Psychology Today: Health, Help, Happiness + Find a Therapist

Relationships

Dating Without Drama: Modern Trends Support Mental Health

Suzanne Degges-White Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Lifetime Connections

Learn how intentional dating practices like slow dating and clear coding can reduce stress, boost emotional well-being, and increase joy in today’s dating world.

Learn how intentional dating practices like slow dating and clear coding can reduce stress, boost emotional well-being, and increase joy in today’s dating world.

Personality Disorders

How to Best Understand Dictators, Autocrats, and Bullies

Frederick L. Coolidge Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in How to Think Like a Neandertal

Personality disorders may be the best way to understand dictators, autocrats, and bullies, rather than labeling them crazy, mad, psychotic, fanatical, deranged, or demented.

Personality disorders may be the best way to understand dictators, autocrats, and bullies, rather than labeling them crazy, mad, psychotic, fanatical, deranged, or demented.

Perfectionism

Perfectionism Is a Misguided Way to Avoid Grief

Leon Garber LMHC on December 16, 2025 in Perfectionism

Perfectionists tend to believe they can make up for lost opportunities and failures, yet grieving them is the better way to find meaning and happiness in the present.

Perfectionists tend to believe they can make up for lost opportunities and failures, yet grieving them is the better way to find meaning and happiness in the present.

Artificial Intelligence

AI De-Skilling: Will Chatbot Use Corrode Our Humanness?

Patrick L. Plaisance Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Virtue in the Media World

Big Tech is urging us to rely on chatbots for most everything, but we need to be careful of offloading our creative and deliberative thinking, and thus losing our humanness.

Big Tech is urging us to rely on chatbots for most everything, but we need to be careful of offloading our creative and deliberative thinking, and thus losing our humanness.

Psychiatry

Psychedelics, Creativity, and Psychotropic Effects

Eugene Rubin M.D., Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Demystifying Psychiatry

By increasing neuroplasticity, psychedelics may both enhance creativity and be useful for treating a variety of psychiatric conditions.

By increasing neuroplasticity, psychedelics may both enhance creativity and be useful for treating a variety of psychiatric conditions.

Career

Why Rejection Is a Worthy Goal

Heather Rose Artushin MSW, LISW-CP on December 16, 2025 in Well Read

Early in her career, author Emma Grey felt like rejection would break her. Today, she’s made rejection something to reach for. Here's the science behind overcoming rejection.

Early in her career, author Emma Grey felt like rejection would break her. Today, she’s made rejection something to reach for. Here's the science behind overcoming rejection.

Gratitude

More Than a Season for Giving

John-Manuel Andriote on December 16, 2025 in Stonewall Strong

We all want to be seen as generous in our holiday gift-giving. But generosity is a year-round habit we can cultivate that offers benefits for our physical and mental health.

We all want to be seen as generous in our holiday gift-giving. But generosity is a year-round habit we can cultivate that offers benefits for our physical and mental health.

Motivation

Approach Your Goals Like a Scientist

Julie Radico Psy.D. ABPP on December 16, 2025 in You Are Enough

Reframing the way you think about goals may help you stay motivated and curious.

Reframing the way you think about goals may help you stay motivated and curious.

Mindfulness

Slow Down, Reflect, and Practice Self-Acceptance

Carissa Gustafson PsyD on December 16, 2025 in Reclaim Your Life

Acceptance and commitment therapy offers a gentle way to manage post-holiday blues.

Acceptance and commitment therapy offers a gentle way to manage post-holiday blues.

Narcissism

Hoovering: When Narcissists Try to Pull You Back In

Stephanie A. Sarkis Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Here, There, and Everywhere

Learn how “hoovering” works in toxic relationships, and how to protect yourself when a narcissist tries to pull you back in.

Learn how “hoovering” works in toxic relationships, and how to protect yourself when a narcissist tries to pull you back in.

Pregnancy

Perinatal Mental Health: 2025 Year in Review

Rachel Diamond Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Preparing for Parenthood

In 2025, pregnancy and parenthood were at the center of many national conversations. This review highlights significant developments in policy, research, and innovation.

In 2025, pregnancy and parenthood were at the center of many national conversations. This review highlights significant developments in policy, research, and innovation.

Politics

Principles of Dialogue and Reasoned Argument

Kenneth Barish Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Finding Common Ground

Listening to someone's story may not change our opinion about how to solve a problem. But personal stories almost always humanize our opponent, and our hostility will be softened.

Listening to someone's story may not change our opinion about how to solve a problem. But personal stories almost always humanize our opponent, and our hostility will be softened.

Therapy

Please Don't Give Me a Gift for the Holidays

Kurt W Ela Psy.D. on December 16, 2025 in Decade of Childhood

Giving your therapist a gift may seem like a nice gesture, and it often is. Still, as there may be underlying reasons for the gift, it puts the therapist in an awkward position.

Giving your therapist a gift may seem like a nice gesture, and it often is. Still, as there may be underlying reasons for the gift, it puts the therapist in an awkward position.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Cannot Replace the Expertise of Psychologists

Steven R. Shaw Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in How to Do Academia

LLMs can, in theory, be useful in therapy, but they lack accuracy for complex cases, which is why it's vital to focus on complexity as a clinical touchstone.

LLMs can, in theory, be useful in therapy, but they lack accuracy for complex cases, which is why it's vital to focus on complexity as a clinical touchstone.

