Living Well When Your Body Doesn't Cooperate

Anxiety

Coping With Physical Anxiety Symptoms

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on April 18, 2026

Physical symptoms of anxiety can decrease your sense of capability. Yet, feeling incapable is a symptom of anxiety, and not a fact of your body.

Physical symptoms of anxiety can decrease your sense of capability. Yet, feeling incapable is a symptom of anxiety, and not a fact of your body.

Relationships

Setting Boundaries in Your Romantic Relationship

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on February 28, 2026

Setting and implementing boundaries facilitates trust and cohesion in romantic relationships.

Setting and implementing boundaries facilitates trust and cohesion in romantic relationships.

Self-Esteem

Strengthening Self-Worth

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on January 24, 2026

Low self-worth can lead to unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and worsening mood. Taking steps to strengthen self-worth creates helpful behavior and boosts mood and well-being.

Low self-worth can lead to unhelpful thoughts and behaviors and worsening mood. Taking steps to strengthen self-worth creates helpful behavior and boosts mood and well-being.

Chronic Pain

Changing How Your Brain Perceives Pain

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on December 27, 2025

When pain is the result of a misfiring pain alarm, try recalibrating the alarm by approaching pain as a safe sensation.

When pain is the result of a misfiring pain alarm, try recalibrating the alarm by approaching pain as a safe sensation.

Post-Traumatic Growth

Chronic Illness and Post-Traumatic Growth

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on November 22, 2025

Living with a chronic illness or disability can create loss and distress, yet these challenges can also transform you in beneficial ways.

Living with a chronic illness or disability can create loss and distress, yet these challenges can also transform you in beneficial ways.

Stress

Empty Your Stress Bucket

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on October 27, 2025

Taking steps to manage stress throughout the day keeps you from feeling overwhelmed and at a breaking point.

Taking steps to manage stress throughout the day keeps you from feeling overwhelmed and at a breaking point.

Chronic Illness

Feeling Helpless in the Face of Chronic Illness

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on September 23, 2025

Chronic illness is often unpredictable, leading to uncertainty and feelings of helplessness. There are strategies you can practice to manage uncertainty and feel more empowered.

Chronic illness is often unpredictable, leading to uncertainty and feelings of helplessness. There are strategies you can practice to manage uncertainty and feel more empowered.

Chronic Pain

Chronic Pain and Sleep

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on August 13, 2025

Chronic pain can worsen sleep, and poor sleep can worsen chronic pain. It is possible to practice helpful strategies to set the stage for improved sleep.

Chronic pain can worsen sleep, and poor sleep can worsen chronic pain. It is possible to practice helpful strategies to set the stage for improved sleep.

Relationships

What Are Your Relationship Values?

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on July 14, 2025

To foster effective relationships, it is helpful to reflect on your relationship preferences and values.

To foster effective relationships, it is helpful to reflect on your relationship preferences and values.

Chronic Illness

Living Well With Chronic Illness

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on June 19, 2025

Living well with chronic illness includes taking values-based action, not fighting against what you cannot control in the moment, and refocusing on the present moment.

Living well with chronic illness includes taking values-based action, not fighting against what you cannot control in the moment, and refocusing on the present moment.

Sleep

How to Turn Down an Overactive Mind and Go to Sleep

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on May 12, 2025

Schedule worry time, build buffers, and more.

Schedule worry time, build buffers, and more.

Perfectionism

How to Stop Hustling and Start Following Your Own Path

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on April 8, 2025

A new book offers evidence-based strategies for learning to step off the hamster wheel and stop chasing unrealistic, harmful standards that can never be reached.

A new book offers evidence-based strategies for learning to step off the hamster wheel and stop chasing unrealistic, harmful standards that can never be reached.

Chronic Illness

Dating With a Chronic Illness

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on March 15, 2025

The challenges of dating can be amplified when living with a chronic illness or disability, but practical strategies can help with navigating this potentially stressful process.

The challenges of dating can be amplified when living with a chronic illness or disability, but practical strategies can help with navigating this potentially stressful process.

Motivation

Stop Shoulding on Yourself

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on February 8, 2025

The phrase “Stop shoulding on yourself” is a reminder that it is easy to create unrealistic and non-genuine self-expectations based on a sense of should vs. true desires or values.

The phrase “Stop shoulding on yourself” is a reminder that it is easy to create unrealistic and non-genuine self-expectations based on a sense of should vs. true desires or values.

Anxiety

Managing Health Anxiety

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on January 11, 2025

Excessive worry about serious medical conditions, known as health anxiety, can interfere with daily life. Some practical skills can help tamp down the anxiety.

Excessive worry about serious medical conditions, known as health anxiety, can interfere with daily life. Some practical skills can help tamp down the anxiety.

Anxiety

The Fire Alarm of Anxiety Is Going Off But There Is No Fire

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on December 14, 2024

Anxiety can misfire like a malfunctioning alarm and alert you of danger in the moment when there is none. Coping skills can recalibrate your anxiety alarm, making it more accurate.

Anxiety can misfire like a malfunctioning alarm and alert you of danger in the moment when there is none. Coping skills can recalibrate your anxiety alarm, making it more accurate.

Catastrophizing

Cut Out Catastrophizing

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on November 23, 2024

Catastrophizing fuels and maintains distress. To pull out of this negative focus on the future, engage with the present moment.

Catastrophizing fuels and maintains distress. To pull out of this negative focus on the future, engage with the present moment.

Anxiety

The Observer Self: Tapping Into Awareness

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on October 16, 2024

The observer self perspective creates mental distance from unhelpful thoughts and enables values-based choices based on a whole sense of self versus one part of your experience.

The observer self perspective creates mental distance from unhelpful thoughts and enables values-based choices based on a whole sense of self versus one part of your experience.

Chronic Pain

Are You Willing to Have Chronic Pain?

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on September 14, 2024

If resisting pain is making your life worse—you feel stuck, exhausted, and removed from what is meaningful to you—try shifting from resistance to willingness.

If resisting pain is making your life worse—you feel stuck, exhausted, and removed from what is meaningful to you—try shifting from resistance to willingness.

Sleep

Benefit From Better Sleep

Jennifer Caspari Ph.D. on August 11, 2024

Whether you have been experiencing sleep problems for months or years, it's possible to improve sleep by practicing key elements of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia.

Whether you have been experiencing sleep problems for months or years, it's possible to improve sleep by practicing key elements of cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia.