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

Leadership

Not Leadership Material? Think Again

Shannon Sauer-Zavala Ph.D. on November 15, 2025 in Self: Made

Many people assume they’re not cut out for leadership roles, but personality science says otherwise. Learn why leadership isn’t a type—and how you can develop the traits to lead.

Many people assume they’re not cut out for leadership roles, but personality science says otherwise. Learn why leadership isn’t a type—and how you can develop the traits to lead.

Depression

Researchers Identify New Risk Factor for Women’s Depression

Michael Castleman M.A. on November 15, 2025 in All About Sex

A recent study has identified a previously unreported risk factor for major depression. The lingering trauma of forced sex.

A recent study has identified a previously unreported risk factor for major depression. The lingering trauma of forced sex.

Social Media

The Dangers of Digital Trends

Ragnar Purje Ph.D. on November 15, 2025 in Recovery From Brain Injury

Explore the social media-related and broader societal concerns surrounding the “flip the camera" trend.

Explore the social media-related and broader societal concerns surrounding the “flip the camera" trend.

Parenting

Why Kids Need More Than Permissive Parenting

Lisa Liggins-Chambers Ph.D. on November 15, 2025 in Spotlight on Special Education

Learn how permissive parenting can create confusion in children, why consistency and boundaries matter, and how combining love with structure fosters secure attachment.

Learn how permissive parenting can create confusion in children, why consistency and boundaries matter, and how combining love with structure fosters secure attachment.

Anhedonia

The Stoic’s Rule for Hard Holiday Conversations

Shermin Kruse J.D. on November 15, 2025 in The Stoic Heart, the Human Whole

Holiday gatherings can trigger emotional reflexes. This Stoic strategy helps you stay calm, read the room, and negotiate tense moments with clarity and compassion.

Holiday gatherings can trigger emotional reflexes. This Stoic strategy helps you stay calm, read the room, and negotiate tense moments with clarity and compassion.

Emotion Regulation

Managing Emotional Triggers During the Holidays

Sharon Martin, DSW, LCSW on November 15, 2025 in Conquering Codependency

Feeling tense about the upcoming holidays? Learn how to spot and manage holiday triggers so you can protect your peace and stay grounded.

Feeling tense about the upcoming holidays? Learn how to spot and manage holiday triggers so you can protect your peace and stay grounded.

Divorce

Does Your Child Remind You of Your Ex?

Barbara Greenberg Ph.D. on November 15, 2025 in The Teen Doctor

To promote your child's emotional well-being and protect your relationship, learn how to think about your child and your ex as two distinct people.

To promote your child's emotional well-being and protect your relationship, learn how to think about your child and your ex as two distinct people.

Eating Disorders

The Link Between Food Scarcity and Eating Disorders

Carolyn Karoll LCSW-C, CEDS-C on November 15, 2025 in Eating Disorder Recovery

Food insecurity does more than limit access. It can alter hunger, safety, and trust in the body in ways that can increase eating disorder risk.

Food insecurity does more than limit access. It can alter hunger, safety, and trust in the body in ways that can increase eating disorder risk.

Appetite

How to Quiet Food Noise Without Medication

Dawn Clifford, Ph.D., R.D. on November 15, 2025 in Words Hold Weight

GLP-1 medications silence "food noise" for many, but have high discontinuation rates and significant side effects. Is there a better way?

GLP-1 medications silence "food noise" for many, but have high discontinuation rates and significant side effects. Is there a better way?

Forgiveness

Are You Ready to Become Forgivingly Fit?

Robert Enright Ph.D. on November 15, 2025 in The Forgiving Life

Is it easy to become physically fit? No, because it takes sustained effort and a valid approach. It is similar when the goal is forgiveness fitness.

Is it easy to become physically fit? No, because it takes sustained effort and a valid approach. It is similar when the goal is forgiveness fitness.

Environment

Inside the Minds of People Who Knowingly Destroy the Planet

Marc Bekoff Ph.D. on November 15, 2025 in Animal Emotions

Criminal psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw's new book, "Green Crime," is a page-turning exposé of why some people wantonly commit serious environmental crimes, and how to stop them.

Criminal psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw's new book, "Green Crime," is a page-turning exposé of why some people wantonly commit serious environmental crimes, and how to stop them.

Anxiety

How Going Back to Basics Can Break the Anxiety Loop

Phil Lane MSW, LCSW on November 14, 2025 in Am I Dying?

Anxiety and panic are complex responses, but the most effective way to cope with them is with simplistic, basic interventions such as breathwork and mindfulness.

Anxiety and panic are complex responses, but the most effective way to cope with them is with simplistic, basic interventions such as breathwork and mindfulness.

Psychosis

Schizophrenia Treatment Can Be More Than Just Medicating

Robert T Muller Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Talking About Trauma

Medication is the default schizophrenia treatment; however, it may not address key symptoms like social and cognitive deficits. Group therapy may be a new, promising intervention.

Medication is the default schizophrenia treatment; however, it may not address key symptoms like social and cognitive deficits. Group therapy may be a new, promising intervention.

Social Media

Why It's Not Smart to Give Your Child a Smartphone

Liz Stillwaggon Swan PhD on November 14, 2025 in The Philosopher Is In

Parents are eager to give their kids smartphones so they can "be in touch" with them. But smartphones make children out of touch with everything outside the cell phone world.

Parents are eager to give their kids smartphones so they can "be in touch" with them. But smartphones make children out of touch with everything outside the cell phone world.

