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

Trauma

The Real Reason Trauma Affects People Differently

Antonieta Contreras on July 10, 2025 in Traumatization and Its Aftermath

Identical experiences can devastate one person while leaving another unscathed. The resons why may change how you think about trauma.

Identical experiences can devastate one person while leaving another unscathed. The resons why may change how you think about trauma.

Grief

When Motherhood Dreams End, but the Feelings Don’t

S. Fenella Das Gupta Ph.D., MFT on July 10, 2025 in Creating 2 Pink Lines

When the fertility journey ends, it doesn’t mean the feelings disappear. Here’s how to begin to build a meaningful life on your own terms.

When the fertility journey ends, it doesn’t mean the feelings disappear. Here’s how to begin to build a meaningful life on your own terms.

Aging

My Parkinson’s Year 6 Update

Larry D. Rosen Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Rewired: The Psychology of Technology

Personal Perspective: In my sixth year of Parkinson's, cognitive changes leave me wondering how much of this decline is due to the disease and how much simply to aging.

Personal Perspective: In my sixth year of Parkinson's, cognitive changes leave me wondering how much of this decline is due to the disease and how much simply to aging.

Education

Dos and Don’ts for College Students Seeking Research Experience

Roger Kreuz Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Small Talk and Big Questions

There are lots of bad ways to ask professors about working in their research labs, but these suggestions should help.

There are lots of bad ways to ask professors about working in their research labs, but these suggestions should help.

Moral Injury

Reconnecting With Our World

Jaimie L Lusk Psy.D. on July 10, 2025 in Threshold

Joanna Macy's transformative work helps us find hope, resilience, and empowerment in challenging times, contributing to a more just and sustainable world.

Joanna Macy's transformative work helps us find hope, resilience, and empowerment in challenging times, contributing to a more just and sustainable world.

Body Image

What to Say (and Not Say) About Your Child’s Body

Carolyn Karoll LCSW-C, CEDS-C on July 10, 2025 in Eating Disorder Recovery

Talk to your kids about their bodies with care and confidence, helping them build respect, trust, and a positive body image for life.

Talk to your kids about their bodies with care and confidence, helping them build respect, trust, and a positive body image for life.

Defense Mechanisms

The Sophisticated Defense Mechanism of Optimization

Vanessa Scaringi Ph.D., CEDS-C on July 10, 2025 in Body Acceptance

Constantly setting goals and seeking perfection may be a way of avoiding difficult realities. Unpacking this potential defense mechanism could help connect us to our humanity.

Constantly setting goals and seeking perfection may be a way of avoiding difficult realities. Unpacking this potential defense mechanism could help connect us to our humanity.

Artificial Intelligence

Designing Artificial Consciousness from Natural Intelligence

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on July 10, 2025 in ExperiMentations

Professor Karl Friston discusses the future of mind, intelligence, and agency.

Professor Karl Friston discusses the future of mind, intelligence, and agency.

Addiction

Addicted to Addiction

Tom Bellamy, Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Everyday Neuroscience

When so many behaviours get called addictions, what does the term really mean?

When so many behaviours get called addictions, what does the term really mean?

Chronic Illness

Neuroplasticity for Chronic Fatigue Recovery: Going Deeper

Jake Hollis PsychD on July 10, 2025 in The Fatigue Psychologist

For many people living with ME/CFS and long Covid, doing deeper psychological work can promote greater psychobiological regulation and recovery.

For many people living with ME/CFS and long Covid, doing deeper psychological work can promote greater psychobiological regulation and recovery.

Cognition

5 Tips for Overthinkers Making Major Life Decisions

Alice Boyes Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in In Practice

Here's how overthinkers can leverage the benefits of being thoughtful decision-makers.

Here's how overthinkers can leverage the benefits of being thoughtful decision-makers.

Artificial Intelligence

Liar With a Smile: Are You Being Gaslighted by AI?

Bobby Hoffman Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Motivate!

Chatbots mimic empathy without understanding—and that illusion can be dangerous.

Chatbots mimic empathy without understanding—and that illusion can be dangerous.

Stress

3 Ways Female Stress Responses Differ From Males'

Esther Sternberg M.D. on July 10, 2025 in Creating Wellbeing Wherever You Are

Females may "tend and befriend" rather than "fight or flee." Higher stress hormone responses explain their higher incidence of stress-related illnesses and could inform new therapies.

Females may "tend and befriend" rather than "fight or flee." Higher stress hormone responses explain their higher incidence of stress-related illnesses and could inform new therapies.

Trauma

Healing the Wounded Warrior

Jordan Grumet M.D. on July 10, 2025 in The Regret-Free Life

What if your ambition isn’t just drive, but a wound in disguise? Discover how unhealed trauma fuels overachievement and how true healing begins.

What if your ambition isn’t just drive, but a wound in disguise? Discover how unhealed trauma fuels overachievement and how true healing begins.

Artificial Intelligence

Using "Prompt Engineering" for Safer AI Mental Health Use

Grant Hilary Brenner MD, DFAPA on July 10, 2025 in ExperiMentations

Prompt engineering is the practice of priming LLM queries to increase quality and reliability. Users cannot fully safeguard against LLM liabilities, but these best practices might help.

Prompt engineering is the practice of priming LLM queries to increase quality and reliability. Users cannot fully safeguard against LLM liabilities, but these best practices might help.

