Off the Couch

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

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

Is Loneliness Making You Sick?

Recent research confirms that loneliness increases the risk of poor health—and even premature death. But overcoming loneliness is not about changing who you are.

For Better Family Conversations, Lose These 3 Behaviors

The three techniques that often backfire when you’re trying to motivate a child or change a person’s behavior.

Selfish or Generous? Science Explains Which Is Better

Is it always good to be generous and giving? Is selfishness always bad?

Do You Ever Feel Like a Fraud?

Did you know that highly successful professionals in every field sometimes worry about being frauds? See what you can do if you suffer from this problem as well.

Can Empathy Be Taught?

Why do so many people do things we can’t understand and that we would never do? And what can we do about it?

4 Ways to Get Through Any Life Change

You should be happy and excited to make positive changes in your life, right? So why do you feel so stressed?

Why Is It So Hard to Change?

While it’s hard enough to figure out why we behave in certain ways, it’s even harder to change those old behavior patterns.

Why We Love to Hate Whistleblowers

Why are women and men who report wrongdoing attacked instead of praised? Psychology explains.

Problem to Solve? You Never Imagined It Could Be So Easy

Facing a problem that you just can’t solve? If so, you’re not alone.

Do Men and Women Do Friendship Differently?

Just how different are friendships between men and women?

Need New Friends? Don’t Know How to Make Them?

Some of us make friends easily, almost without effort, while others find it much harder. Here are 6 ideas to make it easier.

Congratulations, You’ve Graduated! Now What?

Graduation has traditionally been anxiety-provoking. But this year’s class faces particularly difficult times. Some suggestions for how to move forward.

Keeping a Journal Can Be Good for Your Emotional Health

Are you feeling sad? Angry? Happy? Excited? Bored? Writing down what’s going on in your life can change your mood and even improve your health.

Disappointment Hurts. What Can You Do About It?

Do you fear disappointment so much that you actually change your behavior just so that you won’t have to feel it? Research says you can change this instead.

7 Ways to Fight Debilitating Shame

Most of us try our best to hide our shame, and the behavior that led to it, from others, and even from ourselves. Here are some better ways to cope.

4 Reasons You Succeed or Fail — and 4 Ways to Do Better

There are a number of different reasons for both success and failure. Here are four keys to help you reach your goal.

What Makes It so Hard to Walk Away From a Bad Situation?

Whether from a broken relationship or harassment at work, why do we have such a hard time saying, “This isn’t working for me,” and just walking away from a painful situation?

Do You Say Different Things About #MeToo in Private?

If you have mixed feelings about #MeToo, should you just stay silent? Or is there a better idea?

Betrayed by Your Best Friend? 6 Ways to Heal Your Heart

There are books galore about handling infidelity in a marriage. But what about when it's a friend who is disloyal, hurtful, or unfaithful?

How Confirmation Bias Affects You Every Single Day

Confirmation bias affects you more than you realize. What is it and how does it work?

How Well Adapted Are You?

What makes one person better able to adapt than another? The answer to this question is perhaps less obvious than we like to think.

Looking for the Perfect Gift for Your BFF? Help Is Here

Is trying to find the perfect gift for your best friend overwhelming you? These tips can simplify the task.

Arguing Politics With Friends? One Word Makes a Difference

This little word can change how you approach political conversations with friends, family, and anyone else in your life.

10 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays as an Interfaith Couple

If you need a flow chart to figure out where you’ll be on a given day during the holidays and to help you remember who celebrates what and when, these 10 ideas will help!

In Love With a Narcissist? 6 Ways to Make It Work

Despite popular belief, loving a narcissist can be rewarding in many ways. What can you do to make sure your love will last?

7 Ways to Respond When Someone Shames You

Everyone feels humiliated at some time or another. These 7 steps will help you deal.

Living in a World of Opposites, What's the Best Way to Cope?

We live in a world filled with turmoil and contradictions. How do we manage the feelings they stir up? And what can we do to make things better?

Are You Conflict Avoidant or Conflict Seeking?

Learning to manage conflict is extremely important in every area of life. But what's the best approach to conflict management?

When Trust Is Gone, What Can You Do?

We live in a time when everyone is talking about trust and no one seems to be feeling much of it. Here's what you can do when you no longer trust.

Saying Goodbye? 5 Ideas for Emotionally Healthy Farewells

Whether you’re saying goodbye to a child, a pet, or a house, to a marriage or partnership, or to a loved one who is dying, farewells can be painful. How can you make them easier?

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