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

Grief

I Wish Our Dog Lizzie Would Stay

Rita Lussier on November 18, 2025 in Only Slightly Empty

Personal Perspective: The vet said that 17 years is a long run for a dog.

Personal Perspective: The vet said that 17 years is a long run for a dog.

Defense Mechanisms

The Uncomfortable Truth About Ego Defense Mechanisms

Eric Haseltine Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in Long Fuse, Big Bang

Explore the challenge of letting go of reality-distorting ego defenses you didn't know you had.

Explore the challenge of letting go of reality-distorting ego defenses you didn't know you had.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Is the New Blank Screen

Mark O'Connell LCSW-R on November 18, 2025 in Quite Queerly

Artificial intelligence (AI) feels like the perfect listener, but therapy shows us why real relationships require tolerating limits. To use AI wisely, we must balance fantasy with reality.

Artificial intelligence (AI) feels like the perfect listener, but therapy shows us why real relationships require tolerating limits. To use AI wisely, we must balance fantasy with reality.

Personal Perspectives

What Truly Matters More Than the Capacity to Love?

Anthony Silard Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in The Art of Living Free

A Personal Perspective: Acceptance is the heart of mindfulness—facing what arises, and allowing both the painful and the beautiful to simply be.

A Personal Perspective: Acceptance is the heart of mindfulness—facing what arises, and allowing both the painful and the beautiful to simply be.

Perfectionism

I'm Not Good at Public Speaking

Leon Garber LMHC on November 18, 2025 in Perfectionism

Personal Perspective: Because I struggle with public speaking, I tend to overemphasize its meaning about me. This is based on perfectionism, or the belief that to be good, I need to be perfect.

Personal Perspective: Because I struggle with public speaking, I tend to overemphasize its meaning about me. This is based on perfectionism, or the belief that to be good, I need to be perfect.

Positive Psychology

How the 'Magnifying Glass' Can Help Us Find Well-Being and Joy

Beth Kurland Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in The Well-Being Toolkit

Because of how our brains filter reality, we miss countless nourishing moments each day. Here’s how a “magnifying glass” mindset can help you reclaim them.

Because of how our brains filter reality, we miss countless nourishing moments each day. Here’s how a “magnifying glass” mindset can help you reclaim them.

Trauma

What We Know About Residential Care for Vulnerable Youth

The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research on November 18, 2025 in Evidence-Based Living

Residential care facilities provide the structured, intensive care required for young people who have experienced trauma and cannot remain safely in a home environment.

Residential care facilities provide the structured, intensive care required for young people who have experienced trauma and cannot remain safely in a home environment.

Leadership

How Care Can Combat the Dehumanizing Effects of Technology

Jamie Gruman Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in Don't Forget the Basil

Technology can objectify and dehumanize employees. Building an organizational culture of care can counteract this trend.

Technology can objectify and dehumanize employees. Building an organizational culture of care can counteract this trend.

Persuasion

How to Persuade People by Giving Better Reasons

Amanda Nimon-Peters Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in The Leadership Brief

When you want something badly, your first reflex is to explain why it is important. Don't. There are far more effective ways to persuade the people who matter to us.

When you want something badly, your first reflex is to explain why it is important. Don't. There are far more effective ways to persuade the people who matter to us.

Identity

Your Life by Design

Tony Daloisio Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in The Journey of Your Life

Design a life that aligns your past, present, and future. Integrating these three stories can create clarity, momentum, and meaningful, lasting change.

Design a life that aligns your past, present, and future. Integrating these three stories can create clarity, momentum, and meaningful, lasting change.

Mating

When and How to Share Your Mental Health History in Dating

Joyce Vromen Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in Divergent Minds

Disclosing mental health history can make one feel vulnerable when dating. What happened when I shared my past depression, and what research says about timing, openness, and safe partners.

Disclosing mental health history can make one feel vulnerable when dating. What happened when I shared my past depression, and what research says about timing, openness, and safe partners.

Parenting

7 Parenting Strategies When Parenting Feels Too Hard

Jen Lumanlan M.S., M.Ed. on November 18, 2025 in Parenting Beyond Power

You know what respectful parenting looks like. So why do you keep defaulting to yelling and blaming yourself? These seven steps work when you're exhausted.

You know what respectful parenting looks like. So why do you keep defaulting to yelling and blaming yourself? These seven steps work when you're exhausted.

Time Management

Stop 'Giving People Their Time Back'

Alex Snider MA, CMF on November 18, 2025 in Human Bureaucracy

Why the politeness of “I’ll give you your time back” undermines connection, and how to honor shared time instead.

Why the politeness of “I’ll give you your time back” undermines connection, and how to honor shared time instead.

Social Life

The Most Overlooked Predictor of a Long and Healthy Life

Kenneth E. Miller Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in The Refugee Experience

The secret to a long and healthy life isn't sold by the wellness industry. It's social connectedness, and it's free, and it's vital to our physical and psychological well-being.

The secret to a long and healthy life isn't sold by the wellness industry. It's social connectedness, and it's free, and it's vital to our physical and psychological well-being.

Religion

Can Faith Lower Stress in Teams?

Gil Winch Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in Caring Leadership

Religion’s global rise and shared values provide leaders with an opportunity to align workplace realities with their religious values by promoting workplace equity and care.