Social Media

The Rise of the Rage Scroll

Jessica Koehler Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Beyond School Walls

There are reasons why we're drawn to negativity online, and why constant complaining shapes our mindset. Here's what you can do to take back control of your scroll.

There are reasons why we're drawn to negativity online, and why constant complaining shapes our mindset. Here's what you can do to take back control of your scroll.

Child Development

Raising a Secure Child and Adverse Childhood Experiences

Glenn R. Schiraldi Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Hidden Wounds

Secure attachment enables children to thrive and imperfect parents can provide children with this critical foundation in the first years of life.

Secure attachment enables children to thrive and imperfect parents can provide children with this critical foundation in the first years of life.

Relationships

Are You the Parent, Partner, or Child in Your Relationship?

Assael Romanelli Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in The Other Side of Relationships

Stuck parenting your partner or feeling like a child in your relationship? Here's how to shift into deeper connection.

Stuck parenting your partner or feeling like a child in your relationship? Here's how to shift into deeper connection.

Leadership

Are Girls Smarter Than Boys?

Sam Goldstein Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Common Sense Science

Evolution has given women strong executive skills, yet social bias holds them back from leadership. Promoting equity and breaking barriers will unlock their full potential.

Evolution has given women strong executive skills, yet social bias holds them back from leadership. Promoting equity and breaking barriers will unlock their full potential.

Post-Traumatic Growth

How Journaling Can Help Us Develop Self-Compassion

Kaytee Gillis, LCSW on July 10, 2025 in Invisible Bruises

We tend to be far more compassionate toward others than we are toward ourselves—especially when it comes to validation. This simple journal prompt can help us reframe.

We tend to be far more compassionate toward others than we are toward ourselves—especially when it comes to validation. This simple journal prompt can help us reframe.

Media

Media Psychology Is a New-Collar Profession

Bernard J. Luskin, Ed.D., MFT on July 10, 2025 in The Media Psychology Effect

Media psychology offers growing career opportunities for the scholar, practitioner and scholar practitioner.

Media psychology offers growing career opportunities for the scholar, practitioner and scholar practitioner.

Therapy

This Game Aims to Help Young Adults Launch

Reuben Brody LCSWA on July 10, 2025 in Liftoff

Shifting to a play mindset helps carve new neural pathways. Making therapy a game can help folks struggling to launch gain momentum. And you’re meeting them where they’re at.

Shifting to a play mindset helps carve new neural pathways. Making therapy a game can help folks struggling to launch gain momentum. And you’re meeting them where they’re at.

Parenting

Stepmoms and Biological Moms: 7 Truths No One Talks About

April Eldemire LMFT on July 10, 2025 in Couples Thrive

It's important for blended families to recognize some unspoken truths about the mom–stepmom dynamic so they can reduce conflict, ease tension, and center the child’s well-being.

It's important for blended families to recognize some unspoken truths about the mom–stepmom dynamic so they can reduce conflict, ease tension, and center the child’s well-being.

Parenting

Co-Parenting Anxiety Can Peak in Summer, but Planning Helps

Lisa Zeiderman Esq., CFL on July 10, 2025 in Legal Matters

Summer can bring joy for kids—and stress for co-parents. Learn how to avoid conflict and build a custody plan that works for everyone.

Summer can bring joy for kids—and stress for co-parents. Learn how to avoid conflict and build a custody plan that works for everyone.

Stress

The 4 Horsemen of Stress: Why Managing Stress Is So Difficult

Stephen Sideroff Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in Path of Optimal Living

Discover the deep-rooted causes of chronic stress and learn how to transform your stress response for lasting resilience.

Discover the deep-rooted causes of chronic stress and learn how to transform your stress response for lasting resilience.

Biophilia

The 'Nature Pyramid': A Blueprint for Health and Well-Being

Ross G. White Ph.D. on July 10, 2025 in The Tools for Thriving

It's widely recognized that spending time in nature will positively impact our mental health. This simple framework can help ensure that you get an adequate "dose" of nature.

It's widely recognized that spending time in nature will positively impact our mental health. This simple framework can help ensure that you get an adequate "dose" of nature.

Spirituality

Spiritual Intelligence for the Non-Spiritual

Yosi Amram, Ph.D on July 10, 2025 in Spiritual Intelligence

Even skeptics can use spiritual intelligence to lead, grow, and live inspired, connected, and empowered lives.

Even skeptics can use spiritual intelligence to lead, grow, and live inspired, connected, and empowered lives.

Hypnosis

Can Hypnosis Enhance Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapy?

David R Patterson Ph.D., ABPP on July 10, 2025 in Reducing Suffering

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) can have a powerful impact on mental health. When used correctly, hypnosis can likely enhance PAP; sloppy use, however, will likely muddy it.

Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) can have a powerful impact on mental health. When used correctly, hypnosis can likely enhance PAP; sloppy use, however, will likely muddy it.

Trauma

The Texas Floods: 6 Ways to Help Kids Feel Safe Again

Pamela Cantor M.D. on July 9, 2025 in All Kids Thriving

Feeling safe again takes time. We often underestimate how long. Caring adults can provide the support, stability, and hope young people need to get through a tragedy.

Feeling safe again takes time. We often underestimate how long. Caring adults can provide the support, stability, and hope young people need to get through a tragedy.