Embracing grieving and forgiveness can help heal anger, blame, and pain. High-conflict gray divorce can cause estrangement between parents and children. Forgiveness is for our healing, not excusing the person who hurt us. Grieving and forgiveness practices can ease pain and heal and rebuild wounded relationships. Gray divorce refers to couples aged 50 and older ending their marriage. Researchers found that the divorce rate for this group has been the fastest growing in the U.

Understanding our family through the multigenerational transmission process. Families pass on behaviors, emotions, and relationship patterns from generation to generation. The family is the first social system to which an individual is exposed. Becoming aware of our inherited patterns, we can choose which to continue and which to change. Imagine navigating through a forest, where each tree represents a family , and its roots represent its members that span back many generatio

Depression can cloud the mind, but we can improve our ability to think clearly. One mechanism of depression's effects on memory may involve neuroinflammation. Neuroinflammation appears to disrupt functions of the hippocampus, an area of the brain key in memory. Adaptive strategies and treatment may improve cognition in people experiencing depression. What was her name? I could vividly picture her. I could remember all kinds of stories and times we shared. Why couldn't I think

Seeing dating and relationships as exciting opportunities vs. stressful threats. Anxiety is a bad feeling (negative valence) of urgency (high arousal) from situations we see as threatening. Calming down is hard because we must change both our valence (think positive) and arousal (relax) to do so. With only positive refocusing, however, anxious social situations can become exciting opportunities instead. When we experience situations that are new, uncertain, or not under our c

Unpacking anxiety and OCD can make a huge difference for moms. Intrusive thoughts in motherhood are incredibly common, especially after having a baby. Intrusive thoughts that occur rather frequently and cause distress and impairment may be a sign of anxiety. Postpartum OCD is characterized by intense worry, checking behaviors, and avoidance of feared situations. Therapy, especially cognitive-behavioral therapy, is highly effective and can help you get your life back. This pos

What you see is not always what you get. Partners may not be who we thought they were. Partners may not look closely enough at each other. Partners must empathize and be more authentic with each other. In all my years of treating couples , one of the most common complaints has been that one partner has changed in some significant way immediately after marriage. Of course, the partner who complains is the one who feels betrayed, tricked, ripped off, or made a fool of. He or sh

Neuroscience can transform stress into joy and support weight loss. The chemicals that drive obesity are activated by stress. Treating a root cause of obesity, physiologic stress, is a natural alternative to drugs and diets. Research has shown that treating the stress response is associated with lasting weight loss. Physiological stress is the root cause of obesity Despite the popularity of weight loss drugs, in most cases, obesity is not caused by a deficiency of GLP-1, the

A good night's rest improves our mental health. So how do we get it? Sleep cleans the brain, clearing out waste and byproducts. When we don't get sleep, it becomes harder to focus and we experience more intrusive thoughts. Taking a hot bath and focusing on your body can help you get good quality sleep. Sleep on it. Things will look better in the morning. These tropes stand the test of time because we all know the feeling of waking up in the morning and things seeming less har

How to manage your anger, and the anger of everyone else. Anger is an emotion designed to change things. There is nothing wrong with anger. It's what you do with it that matters. You can manage someone's anger by unleashing the power of respect. We all want the same thing: to feel valued by someone else. This ancient survival truth has an enormous influence on everything we do. When we feel valued, we feel safer. Respect leads to value. Value leads to trust. And trust is base

A guide for parents on seeking mental health support for their children. Knowing when to seek help can be key to preventing long-term struggles for both your child and yourself. Mental health support is a tool for growth, not just crisis. Parental well-being matters, too. As a parent, it’s natural to focus your energy on your child’s growth, development, and overall well-being. But when your child has learning differences, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) , anx

A survey of LGBTQ+ youth quantifies fears of family shunning. Nearly half of LGBTQ+ young adults are estranged from at least one family member. LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non-LGBTQ+ adults to say they are not close to immediate family members. When trying to sustain a "family myth" or identity, relatives often cast out those who are different. I first realized how common and devastating estrangement is in the LGBTQ+ community while conducting a survey for my book,

Decreasing use of victim-blaming language for survivors of abuse. The language we use to refer to victims of abuse often fails to account for the trauma they have experienced. Many survivors of abuse develop certain coping strategies to survive and navigate their environment. Reframing can create a more compassionate approach to supporting those who have been through trauma and abuse. “Attention-seeking.” “Daddy issues.” “Abandonment issues.” “Codependent.” These are just a f

Borderline personality disorder is often confused with other disorders. BPD is frequently misdiagnosed and confused with other mental health conditions. The various labels for this disorder are often misleading. It's vital to be evaluated by a qualified therapist to get an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a challenging mental health condition that is characterized by a collection of symptoms, including emotional dysregula

How veterans with PTSD can reclaim control and improve their mental health. Prioritizing mental well-being helps veterans reduce PTSD symptoms and improve daily functioning. Small, consistent habits like movement, mindfulness, and rest promote resilience and emotional stability. Connection through nature and peer support strengthens recovery and restores a sense of purpose. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects nearly one in three veterans who served in Operations Ir

You may be surprised to learn what's at the heart of your emotional triggers. At the heart of our emotional triggers often lies a childhood narrative. When we overreact, we are likely triggered by present-day events, reawakening past events and their emotions. When we’re triggered, an earlier narrative gets activated so that we behave as if we're still in the past. Triggers give us the opportunity to locate and better understand our early narratives. (This post is Part 1 of a

In a world brimming with challenges and heartache, children often bear burdens that seem insurmountable. Just as the mighty oak grows strong when nurtured from seed, children flourish when provided with the right support—especially when it comes to their mental and emotional health. We will explore the essential role that play therapy can play in alleviating childhood behavioral health issues. Understanding Childhood Behavioral Health Issues Childhood is a wondrous phase fill

The urgent need for improved care and research for treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a major but under-recognized public health concern. Many who live with TRD shift from one failed treatment to another, and some disengage from care altogether. Changes in care and coordination for TRD patients, new research shows, could improve their prognosis. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a major public health concern that affects a substantia

ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is often seen as something only children deal with. Yet, for many adults, the...

How boredom uniquely impacts ADHD—and what life looks like when it’s addressed. ADHD brains crave stimulation—boredom creates emotional distress, not just restlessness. Chronic boredom leads to impulsivity , avoidance, and a drop in motivation and self-worth. Responding to boredom with structure and curiosity rewires behavior and restores focus. For most people, boredom is mildly uncomfortable. For someone with ADHD , it can feel intolerable—like being trapped in a slow-motio

Navigating the stormy seas of adolescence can be a daunting task. For many teens today, social media acts like both a compass and a...