Using AI to Care for Sexual Assault Survivors

When recovering from trauma, artificial assistance is no substitute for human relationships. But it is a start.

When recovering from trauma, artificial assistance is no substitute for human relationships. But it is a start.

When You're Afraid Everyone Knows You've Been Psychotic

When I had my psychotic breaks, I feared everyone could tell I'd ‘gone mad.' But what I feared even more was that I would never belong. Never matter.

When I had my psychotic breaks, I feared everyone could tell I'd ‘gone mad.' But what I feared even more was that I would never belong. Never matter.

8 Preventable Pitfalls of Restorative Justice Processes

What if accountability wasn't framed as a spiteful threat of banishment and ridicule, but instead a pathway back to relationality for people who actually want to change?

What if accountability wasn't framed as a spiteful threat of banishment and ridicule, but instead a pathway back to relationality for people who actually want to change?

I Really Screwed Up. Now What?

You may have made a really big mistake today, possibly even one that is life-changing, but you can empower yourself to do the hard work to grow beyond it.

You may have made a really big mistake today, possibly even one that is life-changing, but you can empower yourself to do the hard work to grow beyond it.

7 Warning Signs of Abuse in a Relationship

7. They resent questions about how they treat their partner.

7. They resent questions about how they treat their partner.

Adult ADHD and Schema Therapy: Achieve Peak Performance

Feeling held back by adult ADHD? Do repeating patterns trap you from reaching your full potential? Learn how schema therapy with an expert psychiatrist can help you thrive.

Feeling held back by adult ADHD? Do repeating patterns trap you from reaching your full potential? Learn how schema therapy with an expert psychiatrist can help you thrive.

Color Is More Than Skin Deep

Colorism, rooted in colonialism, harms BIPOC individuals' self-esteem. Using shadow work and art therapy, clinicians can help clients confront biases and promote healing.

Colorism, rooted in colonialism, harms BIPOC individuals' self-esteem. Using shadow work and art therapy, clinicians can help clients confront biases and promote healing.

How Are Shame, Guilt, and Embarrassment Different?

Embarrassment, shame, and guilt are all negative emotions you experience when you have done something wrong. Despite their similarities, they are distinct in important ways.

Embarrassment, shame, and guilt are all negative emotions you experience when you have done something wrong. Despite their similarities, they are distinct in important ways.

The Paradox of Blackmail

If it is legal to demand $1,000, and legal to expose your neighbor's affair, why is it illegal to ask for $1,000 in exchange for not exposing his affair? The answer may surprise you.

If it is legal to demand $1,000, and legal to expose your neighbor's affair, why is it illegal to ask for $1,000 in exchange for not exposing his affair? The answer may surprise you.

Signs of Intimate Partner Violence: Bruises, Marks, and Scars

Intimate partner violence has complex and toxic dynamics. The dehumanization of victims can include physical violence that leaves visible evidence of harm, pain, and disfigurement.

Intimate partner violence has complex and toxic dynamics. The dehumanization of victims can include physical violence that leaves visible evidence of harm, pain, and disfigurement.

Orgasm Gap? It's More Complicated Than That

When a man and woman have sex together, she is less likely to orgasm than he is. While couples should discuss this fact, orgasm is not the best way to measure sexual experience.

When a man and woman have sex together, she is less likely to orgasm than he is. While couples should discuss this fact, orgasm is not the best way to measure sexual experience.

How Shame and Guilt Impact Relationships

Guilt and shame both affect relationships. The former can lead a person to repair their relationship, whereas shame often causes a person to distance themselves.

Guilt and shame both affect relationships. The former can lead a person to repair their relationship, whereas shame often causes a person to distance themselves.

Are You Lying to Your Therapist? Are They Lying to You?

The request for total honesty in therapy is a tall order.

The request for total honesty in therapy is a tall order.

Healing Trauma: An Intro to "Parts" Therapy

A Personal Perspective: Internal Family Systems (IFS) or "parts" therapy can heal old wounds and break unhelpful patterns that get in our way.

A Personal Perspective: Internal Family Systems (IFS) or "parts" therapy can heal old wounds and break unhelpful patterns that get in our way.

