In my office and outside of my work as a therapist, I notice that people often wish their significant others would change. They even take on ownership of the result; for example, they believe their partner didn’t change because they didn’t communicate well enough or didn’t stay persistent enough. Further adding to their frustration, we…Read more »

If your end goal is feeling understood or growing closer together, you might want to avoid the phrase “we need to talk.” As a therapist and 50+-year-old, I’ve heard countless “we need to talk” stories. And unfortunately, I’ve seen too many of these well-intended moments go wrong. People wanted connection and to work through something but were…Read more »

On March 2, 2022, the World Health Organization announced, “In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by a massive 25%.” With so many of us struggling with mental health issues right now, accessible, simple options that can help us improve negative symptoms are especially important, such as…Read more »

What is body image? Body image is the perception of one’s body and related thoughts and beliefs. Below, I discuss this topic, particularly how it relates to boys, with Charlotte Markey—a Psychology Today blogger, author, professor of psychology, and founding director of the health sciences center at Rutgers University. (Click for full article)

Years ago, I was co-chair of a committee that spearheaded the creation of the Nine Truths About Eating Disorders document, based on Cynthia Bulik’s 2014 “9 Eating Disorders Myths Busted” talk at the National Institute of Mental Health. Witnessing more than a dozen major entities in the field supporting, aligning, and agreeing was a powerful,…Read more »

February 17 will be Random Acts of Kindness Day, a holiday unique in that it’s backed by scientific research. Studies confirm that kind actions can improve our states of well-being. And now, new research in Frontiers in Psychology — “‘Kindness by Post’: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Participatory Public Mental Health Project” — documents the beneficial effects of both giving…Read more »

Valentine’s Day can be an uncomfortable, tricky holiday if you’re without a dependable date or mate (and wish you had one. Totally OK if you don’t want that, too!). Perhaps knowing a bit more about the holiday’s varied history can give you some freedom and creativity with how you celebrate it—that is, if you acknowledge it at…Read more »

People say, “I don’t have a problem with food”; “I like eating healthy”; or “I suck at dieting“-type statements. Yet, they do have a problem with food, can’t eat any other way, and don’t suck at dieting. Unbeknownst to them, they’ve developed problematic eating, disordered eating, or even an eating disorder—and aren’t aware of it. I’m a therapist with 15 years of experience…Read more »