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

Environment

The World Is Trying to Change You. Let It.

Maggie Rowe on December 8, 2025 in Bodhisattva Wannabe

What if you don’t need more self-improvement, only more weather? Could the world be better at rearranging your mind than you are?

What if you don’t need more self-improvement, only more weather? Could the world be better at rearranging your mind than you are?

Stress

Better Ways to Manage Your Holiday Stress

Erin O’Connor Ed.D. on December 8, 2025 in Scientific Mommy

Holiday joy shouldn’t require perfection. Here's why stress spikes this season, what truly brings happiness, and how small shifts can make your family’s holidays feel lighter.

Holiday joy shouldn’t require perfection. Here's why stress spikes this season, what truly brings happiness, and how small shifts can make your family’s holidays feel lighter.

Mindfulness

One Big Reason Why Mindfulness Is So Good for Anxiety

Michael Stein Psy.D. on December 8, 2025 in Understanding the Anxious Mind

Need help motivating yourself to consistently use mindfulness for anxiety? Here's one of the biggest reasons why it helps so much.

Need help motivating yourself to consistently use mindfulness for anxiety? Here's one of the biggest reasons why it helps so much.

Stress

First-of-Its-Kind AI Digital Biomarker for Chronic Stress

Cami Rosso on December 8, 2025 in The Future Brain

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers unveil a new artificial intelligence (AI) deep learning digital biomarker for chronic stress based on CT scans.

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers unveil a new artificial intelligence (AI) deep learning digital biomarker for chronic stress based on CT scans.

Boundaries

When Boundaries Are Weaponized

Rachel Allyn Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in The Pleasure Is All Yours

Boundaries are becoming more prevalent on social media as pseudo-empowerment, too often used to cancel people, exert control, and avoid accountability.

Boundaries are becoming more prevalent on social media as pseudo-empowerment, too often used to cancel people, exert control, and avoid accountability.

Creativity

Creative Inspiration Unfolded Simply for Me

Kent Roberts on December 8, 2025 in ADD Phoenix

Personal Perspective: Self-love helps me move toward good things.

Personal Perspective: Self-love helps me move toward good things.

Adolescence

Chore Therapy for Troubled Tweens and Teens

Dona Matthews Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Going Beyond Intelligence

Troubled tweens and teens need to feel loved, valued, and respected. Household chores can be a surprisingly powerful tool in a parent's toolbox for helping that happen.

Troubled tweens and teens need to feel loved, valued, and respected. Household chores can be a surprisingly powerful tool in a parent's toolbox for helping that happen.

Leadership

Three Skills to Make Work More Meaningful in 2026

Wes Adams and Tamara Myles on December 8, 2025 in Meaningful Work

Want 2026 to feel different at work? Skip resolutions. Small, science-backed habits can make your days more meaningful, energizing, and human.

Want 2026 to feel different at work? Skip resolutions. Small, science-backed habits can make your days more meaningful, energizing, and human.

Addiction

Why Do We Love the Drunken Raccoon?

Peg O'Connor Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Philosophy Stirred, Not Shaken

Personal Perspective: Many of us envy the drunken raccoon because he bears no responsibility for a crazy night.

Personal Perspective: Many of us envy the drunken raccoon because he bears no responsibility for a crazy night.

Self-Help

Do You Still Feel That You’re Not Good Enough?

Diane E Dreher Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Your Personal Renaissance

Do you still feel that you're not good enough? Here's how you can benefit from the power of self-compassion.

Do you still feel that you're not good enough? Here's how you can benefit from the power of self-compassion.

Self-Help

The Performance of Healing

Megan Ashley Smith on December 8, 2025 in Unpacking Therapy Culture

Healing isn’t a performance. This post explores the hidden burnout of being “the evolved one” and offers a path back to authenticity.

Healing isn’t a performance. This post explores the hidden burnout of being “the evolved one” and offers a path back to authenticity.

Introversion

How Writing a Book Convinced Me I'm an Introvert

Kate Kaufmann on December 8, 2025 in Unapparent

Personal Perspective: Are you an introvert or an extrovert? See how writing a book was the key to finding my true temperament.

Personal Perspective: Are you an introvert or an extrovert? See how writing a book was the key to finding my true temperament.

Happiness

Why Mexico City Was Good for My Mental Health

Judith Fein on December 8, 2025 in Life Is a Trip

A Personal Perspective: Travel can be transformative, and travel to Mexico City can be both transformative and healing.

A Personal Perspective: Travel can be transformative, and travel to Mexico City can be both transformative and healing.

Sex

Why Do Sex-Based Wellness Groups Feel So Magnetic?

Tara Well Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in The Clarity

Psychology explains the pull toward sexual wellness communities.

Psychology explains the pull toward sexual wellness communities.

Emotions

Feeling Overwhelmed by Christmas? Building Contentment Can Help

Kelly-Ann Allen Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Sense of Belonging

A calmer approach to the season begins with noticing what is already enough. Being content at Christmas might be easier than you think.

A calmer approach to the season begins with noticing what is already enough. Being content at Christmas might be easier than you think.

