What is Engaged Listening?
In the modern age of many distractions, active and engaged listening is a skill most people could afford to improve. Paying close attention to what others are saying and truly seeking to…
How Common is Tocophobia? (Fear of Childbirth)
Most women experience some anxiety and fear about labor and childbirth. It is a significant event and the pain that women experience during childbirth is no secret. When the fear becomes so…
Living Vicariously Through Your Child?
It is safe to say that parents want the best for their children, as parents are generally well-intentioned in how they raise their families. However, it can be tempting for parents to…
Help! Your Body Not Keeping Up With Your Mind?
Many of us respond to increased competing demands in life by trying to do more. We work longer hours and push ourselves to fit more in. However, this comes at a cost,…
Do Those with Egocentric Bias Have Difficulty Forming Relationships?
An egocentric bias involves a perspective that is heavily weighted towards a person’s own point of view. One with such a cognitive bias has difficulty seeing things from another’s perspective. In this…
Should We Be Wary Of Friends Who Ask Loaded Questions?
Faulty communication in a relationship can lead to a conflict and a breakdown quickly. There are certain patterns of communication that can create toxicity and do damage in a relationship. One question…
Delusions of Grandeur
A delusion of grandeur refers to a person’s false belief that they are someone other than who they are or believe they have special powers. It is commonly identified by strong beliefs…
What is Hebephilia
Hebephilia refers to the primary or exclusive adult sexual interest in pubescent individuals ranging from age 11-14. Hebephilia is differentiated from pedophiphilia, which involves exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children (up to…
The Benefits of Crying
Contrary to the beliefs of some, crying is an important component of mental health and wellness. The benefits of crying are often unrecognized, overlooked and under- appreciated, as it can be good…
Do You Have Cellphone Separation Anxiety?
At first glance, the idea of cell phone separation anxiety can seem flippant. Could people being away from their phones actually cause extreme problems or stress? While it is not officially a…
Kleptomania and Why it is Complicated
Kleptomania is a relatively rare mental health disorder characterized by the recurring inability to resist stealing. People with this condition have experienced repeated, unsuccessful attempts to quit stealing. The urges and actions…
What is the Diffusion of Responsibility
Many of us have heard extreme stories of catastrophic events taking place and learning that there were people nearby who did not take action to help a victim in need. This is…
What is Cyclothymia?
Cyclothymia, also known as Cyclothymic disorder is characterized as a less severe, more chronic type of biopolar disorder. It involves episodes of hypomanic symptoms (euphoria and elevated mood) as well as depressive…
10 Signs You Might Be a Perfectionist
Perfectionism contributes to high stress and anxiety. There can be confusion sorting through what is high achieving vs perfectionism. The critical difference is that perfectionism is the need to achieve self-imposed, unreasonable…
Can Circadian Rhythm Affect Our Mental Health?
There are physical and mental health benefits to keeping with a daily routine, particularly as it relates to sleep. The natural patterns and activities that occur in a 24 hour period are…
Am I a Type B Personality?
The Type A/B personality theory is popular and commonly referenced in the mainstream. Understanding people and their personalities is complex and sophisticated. Many factors contribute to our personality. The Type A/B model…
How Theory of the Mind Helps us Understand Ourselves
Theory of the mind references the ability to think about the mental state of ourselves and others. It includes understanding how thoughts, beliefs, desires, intentions, perceptions and feelings impact behavior. An important…
The Bystander Effect in Emergency Situations
The term bystander effect has been described as the trap of inaction. It describes the phenomenon during which the presence of others discourages people from taking action in an emergency situation. The…
What is Triangulation Psychology?
Triangulation is a tactic used to manipulate an interaction between two people who are not communicating directly with each other. It is problematic because a third person becomes involved in a situation…
What Is Parsimony Psychology, Could It Be For Me?
WPsychology can feel abstract and intangible for some to understand. Brain functioning is complex and much of it still remains a mystery. Scientists are committed to simplifying the study of psychology and…
What is the Split Attraction Model?