Religion’s global rise and shared values provide leaders with an opportunity to align workplace realities with their religious values by promoting workplace equity and care.

Identity

Why My Mama Doesn't Eat at Thanksgiving

Felix Morton IV, PhD, LCMHC on November 18, 2025 in Hero/Complex

Personal Perspective: Black women often serve everyone else while their grief and burnout go unacknowledged. The holidays amplify this pressure, but this year can be different.

Personal Perspective: Black women often serve everyone else while their grief and burnout go unacknowledged. The holidays amplify this pressure, but this year can be different.

Relationships

What It Feels Like to Be "Loved" by a Narcissist

Mark Travers Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in Social Instincts

Two tactics narcissists use to trick their victims into falling in love.

Two tactics narcissists use to trick their victims into falling in love.

Mindfulness

How the Familiar Becomes Invisible

Sothy Eng Ph.D. on November 18, 2025 in Relationship Building

When excitement fades and days feel dull, we can renew ourselves by seeing familiar places and people as new and remembering that everything changes, including us.

When excitement fades and days feel dull, we can renew ourselves by seeing familiar places and people as new and remembering that everything changes, including us.

Adoption

The 7 Core Vulnerabilities in Adoption

Jeanette Yoffe M.A., LMFT on November 17, 2025 in The Inner Life of Foster Care

Adoption carries lifelong emotional complexity. Understanding seven core vulnerabilities helps adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families heal with truth and empathy.

Adoption carries lifelong emotional complexity. Understanding seven core vulnerabilities helps adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families heal with truth and empathy.

Gratitude

When Gratitude Is Weaponized: 5 Questions for Discernment

Kimberly Key Ph.D. on November 17, 2025 in Counseling Keys

When gratitude is used to silence suffering, it’s no longer healing. Learn five ways to discern true gratitude from pressure, control, or emotional gaslighting.

When gratitude is used to silence suffering, it’s no longer healing. Learn five ways to discern true gratitude from pressure, control, or emotional gaslighting.

Fear

From FOMO to FOFO: The Expanding Alphabet of Fears

Theo Tsaousides Ph.D. on November 17, 2025 in Smashing the Brainblocks

We named our modern fears—FOMO, FOBO, FOPO, FOFO—but clever acronyms can’t protect us from what’s really haunting us.

We named our modern fears—FOMO, FOBO, FOPO, FOFO—but clever acronyms can’t protect us from what’s really haunting us.

Empathy

From "What's Wrong With Them?" to "What Happened to Them?"

Kelly G. Manix Ph.D. on November 17, 2025 in Humble Habits

A simple shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” can transform how we navigate difficult personalities while still protecting our own boundaries.

A simple shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” can transform how we navigate difficult personalities while still protecting our own boundaries.

Chronic Pain

Low Mood and Negative Thoughts Amplify Pain in The Brain

Shana Johnson M.D. on November 17, 2025 in Healing the Pain No One Can Explain

Low mood and negative thoughts amplify pain in the brain. Therapies that reduce subconscious negative thinking reduce suffering from pain.

Low mood and negative thoughts amplify pain in the brain. Therapies that reduce subconscious negative thinking reduce suffering from pain.

Career

Are You Suffering from Promotion Grief?

Martin Dubin on November 17, 2025 in Blindspotting

Before you know it's happening, identity blindspots can subtly derail your career.

Before you know it's happening, identity blindspots can subtly derail your career.

Artificial Intelligence

The Cognitive Corridor

John Nosta on November 17, 2025 in The Digital Self

Personal Perspective: Plato's cave taught us to question the shadow. Today, AI is asking us to question something far more fleeting.

Personal Perspective: Plato's cave taught us to question the shadow. Today, AI is asking us to question something far more fleeting.

Family Dynamics

3 Life Moments That Reveal Family Dysfunction

Sarah Epstein LMFT on November 17, 2025 in Between the Generations

For those raised in dysfunctional families, major life transitions can clarify relationships and lead them toward a healthier path.

For those raised in dysfunctional families, major life transitions can clarify relationships and lead them toward a healthier path.

Psychoanalysis

The Two Psychoanalyses

Mark L. Ruffalo M.S.W., D.Psa. on November 17, 2025 in From Freud to Fluoxetine

A brief map of the two philosophical traditions in psychoanalysis and why the distinction matters for clinical work.

A brief map of the two philosophical traditions in psychoanalysis and why the distinction matters for clinical work.

Parenting

When Kids Can't Take "No" for an Answer

Claire Lerner LCSW-C on November 17, 2025 in Zero to Six

Fierce kids know how to yank their parents' chains and wear them down to get their way. It's exhausting. Here's how to respond that doesn't reinforce unwanted behavior.

Fierce kids know how to yank their parents' chains and wear them down to get their way. It's exhausting. Here's how to respond that doesn't reinforce unwanted behavior.

Shame

Italian Women Taught Me to Lose My Shame and Love My Body

Susan Biali M.D. on November 17, 2025 in Prescriptions for Life

That day on a beach in Italy, when a group of confident bikini-clad "women of a certain age" blew up my shame and self-consciousness about my aging body.

That day on a beach in Italy, when a group of confident bikini-clad "women of a certain age" blew up my shame and self-consciousness about my aging body.