Parenting

Two Truths Can Exist at the Same Time

Margo Lowy Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Maternal Ambivalence

Ambivalence, while mostly a misunderstood and undesirable notion word, holds profound meaning and potency for everyday life.

Ambivalence, while mostly a misunderstood and undesirable notion word, holds profound meaning and potency for everyday life.

Relationships

Psychopathic Traits in Relationships: Perception vs. Reality

Mark Travers Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Social Instincts

How partners perceive each other's personalities may outweigh the reality, new research finds—particularly when it comes to psychopathic traits.

How partners perceive each other's personalities may outweigh the reality, new research finds—particularly when it comes to psychopathic traits.

Sex

When to Have Sex When Dating

Bruce Y. Lee M.D., M.B.A. on December 8, 2025 in A Funny Bone to Pick

Say you are dating someone. How long should you wait to have sex with him or her? Three months? Three weeks? Three dates? Three minutes? Well, the answer is a matter of trust.

Say you are dating someone. How long should you wait to have sex with him or her? Three months? Three weeks? Three dates? Three minutes? Well, the answer is a matter of trust.

Creativity

The Art of Effortless Action: Achieving More by Doing Less

Robert Puff Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Meditation for Modern Life

Pushing for success often pushes it away. Discover the "art of effortless action" and how finding joy in the process can actually lead to your greatest achievements.

Pushing for success often pushes it away. Discover the "art of effortless action" and how finding joy in the process can actually lead to your greatest achievements.

Family Dynamics

'Dear Edward': An Unlikely but Meaningful Flight Companion

Elisabeth J. LaMotte LICSW on December 8, 2025 in Cinematherapy

"Dear Edward" is about loss, survival, and the way community helps us carry the unimaginable. Despite its central tragedy, the novel was a meaningful and memorable travel companion.

"Dear Edward" is about loss, survival, and the way community helps us carry the unimaginable. Despite its central tragedy, the novel was a meaningful and memorable travel companion.

Parenting

The 5 People Most Likely to Become a Helicopter Parent

Mary Ann Little Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Childhood Narcissism

A parent whose personality type or background has led to overparenting should address the root causes to establish healthier behavior with their children.

A parent whose personality type or background has led to overparenting should address the root causes to establish healthier behavior with their children.

Relationships

Write Your Own (Relationship) Script

Phil Stark LMFT on December 8, 2025 in Dude, Where’s My Car-tharsis?

Conflict in relationships can be mitigated by developing a greater awareness of what we really feel and why, and then communicating this information clearly and effectively.

Conflict in relationships can be mitigated by developing a greater awareness of what we really feel and why, and then communicating this information clearly and effectively.

Sex

Should There Be Sex Toys in the Santa Stockings?

Amy Campbell MClinPsych on December 8, 2025 in Psyched About Sex

When a parent asks what age is too young for a sex toy, the question isn’t really about the device. It’s about how we’re shaping the next generation’s relationship with pleasure.

When a parent asks what age is too young for a sex toy, the question isn’t really about the device. It’s about how we’re shaping the next generation’s relationship with pleasure.

Attention

How to Sensationalize Your Image in the New Year

Wendy L. Patrick, J.D., M.Div., Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Why Bad Looks Good

Want to refresh your image in the new year? Here are some bold and beautiful new ideas.

Want to refresh your image in the new year? Here are some bold and beautiful new ideas.

Boundaries

The 6-Step Process for Setting Healthy Family Boundaries

Jen Lumanlan M.S., M.Ed. on December 8, 2025 in Parenting Beyond Power

Knowing you need a boundary and actually setting one are different things. The six-step process starts with what drains you and ends with holding guilt without caving.

Knowing you need a boundary and actually setting one are different things. The six-step process starts with what drains you and ends with holding guilt without caving.

Child Development

When Emotional Silence Becomes Violence

Sigifredo Castell Britton Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Emotional Origins of Violence

A contract killer sits across from me, quiet and unreadable. What turned him violent wasn’t rage; it was a childhood spent in emotional silence, completely unseen.

A contract killer sits across from me, quiet and unreadable. What turned him violent wasn’t rage; it was a childhood spent in emotional silence, completely unseen.

Narcissism

How Narcissists May Use Money to Get Their Way

Max Alberhasky Ph.D. on December 8, 2025 in Psychology, Money, and Happiness

How narcissists often use money to feel powerful, control loved ones, and bet on themselves.

How narcissists often use money to feel powerful, control loved ones, and bet on themselves.

Diet

Food and Mood

CooperRiis Healing Community on December 8, 2025 in A Healing Community

The winter holidays strain the systems that keep us balanced. Discover how and why this happens, plus small, doable ways to stay steady, energized, and in good spirits.

The winter holidays strain the systems that keep us balanced. Discover how and why this happens, plus small, doable ways to stay steady, energized, and in good spirits.

Philosophy

The Difficult Art of Leaving What You Loved

Chester H. Sunde, Psy.D. on December 8, 2025 in Platonic Psychology

When someone's disorder becomes undeniable, wisdom means acting—not in anger, but in recognition that their chaos is not yours to fix by enduring it.

When someone's disorder becomes undeniable, wisdom means acting—not in anger, but in recognition that their chaos is not yours to fix by enduring it.