The Benefits of Accepting Your Unwanted Emotions
Since it is difficult to accept unwanted emotions, it helps to understand the benefits of doing so. We need a helpful carrot, a reason for the pain. Being open to feeling emotional pain without purpose can feel reckless, masochistic, and devoid of Self-compassion. The first step in accepting our emotions is understanding that they serve […]
The Top 10 Insights from the “Science of a…
After a year that feels like it has pushed many of us apart, our selection of the top scientific insights of 2024 are nearly all about how we come together and how we’re interconnected—across time, distance, and difference. Some insights speak to the ways we can connect with people with disagree with, and how this […]
Our Favorite Parenting Books of 2024
Parents and practitioners caring for parents are always looking for ways to foster deeper connections between parents and their children and teens, and to help parents and kids navigate societal stress and strain. Our favorite parenting books of 2024 provide parents and people who support parents with scientific insights and guidance on how to cultivate […]
How to Navigate Your Family’s Political Divides
Although the 2024 U.S. election has ended, many are still carrying the weight of months of political stress, regardless of the candidate they supported. Nearly 70 percent of American adults report feeling this strain (American Psychological Association, 2024). Tensions remain high, divides persist, and, perhaps most painfully, those divides are affecting relationships with friends and […]
Our Favorite Books for Educators in 2024
How we educate our youth is changing. The OECD is now prioritizing student and teacher well-being. UNESCO has called for a “new social contract for education that will help us build peaceful, just, and sustainable futures for all.” And CASEL reports that 80% of schools have implemented social-emotional learning (SEL), in spite of the pushback—all […]
How to Deal with Teen Loneliness in an Age of Technology
Helping your teen socialize in real life. Source: Ron Lach/Pexels A growing body of research shows that young people are more likely to feel lonely than older adults. Loneliness can be especially hard for teens since it can affect them in several ways. Forty-two percent of high school students reported feelings of sadness or hopelessness […]
6 Dangers of Holding In Your Feelings
Source: Vika_Glitter/Pixabay Ask Jake what he does if his partner does something that bothers him, and he’s likely to say that he “lets it go.” Jake’s not alone—a lot of men in particular, but also many women, learned to not express their feelings nor even use them as information in a healthy way. Jake’s “letting […]
The Simple Meditation Technique That Changed My Life
“Stay in the moment. The practice of staying present will heal you. Obsessing about how the future will turn out creates anxiety. Replaying broken scenarios from the past causes anger and sadness. Stay here, in this moment.” ~Sylvester McNutt For two years, I studied and practiced meditation. I listened to podcasts, chanted mantras each morning, […]
Integrating Psychedelic Experiences Together | Psychology Today
Psychedelic drugs are gaining a lot of attention as powerful opportunities for Mental health treatment and personal growth. Psychedelic experiences can be especially powerful for making relational changes, because psychedelics like ketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin help us think more flexibly, understand different perspectives, get out of old habits, and be more connected to others. One […]
Are You in an Emotionally Abusive Relationship?
Source: MAYA LAB / Shutterstock I am often asked, “how do I know if I am in an emotionally abusive relationship?” And I always respond with, “Well, how do you feel in your relationship?” This response can be frustrating for those individuals who are looking for a checklist—an itemized list of specific behaviors that they […]