Grief

A Relationship With Grief

Katie Willard Virant MSW, JD, LCSW on November 14, 2025 in Chronically Me

Living with chronic illness means living with grief. While we tend to run away from experiencing grief, what if we moved towards it and developed a relationship with it?

Living with chronic illness means living with grief. While we tend to run away from experiencing grief, what if we moved towards it and developed a relationship with it?

Trauma

Beyond a “Blessing in Disguise”

Cynthia Vejar Ph.D., LPC, LSC/PPS, NCC on November 14, 2025 in Meaningful Connections

Pain and tragedy don’t need a silver lining. Sometimes their value lies in revealing truths we wouldn’t notice otherwise.

Pain and tragedy don’t need a silver lining. Sometimes their value lies in revealing truths we wouldn’t notice otherwise.

Gratitude

The Gifts From Nature You Forgot to Notice

Dana Klisanin Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Digital Altruism

Gratitude and nature each enhance well-being. Together, they create a powerful, science-backed path to restoring attention, mood, and connection.

Gratitude and nature each enhance well-being. Together, they create a powerful, science-backed path to restoring attention, mood, and connection.

Parenting

10 Reasons I'm Glad I Didn't Have Children (and Two Regrets)

Gina Barreca Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Snow White Doesn't Live Here Anymore

Not having children is fine. It’s actually a sort of secret relief for many.

Not having children is fine. It’s actually a sort of secret relief for many.

Health

What Scientists Are Doing With Games

Simon Makin Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in The Psychology of Games

Researchers are turning to games to tackle increasingly diverse problems in wildly different ways. Some recent success stories suggest this is a trend that's set to continue.

Researchers are turning to games to tackle increasingly diverse problems in wildly different ways. Some recent success stories suggest this is a trend that's set to continue.

Happiness

Self-Care Isn't Optional, It's Imperative

Rachel Glik Ed.D., LPC on November 14, 2025 in Creating Soulful Connections

As we grasp the importance of self care, we gain confidence to honor what is best for us. This forms the basis of what we can give. Ancient wisdom and modern science agree.

As we grasp the importance of self care, we gain confidence to honor what is best for us. This forms the basis of what we can give. Ancient wisdom and modern science agree.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Doom Is Not Our Inevitable Future

David Weitzner Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Managing with Meaning

Are you afraid that AI overtaking your life is inevitable? Read on for a refresher on how to disrupt prediction, quantification, and social engineering by thinking like a human.

Are you afraid that AI overtaking your life is inevitable? Read on for a refresher on how to disrupt prediction, quantification, and social engineering by thinking like a human.

Workplace Dynamics

Giving Thanks at Work: The Science and Power of Recognition

Meredith Wells Lepley Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in The Thriving Workplace

Recognition isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a psychological imperative. Discover research-backed ways to recognize and express gratitude to employees and build thriving teams.

Recognition isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s a psychological imperative. Discover research-backed ways to recognize and express gratitude to employees and build thriving teams.

Productivity

Momentum Queue: Jumpstart Yours With Jigsaw Puzzling

Kent Roberts on November 14, 2025 in My ADD Maelstrom!

How can you turn your to-do list into a momentum queue? Get a jigsaw puzzle. Puzzle often. Make your to-do list organic. Rewrite it throughout the day. Intuit your forward motion.

How can you turn your to-do list into a momentum queue? Get a jigsaw puzzle. Puzzle often. Make your to-do list organic. Rewrite it throughout the day. Intuit your forward motion.

Happiness

Being Kind to Others and to Oneself All at Once

Kyle D. Killian Ph.D., LMFT on November 14, 2025 in Intersections

It turns out that there is something for you in being kind to others.

It turns out that there is something for you in being kind to others.

Dementia

When a Loved One With Dementia Becomes Paranoid

Kristie Wood Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Connection and Coping

Reasoning backfires when a loved one becomes paranoid. Humor, improv, and empathy can calm fear and restore connection.

Reasoning backfires when a loved one becomes paranoid. Humor, improv, and empathy can calm fear and restore connection.

Family Dynamics

The ABC-X of Christmas: A Keller Christmas Vacation

Jessica Troilo Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in It's All About the Dads

Explore family dynamics through the holidays—how secrets, stress, and relationships shape resilience and connection, inspired by A Keller Christmas Vacation.

Explore family dynamics through the holidays—how secrets, stress, and relationships shape resilience and connection, inspired by A Keller Christmas Vacation.

Habit Formation

How to Become More Self-Disciplined by Thinking Like a Pilot

Alice Boyes Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in In Practice

Borrow the best thinking from pilots to level up your routines.

Borrow the best thinking from pilots to level up your routines.

Adolescence

Managing Parental Fears When Rearing an Adolescent

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Surviving (Your Child's) Adolescence

Because an adolescent pushes for more worldly exposures and experiences to grow, a teenager has more dangers to beware than a child.

Because an adolescent pushes for more worldly exposures and experiences to grow, a teenager has more dangers to beware than a child.

Relationships

We’re Listening: But What Do We Hear?

Krystine I. Batcho Ph.D. on November 14, 2025 in Longing for Nostalgia

Greater reliance on social media and virtual reality has contributed to an expansion of preferences for audio experiences. Has the quality of listening kept up?

Greater reliance on social media and virtual reality has contributed to an expansion of preferences for audio experiences. Has the quality of listening kept up?