manipulation, and exploitation. Narcissists will use tactics like shifting blame, love bombing, or gaslighting as a way to gain control over ...

There is an undeniable connection between psychological trauma and physical health. Trauma affects both the mind and the body, creating a complex web of responses that shape how individuals process and heal from distressing events. The effects of trauma on our physical and emotional well-being are immediate and long-lasting. Understanding this relationship between trauma ...

You might think that the idea of a man being the breadwinner of the family is outdated. However, many families still operate under this assumption, and even if you’re living in a two-income household, many men still believe that they need to be the ones to provide for their family. There is nothing wrong ...