Off the Couch

Thoughts about the therapeutic process, and the dynamics of client-therapist interactions.

F. Diane Barth L.C.S.W.

7 Ways to Get to Sleep, Stay Asleep, and Get Back to Sleep

COVID-19 has created an epidemic of sleeplessness. Here are 7 ideas from sleep experts to help you deal with wakeful nights.

What Is "Coronasomnia?"

A sleep specialist confirms what you probably already know: "With COVID-19, we recognize that there is now an epidemic of sleep problems."

What If Your Partner Is Unfaithful?

More couples may be having affairs during the pandemic. What does it mean? And what should we do to protect our own relationships?

Christmas Blues During the Pandemic

For many, the holiday season this year is looking bleak and sad, even though vaccines for COVID will likely be available fairly soon. Why are we having such a hard time?

7 Rules of Friendship Can Improve Your Romantic Relationship

With the pandemic spiking and couples together 24/7, tensions are rising and relationships are shaky.

A Possible "Double Whammy" of Depression and Lockdown Ahead

The weather and the pandemic may fuel depression this winter. Here's what you can do to prepare.

For Singles: Sex, Dating, and Intimacy During the Pandemic

How do you date during the pandemic? What about sex and intimacy? Here's what the experts say.

The Pros and Cons of Being Organized (Yes, There are Cons)

To organize or not to organize? Research shows that there are complicated benefits—and problems—with both behaviors.

Pandemic Daydreams

Are you daydreaming your way through the pandemic? These daytime dreams can be more productive than you think.

What If Problem Behaviors Served an Important Purpose?

Two important ideas can help you negotiate problematic behaviors.

7 Ways Not to Win an Argument With Your Partner

Is COVID-19 damaging your relationship? Are you arguing more? Is your sex life diminished—or non-existent? A small shift can make a big difference.

COVID Stress Can Rev Up Frustration: 8 Ways to Downshift

Chronic stress can lead to anger, irritability as well as feelings of helplessness and hopelessness. Here are eight ways to de-stress for improved mental and physical health.

Why Is Decision-Making So Hard During a Pandemic?

Having a hard time making decisions during the pandemic? A few small changes can make a big difference.

Why Is Emotional Splitting So Hard to Deal With?

Although emotional splitting is often seen in borderline personality disorders, it's present in plenty of other situations. Here are three ways to respond.

Angry, Sad, and Weary? 5 Steps to Balance, Without Meditating

Feeling unstable, or out of balance, can be both a symptom and result of stress, leading to emotional and physical symptoms.

What Are You Afraid Of?

Change is part of life, but most of us fear it almost, and sometimes more, than we welcome it. What are you afraid of?

Focus Is Hard to Come by These Days. Here's Why.

“It takes me until about 4 p.m. to actually get work done. Often I wind up stuck mid-thought on the staircase trying to recall what I was about to do."

What's the Best Thing to Do With Your Anger?

Is COVID-19 making you angry? What should you do? (Hint: The answer isn't to express it!)

Does Working From Home Make You Blue? Research Explains Why

Research explains why working from home can make you feel down and anxious—even if it's your choice.

6 Ways to Deal with Selfish People During COVID-19

Tensions are escalating as the corona virus lingers. Selfish behavior is just one of the ways we are dealing. What can you do when someone's selfishness impinges on you?

Are You Thinking This Is Not the Way It Was Supposed to Be?

Phrases like “this isn’t how it’s supposed to be” capture the sense of loss and uncertainty of the pandemic. Here's another way to think about it.

Should You Ask Your Therapist How They're Doing?

“I know I’m not supposed to ask about your personal life,” said Judy, who had been in therapy with me for awhile before COVID-19. “But I’m worried about how you're doing."

Exercise Can Help Right Now—5 Ways to Start Moving

Research tells us that exercise is a way of dealing with stress. Here are five ways to get motivated when you can't make yourself exercise at home.

Feeling Anxious and Vulnerable? 6 Powerful Coping Techniques

In the last few days, almost every conversation in my psychotherapy office has been tinged with anxiety, if not panic. What can you do to ease your own and your family's worries?

Lies and Half Truths on Social Media

“I’m trying to teach my kids that things that they see on ads—online and on TV—often aren’t what the advertisers make them out to be,” a client said. But how could she do it?

9 Rules for Living a Good Life

“I’m not religious,” Lena said to me at the beginning of her therapy session. "So how do I teach my children values that they might have learned if we sent them to Sunday school?"

Does Being Critical of Your Partner Equate to a Bad Relationship?

Whether you're the critic or the criticized, criticism in a relationship can leave you feeling more vulnerable and alone. But there may still be hope for your relationship.

Can Your Search for a Romantic Partner Be Making You Lonely?

Many of us see a connection to a special someone as the solution to loneliness. But the search for that special person can lead to more loneliness. Here are some things you can do.

Treating Democracy Grief in Psychotherapy

Traditionally, therapists take a neutral position on politics and other strongly held beliefs. But contemporary politics make some of us wonder about that stance.

OK, Boomer: “You’re Too Old to Understand”

“You don’t understand,” a 22-year-old client told me. “You’re from a different generation. I know you’re trying, but you don’t get it."

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