Stress

No, It's Not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Dayna Lee-Baggley Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in The Psychology of Weight Loss

A psychologist’s guide to surviving holiday stress, family drama, and seasonal loneliness.

A psychologist’s guide to surviving holiday stress, family drama, and seasonal loneliness.

Career

Why Workplace Communication Fails

Lauren Florko Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in People, Planet, Profits

When workplace communication fails, it's because something gets distorted—either the message, the relationship, or the process. Good communication is about protecting truth, trust, and flow.

When workplace communication fails, it's because something gets distorted—either the message, the relationship, or the process. Good communication is about protecting truth, trust, and flow.

Philosophy

Plato's New Poetry

Chester H. Sunde, Psy.D. on December 16, 2025 in Platonic Psychology

Plato wasn't just criticizing Homer. He was competing with him, offering Greece a new mythology with new heroes.

Plato wasn't just criticizing Homer. He was competing with him, offering Greece a new mythology with new heroes.

Relationships

How to Give the Best Gifts

Emma Seppälä Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Feeling It

The secret science behind truly great gifts.

The secret science behind truly great gifts.

Happiness

A Simple Daily Practice of Happiness

Mike Travisano on December 16, 2025 in Awakening the Truth

Personal Perspective: What one small thing did you notice today that was worth noticing?

Personal Perspective: What one small thing did you notice today that was worth noticing?

Disaster Psychology

Balm Amidst the Bombs

Mitzi Perdue MPA on December 16, 2025 in To End Human Trafficking

When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, the National War Museum set out to document it. But then the museum took on an unexpected second role: psychological first aid.

When Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began, the National War Museum set out to document it. But then the museum took on an unexpected second role: psychological first aid.

Cognitive Dissonance

3 Keys to Reversing Misinformation With Cognitive Dissonance

Michael Miller, MD on December 16, 2025 in Misinformation in Life and Society

People can reject misinformation if they experience cognitive dissonance and need to choose between what they believe and alternatives from trusted messengers like you.

People can reject misinformation if they experience cognitive dissonance and need to choose between what they believe and alternatives from trusted messengers like you.

Domestic Violence

We Need to Talk About Filial Domestic Violence

Julie A. Fast on December 16, 2025 in Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder

Filial domestic violence is happening behind closed doors: parents harmed by adult children, violence excused as illness, and danger left unreported until it is too late.

Filial domestic violence is happening behind closed doors: parents harmed by adult children, violence excused as illness, and danger left unreported until it is too late.

Cannabis

The Whys of Cannabis Self-Medication

Mark S. Gold M.D. on December 16, 2025 in Addiction Outlook

Liking, wanting, and craving cannabis come from genetics, stress vulnerability, and the desire to "treat" depression, anxiety, anhedonia, and chronic pain—all risks for cannabis use disorder.

Liking, wanting, and craving cannabis come from genetics, stress vulnerability, and the desire to "treat" depression, anxiety, anhedonia, and chronic pain—all risks for cannabis use disorder.

Grief

The Role of Journaling in Grief and Recovery

Michele Leno Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in Mind Matters

Journaling can ease grief, reduce anxiety, and support healing. Discover how this simple practice helps regulate emotions and promote long-term mental well-being.

Journaling can ease grief, reduce anxiety, and support healing. Discover how this simple practice helps regulate emotions and promote long-term mental well-being.

Intelligence

The Burden of Intelligence

John Nosta on December 16, 2025 in The Digital Self

The real risk of AI isn’t that machines will think better than we do; it’s that thinking will begin to feel complete without us.

The real risk of AI isn’t that machines will think better than we do; it’s that thinking will begin to feel complete without us.

Career

Single? Why Self-Worth Matters More Than Finding “The One”

Jessica Troilo Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in It's All About the Dads

What Hallmark’s "Single on the 25th" reveals why being secure and becoming your best self, instead of avoiding being alone, is the real key to healthy relationships.

What Hallmark’s "Single on the 25th" reveals why being secure and becoming your best self, instead of avoiding being alone, is the real key to healthy relationships.

Self-Talk

3 Powerful Mantras for Telling Ourselves Better Stories

Anna Katharina Schaffner Ph.D. on December 16, 2025 in The Art of Self-Improvement

Does your self-talk hold you back? Are you telling yourself unhelpful or toxic stories? These powerful metacognitive mantras could enhance your well-being.

Does your self-talk hold you back? Are you telling yourself unhelpful or toxic stories? These powerful metacognitive mantras could enhance your well-being.

Meditation

How the ‘Fuse-Box Effect’ Can Help You at This Time of Year

Balachundhar Subramaniam MD, MPH, FASA on December 16, 2025 in A Subtle Impact

Between family and finances, the end of the year can be a time of heightened emotion. The fuse-box effect can create a space between impulse and action.

Between family and finances, the end of the year can be a time of heightened emotion. The fuse-box effect can create a space between impulse and action.

Cognition

How to Improve Cognitive Performance Through Physical Activity

Carrie H. Kennedy Ph.D., ABPP on December 16, 2025 in Alpha Blog Charlie

Exercise has been shown to boost cognition immediately and over the long-term, as well as helping to prevent a number of medical and mental health disorders.

Exercise has been shown to boost cognition immediately and over the long-term, as well as helping to prevent a number of medical and mental health disorders.