Mental Health Matters

Coping with stress in a connected world

Mary McNaughton-Cassill Ph.D.

The Time of Our Lives Is All We Have

Already nostalgic for the slower pace of the pandemic? Maybe it’s time to stop trying to keep up with the Techno-Joneses.

Sibling Rivalry: It's Not Just for Kids

Is the pandemic straining your relationships with your adult siblings? You are not alone, but there are things you can do to cope.

Are We Living in the Worst of Times?

Survival is difficult. Staying optimistic may be even harder.

We Can’t Prevent Natural Disasters

The entire state of Texas just went through a week of freezing temperatures. The issue is not whether the weather is getting weirder, but how we can choose to cope.

Happy Valenkind’s Day!

Despite the rosy cards and commercials, far too many people find Valentine’s Day leaves them feeling disappointed or lonely. Maybe it’s time to repurpose this ancient holiday.

If Wishes Were Horses, Beggars Would Ride

Reality, wishful thinking, and madness. The lines are fine since they are all a product of our own minds.

Behavior Change Is Hard

Do your New Year’s resolutions fizzle before the fireworks end? Maybe it’s time to change your approach to behavior change.

Have You Given Up on New Year’s Resolutions?

Wishes and willpower are rarely enough to make a New Year’s resolution come true. Maybe it’s time to try something new.

The Holidays Won’t Be the Same This Year

Holiday traditions have to start somewhere. Maybe 2020 is the year to create your own.

Teams That Win Work Together

What if we approached education the same way we do sports? Here's the case for working together to enhance everyone’s performance.

Conservatives and Liberals See the World Differently

Red light, green light is a child’s game. But what can traffic lights tell us about navigating our political differences?

Don’t Just Elect a Candidate

Voting is just the first step. What we do after the election is what matters.

Coping With Calamity

Finding the safe space on your 2020 disaster bingo card: the value of proactive coping.

Lack of Rigor vs. Rigor Mortis in Scientific Communication

The dangers of not understanding scientific communication in the age of COVID-19.

Grading on a Curve

Are college students really failing, or is the system failing them?

Coincidence, Conspiracy, and Complicity

What do sudoku, word searches, and conspiracy theories have in common? They are all products of the human brain's quest for plots and patterns.

Heroism Doesn’t Have to Be Dramatic

Who is going to save us in 2020? Look in the mirror.

The Kids Will Be Alright

This won’t be a normal school year. But growth can stem from crisis and change.

Decision Making in the Age of COVID-19

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the way it is framed matters. The same is true of the decisions we make.

We Could All Use Some Psychological First Aid

We teach everyone how to do CPR. Maybe we should do the same thing with Psychological First Aid.

Unmasking the Mask Controversy

Why face masks have become so divisive.

Name Blame

Sticks and stones can break our bones, but names deserve some blame as well.

Spelling Errors and Social Unrest

People everywhere are risking their lives to protest social inequity during a pandemic. But lasting change won't happen until we ensure that all public schools are created equally.

Why Paying Attention to Our Collective Mental Health Is Critical

Why do we keep treating mental illness as a footnote rather than the main story?

Driving a Virus Away

Cars have always loomed large in American culture, but they have taken on an essential role during the coronavirus pandemic.

Easier Said Than Done

What is the coronavirus pandemic teaching us about education?

Imperfectly Surviving the Perfect Storm

There is no perfect way to survive the coronavirus pandemic, but that doesn’t mean we should quit trying.

Viral Anger

COVID-19 triggers both inflammation and anger, but allowing either to grow unchecked can cause lasting damage.

Screening Reality

Has the viral lockdown started to make you wonder where screens end and real life begins? Here's how to manage this new reality.

Dam the Virus!

COVID-19 has generated waves of illness, death, and even terror worldwide. To win the battle, we need to contain the virus and manage our own stress and anxiety.

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