Healing Trauma with IFS or "Parts" Therapy (Part Two)

Internal Family Systems (IFS) or "parts" therapy is a powerful and easily learned method of healing old wounds and breaking unhelpful patterns that get in our way.

Internal Family Systems (IFS) or "parts" therapy is a powerful and easily learned method of healing old wounds and breaking unhelpful patterns that get in our way.

Bypassing Trauma in Donor-Conceived People

Parents can build and expand their donor families by practicing early disclosure and by facilitating early donor-family connections to circumvent trauma in donor-conceived people.

Parents can build and expand their donor families by practicing early disclosure and by facilitating early donor-family connections to circumvent trauma in donor-conceived people.

What Good Is Regret?

Our regrets may preserve an emotional attachment to someone or something we lost or someone or something we should have avoided in the first place.

Our regrets may preserve an emotional attachment to someone or something we lost or someone or something we should have avoided in the first place.

“You’re Just Too Sensitive”

Viewing emotions within the greater context of our values radically changes our relationship with them.

Viewing emotions within the greater context of our values radically changes our relationship with them.

Could There Be Benefits to Saving Yourself for Marriage?

A complicated question that's complicated by shame.

A complicated question that's complicated by shame.

Unseen Family Caregiving

Common stressors with being the mother of an adult child with bipolar, schizophrenia, or major depression.

Common stressors with being the mother of an adult child with bipolar, schizophrenia, or major depression.

Shame, Relationships, and Adverse Childhood Experiences

Shame is common to the human condition. Recognizing, accepting, and changing our response to shame helps us to live more joyfully.

Shame is common to the human condition. Recognizing, accepting, and changing our response to shame helps us to live more joyfully.

The Social Roots of Youth Suicide

Why do some communities find their young people to be more vulnerable to suicide than others? Our research identifies the social roots of youth suicide to improve prevention.

Why do some communities find their young people to be more vulnerable to suicide than others? Our research identifies the social roots of youth suicide to improve prevention.

We Don't Have to Be Ashamed of Aging

Personal Perspective: We all go through it, no one is immune, and nothing produces more universal shame in our society than aging.

Personal Perspective: We all go through it, no one is immune, and nothing produces more universal shame in our society than aging.

Have Children Lost the Ability to Fail Successfully?

Is the way we look at failure in school harmful to children's development? Let's talk about how to re-frame it and fail successfully.

Is the way we look at failure in school harmful to children's development? Let's talk about how to re-frame it and fail successfully.

How a Non-Disclosure Agreement Can Cause Emotional Harm

When individuals cannot discuss their painful experiences with others, it hinders their ability to psychologically process the event, impeding healing and post-traumatic growth.

When individuals cannot discuss their painful experiences with others, it hinders their ability to psychologically process the event, impeding healing and post-traumatic growth.

Was That a Real Orgasm?

Is it ever appropriate to ask a partner if they faked an orgasm? Why interrogating a partner about their intimate experience may not be the best approach.

Is it ever appropriate to ask a partner if they faked an orgasm? Why interrogating a partner about their intimate experience may not be the best approach.

"But I Don't Want to Blame My Parents!"

How do we heal old childhood wounds without blaming our parents?

How do we heal old childhood wounds without blaming our parents?

How to Survive a Malpractice Lawsuit With Your Soul Intact

Malpractice litigation can be emotionally devastating to a healthcare practitioner. But there are ways of preventing this.

Malpractice litigation can be emotionally devastating to a healthcare practitioner. But there are ways of preventing this.

A Broader Picture of Sexual Compulsivity

The field of "sex/porn addiction" is a contentious one that comes with much confusion and myths. Thankfully, the field of sexology can bring clarity with a sex-positive approach.

The field of "sex/porn addiction" is a contentious one that comes with much confusion and myths. Thankfully, the field of sexology can bring clarity with a sex-positive approach.

Control Is the Opposite of Love

While self-protection is good in moderate doses, it can, in higher ones, lead to excessive pride, which masks vulnerability and hinders the prospect of love.

While self-protection is good in moderate doses, it can, in higher ones, lead to excessive pride, which masks vulnerability and hinders the prospect of love.