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

Relationships

Why Fear of Intimacy Is Sabotaging Your Chance at Real Love

John Kim LMFT on February 17, 2025 in The Angry Therapist

When you let go of your fear, when you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you open the door to real connection.

Workplace Dynamics

The Psychology of Work Email

Michael W Wiederman Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Mindful Professional Development

Are your email messages as effective as they could be? Try these six tips for creating more effective email communication at work.

Chronic Illness

Mothering Adult Children With Chronic Illness

Judith R. Smith, Ph.D., LCSW on February 17, 2025 in Mothering in Later Life

What are the similar and different stressors that mothers of adult children with physical chronic illnesses experience when compared to psychiatric illnesses?

Burnout

Burnout Nearly Broke Me—Don't Make the Same Mistake

Ashley C. Jordan Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Leading With Connection

Overworking isn't a badge of honor—it's a fast track to burnout. Learn how to create a healthier, more balanced workplace for you and your team.

Anxiety

How to Find Calm in the Midst of Chaos

Noelle McWard LCSW on February 17, 2025 in Unpacking Anxiety

Feeling anxious in uncertain times? Learn simple, powerful ways to stay calm, regain control, and find steadiness—even when life feels chaotic.

Happiness

Why Money Is a Great Tool but an Awful Goal

Jordan Grumet M.D. on February 17, 2025 in The Regret-Free Life

Chasing money won’t make you happy—it’s a trap. Discover why wealth can’t fill the void and what truly leads to a fulfilled, meaningful life.

Emotional Validation

The Silent Killer of Relationships

Moshe Ratson MBA, MFT on February 17, 2025 in The Wisdom of Anger

Invalidation erodes love, trust, and emotional safety from the inside out. Replace invalidation with validation, creating a relationship in which both partners feel valued and understood.

Identity

Why Some Identities Stay

Ezenwa E. Olumba MSc on February 17, 2025 in Homeless Mind

Can success truly erase a difficult past? Adut Akech’s journey from refugee to supermodel reveals how a sense of identity and home is shaped by displacement and memory.

Mindfulness

Why Mindfulness Matters: A New Lens for Viewing Happiness

Maja Wrzesien Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Psychological Science Bites

Discover how practicing mindfulness can shift your perspective on happiness, helping you embrace the present, manage emotions, and build a more flexible, fulfilling life.

Child Development

Chat Over Nappies: Talking With Your Baby From Day One

The Hungry Mind Lab on February 17, 2025 in Deciphering Our Differences

Babies learn words through repeated interactions, such as the nappy change: It happens regularly, involves the same steps (undress, clean, dress), and helps babies learn words.

Creativity

3 Kinds of Hobbies That Can Help Us Thrive

Mark Travers Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Social Instincts

You need only one of each of these three kinds of hobbies to live a truly enriching life.

Motivation

Struggling to Achieve Your Goals? Try Validation

Heather Rose Artushin LISW-CP on February 17, 2025 in Well Read

Caroline Fleck's new book, "Validation," offers readers an inside look into the nuanced validation skills that can transform your relationships and help you achieve your goals.

Media

Teaching Boys to Disagree

Ray Swann Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Raising Healthy Boys

In a world where social media fuels division, teaching boys to disagree respectfully is more crucial than ever. Discover how the ASK model can help build empathy and understanding.

Teamwork

What Is the Secret to Success?

Suzie Pileggi Pawelski, MAPP and James Pawelski, Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Happy Together

Take a cue from a Super Bowl champion coach. Here are three steps to becoming a champion in life.

Therapy

How Will "Shrinking" Season 3 Navigate LA's Wildfires?

Elisabeth J. LaMotte LICSW on February 17, 2025 in Cinematherapy

Why Apple TV's "Shrinking" is must-see TV!

Feature

The Language of Color

What the Shades Reveal

Oxytocin

Mind-Mindedness, Oxytocin, and Postnatal Depression

Kate Lindley Baron-Cohen, Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Clinical Psychology

Mothers talking to their baby about their baby's thoughts and feelings can boost the baby's oxytocin levels.

Personal Perspectives

Honesty: A Rare and Precious Commodity

Diane N Solomon Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in The Narrative Nurse Practitioner

A Personal Perspective: Learning to be honest proves to be of high value.

Self-Talk

5 Costly Self-Talk Phrases That Can Trap You in Debt

Jeffrey Bernstein Ph.D. on February 17, 2025 in Liking the Child You Love

These five deceptive phrases can wreck your finances before you realize what’s happening. Are you falling for them?

Marriage

Can a Marriage Divided by Politics Be Saved?

Gina Vild on February 16, 2025 in A Buoyant Life

What to do when political differences threaten marital harmony.

Anxiety

How to Get to a Better Mental State When You're Overthinking

Alice Boyes Ph.D. on February 16, 2025 in In Practice

Six strategies for regaining control when your ruminating mind has gone rogue.

Domestic Violence

Soldiers Who Are Domestic Violence Victims

Lisa Aronson Fontes Ph.D. on February 16, 2025 in Invisible Chains

Military training ideas such as "embrace the suck" can make people more likely to submit to domestic abuse. Knowledge of these ideas and resources available promotes empowerment.

Parenting

Am I Too Old to Have a Baby?

S. Fenella Das Gupta Ph.D., MFT on February 16, 2025 in Creating 2 Pink Lines

Is there really a "perfect" age for parenting? Discover why waiting to have kids can be an advantage, despite outdated societal beliefs and lingering self-doubt.

Toxic family systems make themselves the aribters of reality - and that can make recovery difficult.

Trauma

What Every Survivor Desperately Wants But Rarely Gets

Robyn Koslowitz Ph.D. on February 16, 2025 in Targeted Parenting

Shari Franke never has to wonder if her past was real—her abusers were exposed. Most survivors don't get that. Here’s why that validation is so powerful.

Self-Help

The Big Daily Lie We Tell Ourselves—How to Stop Believing It

Jeffrey Bernstein Ph.D. on February 16, 2025 in Liking the Child You Love

Every day, we tell ourselves a small but powerful lie that keeps us stuck, stressed, and unfulfilled. The worst part? We don’t even notice we’re doing it.

Cognition

Faith Over Facts: Navigating Life Without Absolute Proof

Sam Goldstein Ph.D. on February 16, 2025 in Common Sense Science

Belief shapes human thought, guiding actions, and social bonds. While it fosters resilience and innovation, it can also lead to division. Balanced skepticism helps refine beliefs.

Mating

Why You End Up Dating People Who Aren’t Your Type

Charlie Huntington M.A., Ph.D., LPCC on February 16, 2025 in Closer Encounters

We all think we have a "type." Yet many of us have happily dated people who deviate from our preferred traits in a partner. Relationship science can explain why.

Guilt

When Doing Good Doesn’t Feel Good

Steven Stosny, Ph.D. on February 16, 2025 in Anger in the Age of Entitlement

We must learn to use past failures of compassion as motivation for future success. The trick is focusing on the effect of the behavior, rather than our intentions.