According to the split attraction model, how someone experiences attraction can be split into categories. For some people romantic and sexual attraction are distinctly different experiences. The split attraction model recognizes that…
Stockholm Syndrome, When you Become your Worst Nightmare
Stockholm syndrome has been referred to as traumatic bonding. It is a survival strategy involving victims can experience feelings of trust or affection towards their captors in situations of kidnapping or hostage…
The Subtlety of Microaggressions
Microaggressions can describe behaviors or comments that was subtle, inflict insult or injury on individuals, based on their identity with a certain group. It is a term to describe brief and common…
Are Anxiety Chat Rooms Helpful?
Participating in an online chatroom could be tempting, particularly for individuals with anxiety. It is often a subtle way to share your feelings and learn from others about their experiences. To some,…
How Jealousy can Ruin Your Relationship
Jealousy is a common challenge in intimate relationships. While the impact of jealousy can range in intensity and severity, it is damaging and will lead to disconnection. Jealousy can be insidious, as…
How Online Therapy is Changing the Mental Health Landscape
Let’s face it: the internet has changed the world forever, and it’s unlikely that we’ll ever return to the likes of the world before the internet. For good and bad, this global…
How to Recognize Verbal Abuse
Verbal abuse often goes unnoticed and unrecognized. It is more subtle than physical abuse yet can cause similar emotional damage. Verbal abuse can occur in any relationship: home, spousal, friendships, or work.…
Live Your Life
DO YOU. There has been recent attention drawn to this expression, reflecting the message to be yourself. Being you and doing you starts with knowing yourself. In one of his last appearances,…
Let’s Understand Serial Monogamy
Monogamy in and of itself is often considered a positive, desirable attribute of a relationship in western culture. It is when two people commit to date or marry each other, without having…
The Best Mindfulness Apps You Should be Using
“As countless people have discovered over the past twenty-five years, mindfulness is the most reliable source of peace and joy.” -Tich Naht Hahn The term mindfulness is heard everywhere, including corporate boardrooms.…
Why Do People Take Part In Risky Behavior?
No lives are completely void of risk taking; however, there is a vast continuum of risk seeking behaviors. Risky behaviors are those that expose us to harm or danger in pursuit of…
Is Alcohol a Stimulant or a Depressant and is it Really So Dangerous?
Alcohol is commonly considered in a separate class from drugs. However, even though it is legal, alcohol does fall into the category of drugs. Alcohol is in fact a drug. There is…
What is a Dysfunctional Family?
The descriptor of “dysfunctional family” is used broadly without a clear definition. The term dysfunction suggests that something is broken or clearly not functioning properly. While there is a continuum of severity,…
What is Priming?
The priming effect is when the introduction of one stimulus impacts how people respond to subsequent stimulus. L. L. Jacoby provides the definition as an increased sensitivity to certain stimuli due to…
What is Schizoid Personality Disorder and How Can it be Treated
A Personality disorder is a type of mental illness that involves long term, chronic unhealthy and dysfunctional patterns of thinking and behaviors. Personality disorders include long-standing and enduring patterns of behavior, which…
Understanding Schizotypal Personality Disorder
A personality disorder is a mental condition that is chronic and pervasive throughout one’s life. It is identified by an unhealthy pattern of thinking, interpreting events, behaving, and reacting. It causes difficulties…
How to Overcome Social Anxiety
Most of us have experienced anxiety or self consciousness during a social situation. Public speaking is a common source which may include self-consciousness, embarrassment, or physical symptoms such as flushing, sweating, or…
Train your Brain: Neuroscience and Depression
Imagine if you could have control over the workings of your mind. Innovative findings in neuroscience tell us that we can actually train our brains in ways that will have a positive…
Change Your Life by Escaping from a Victim Mentality
“Self-pity is our worst enemy and if we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in this world” Helen Keller Many of us are prone to getting stuck in a victim…
A guide to understanding existential crisis and how it can be resolved
The term existential crisis can be used flippantly and we may experience different understandings of the term. Having a clear purpose is proven to be vital to living a meaningful and healthy…
Useful Tips to Overcome Self Loathing
Many of us have high expectations of ourselves and can get stuck in the trap of self criticism. However, it can turn into a vicious and damaging cycle of self loathing. Once…