Ironshrink

How to live with a human mind.
by Shawn T. Smith, Psy.D.

Don’t Believe Everything Your Mind Says

The mind is always looking out for our safety, but we don’t have to believe everything that it says. Read More

How to Get Your Husband to Help More

Most men don’t want to feel like children in their marriages, and most women certainly don’t want to feel like mothers to grown men. Yet many couples fall into precisely that pattern. Here's what to do about it. Read More

Why Our Minds Make Us Crazy During the Holidays

Human minds are built to keep us alive, and survival means keeping our relationships in good working order. It is no wonder that good, healthy minds can go a little wobbly this time of year. Read More

Happiness Is Not Your Mind's Job (But You Can Be Happy Anyway)

Your mind was not built to make you happy. It was built to keep you safe. But you can still find happiness, even if your mind tends toward worry, pessimism, or low mood. Read More

Five Things My Daughter Has Taught Me about Fatherhood

Our wonderful, precocious daughter is about to turn five years old. Here are some of the lessons she has taught me along the way. Read More

Money: It May Be the Only Thing Your Therapist Does Not Want to Discuss

We don't discuss it with our clients. We don't discuss it within our own professional literature. But you can be sure that we discuss money amongst ourselves. Read More

The Secret Life of a Psychologist

Jobs can require us to live double lives and be the keepers of secrets. That’s why the best attorneys, psychologists, and escorts make the most boring dinner guests. Read More

Mindfulness for Those Who Don’t Meditate

For some of us, the traditional path to mindfulness simply isn’t attractive or effective. Yet mindfulness is a vital skill in overcoming problems like anxiety or depression. Luckily, there are other ways to prevent our minds from taking over our lives. Read More

Help! My Man Is a Grump!

Depressed men are prone to irritability, and irritability can be deceiving. We can lose sight of the fact that someone who is acting like a knucklehead might actually be suffering, and it’s tough to be empathetic when we’re on the defensive against churlish behavior. Luckily, there are options. Read More

Why People Commit Suicide

September is suicide prevention awareness month. The driving force behind suicidal behavior is difficult to comprehend, but understanding the thinking behind suicide is a powerful tool in preventing it. Read More

What Do Followers Believe When Prophesy Fails Them?

One believer of the recent doomsday prophecy spent his life savings trying to warn others. Will he feel duped, or will he think it was money well spent? Read More

Should You Trust Your Psychologist?

Someone once told me that anyone who asks for your trust probably doesn’t deserve it. Yet we psychologists are implicitly asking you to trust us each time you cross our thresholds. Read More

Healthy Relationships Without Good Role Models

How do you build a good relationship when your role models have been less than stellar? Here is a bit of advice from the school of hard knocks. Read More

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Nice Genes!

Valentine’s Day is a time to reflect upon questions of eros and romance, such as: what evolutionarily-derived mate selection strategy offers the greatest likelihood of getting lucky? Turns out, you may not be choosing mates the way you think you are.

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The Art of Fine Whining

After a month of (mostly) no complaining, I’ve learned a few things about the behavior - like why it is so darned easy to do, even when things are going well.

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How to Talk to Children about Narcissism

Narcissistic behavior seems to be on the rise. How does a parent talk to a child about manners and thoughtfulness while other kids are running amok? And how can you protect your child from society’s takers? Read More

Are You a Morning Lark or a Night Owl?

Thirty to forty percent of us qualify as morning larks or night owls, and having a strong preference one way or another is no bed of roses. What does your sleep preference say about you? Read More

Letter to a Worrier’s Loved One

 

Anxiety can be a challenge for family, friends, and loved ones, too. Unfortunately, the words that come most naturally are sometimes the worst words to use.

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Shawn Smith is a licensed psychologist in Denver, Colorado.

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About Ironshrink

Shawn's blog discusses all manner of psychological topics, with a stern eye toward logic, solid research, and good therapy practice.

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Books by Shawn T. Smith, Psy.D

Image of The User's Guide to the Human Mind: Why Our Brains Make Us Unhappy, Anxious, and Neurotic and What We Can Do about It
The User's Guide to the Human Mind: Why Our Brains Make Us Unhappy, Anxious, and Neurotic and What We Can Do about It
Image of Surviving Aggressive People: Practical Violence Prevention Skills for the Workplace and the Street (Culture Tools Series)
Surviving Aggressive People: Practical Violence Prevention Skills for the Workplace and the Street (Culture Tools Series)