How Do Social Structures Shape Your Well-Being?
Systemic, structural change has always been a part of the perspective of the Greater Good Science Center. In a 2022 essay, editor Jeremy Adam Smith defines structural forces in the context of our work this way: Slavery was a structural force, setting a stubborn pattern of social, cultural, economic, and interpersonal relationships between Black and […]
How Classroom Rituals Help Create Community
As a fifth-grade public school teacher, April Archer is constantly looking for ways to bring warmth and intentionality into her classroom. Student-led conferences were coming up, and she wanted something to brighten the room—not just visually, but emotionally. With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, she invited her students to reflect on what they felt […]
From Campus to Career | Psychology Today
Every spring, graduates walk across stages with caps, gowns, and dreams. But in today’s rapidly changing economy—where automation, AI, and industry disruptions are the norm—a diploma alone no longer guarantees a pathway to a stable career. For far too many students, particularly first-generation and underrepresented learners, the leap from classroom to career remains uncertain and […]
How Thinking About the Future Reshapes Your Brain
Have you ever noticed that simply imagining something positive happening in the future can instantly brighten your mood? Thinking about an upcoming vacation or an event you’re really excited about? That’s not just optimism at work—it’s your brain changing in real-time. Recent neuroscience shows us that when you intentionally think about positive possibilities ahead, you’re […]
Where Race and Caste Collide in Trauma Recovery
In the United States, the language of race is always close to the surface—coded in ZIP codes, school districts, traffic stops, and sentencing disparities. But caste walks in differently. It is quieter, more camouflaged, wrapped in euphemisms like “merit,” “culture,” “upbringing,” or “respectability.” It is dressed up in family WhatsApp threads and diaspora fundraisers. It […]
How Children Are Influenced by Their Neighborhoods
Parents want what’s best for our children—and our current parenting culture offers an endless stream of suggestions for how to set kids up for success. Though most of this advice focuses on individual actions—parenting strategies or weekend enrichment, for example—our children are also hugely influenced by factors outside the home, such as the neighborhoods they […]
How to Deal with Shame
Shame is a debilitating feeling that takes over the mind and body. It can make you feel small and incomplete while building walls around you to keep out compassion. Despite wanting to be seen and known, shame causes people to hide behind masks instead. Healthy shame vs. toxic shame Shame is felt universally across countries […]
Finding a Culturally-Relevant Therapist
Long before I became a psychologist, the idea of Mental health as an Asian American was fraught with complexity. For many cultures, the very idea of admitting that we have mental struggles goes against every fiber of our being. The stigma of having a “mental illness” is something that is pathologized and shunned. Many suffer […]
A Small Habit That Might Help Relieve Depression
There are many reasons to be a giving, charitable person. Giving to others helps us cement relationships, elicit gratitude, and connect communities. It can also make us feel happier and healthier, both mentally and physically. Still, that doesn’t mean giving is always easy. For example, if you suffer from depression, you may find it too […]
Understanding Protective Frames | Psychology Today
When we think of viewing a tiger, there are three possible scenarios. Firstly, the tiger is in the cage and I feel safe. Conversely, the tiger is without a cage and I feel terror. And lastly, the cage is without the tiger and it’s just boring. However, under certain conditions called protective frames even the […]