The Mean Instinct: Why We Exclude Others and How to Stop
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” ~Unknown “Girls are mean!” I nodded knowingly as my boss struggled to explain the difference between raising boys and girls. I couldn’t speak to raising boys, but I remembered all too well what it was like when my daughters were growing up. Girls traveled in […]
Why Is Social Connection So Hard for Young Adults?
Social connectedness is vital to well-being, but members of Gen Z are hesitant about interacting with one another in today’s online and polarized world, says Stanford psychologist Jamil Zaki. That disconnection comes at a cost: Young adults increasingly report lower levels of happiness than middle-aged and older adults. Here, Zaki talks about why that is […]
Psychoeducation and Somatic Interventions for Sexual Trauma
Defining the Terms of Sexual Assault The first step in helping patients who are survivors of sexual trauma is allowing them to choose the words they may want to use to describe their experience. Many survivors come to sex therapy for sexual disorders like Genito-Pelvic Penetrative-Pain Disorder, Anorgasmia, or lack of desire. They may come […]
Netflix/Adolescence and Gottman Emotion Coaching
The Netflix miniseries Adolescence has ignited critical conversations about the challenges teenagers face today, particularly concerning the influence of social media, online radicalization, and the emergence of toxic subcultures. The series follows the harrowing journey of a 13-year-old boy accused of murdering a classmate, delving into themes of bullying, masculinity, and the impact of online […]
How to Show Someone You’re Listening
How often do we feel misunderstood by those around us, even our closest friends and family? On the other side of the equation, how often do we feel as though we are unable to adequately provide comfort to our loved ones, even when we have the best intentions? Licensed psychologist Caroline Fleck’s new book is […]
Tame Insomnia With This Type of Exercise
Like many older adults, I have issues with insomnia. In fact, a recent article claims that at least 50 percent of adults over 65 are afflicted with sleep problems of various sorts. Really, just 50 percent? From conversations with my peers, I would have guessed…oh, 100 percent. Some people have problems getting to sleep; others […]
Transmuting Shame: None of Us Need to Be Fixed
“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection.” ~Brené Brown, Atlas of the Heart This past year, I started the journey of investigating—maybe even befriending—“my” shame. I use quotes around the “my” because most of the shame is not mine; much […]
Borderline or Narcissistic? | Psychology Today
A personality disorder is a type of Mental health condition where a person thinks, feels, behaves, and relates to others in maladaptive ways. These patterns are long-lasting, often starting in childhood or adolescence, and they can cause problems in relationships, work, and everyday life. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), […]
How Poetry Changes You and Your Brain
It’s National Poetry Month this April. Is it worth celebrating? After all, poetry doesn’t seem to be doing much to alleviate the tension in our communities. Ask some of the middle schoolers I’ve taught in the past, and they might say a whole month dedicated to poetry is a time for mourning, not celebration. In […]
The importance of sibling relationships
Siblings….your relationship with them is one of the most important ones in your childhood and into adulthood. Parents want to help their kids get along. More than 80% of kids in the U.S. grow up with one or more siblings (more than grow up with fathers!) yet the importance of these relationships is not always […]