Mental Health Topics

Every single one of us harbors insecurities, whether they have to do with our looks, our interests, our actions, or our mere associations—it’s a part of being human. But some of us allow these insecurities, this self-doubt to fester and completely rule our lives… and that’s when it becomes harmful….

A new study “Very young infants learn abstract rules in the visual modality” says that babies as young as three or four months can learn abstract rules simply by watching others and observing all that’s around them. While previous research found that babies could only do so from speech and…

A new study “Brain-to-brain coupling during handholding is associated with pain reduction” says that holding your loved one’s hand during difficult times will synchronize your breathing, heart rate, and brain wave patterns, and ultimately ease your pain. Additionally, the more empathy your partner has for you, the more in sync…

WARNING: Movie spoilers included! Purpose of the Intake Evaluation Kylo Ren was referred to me by his previous therapist, who had chosen to end sessions after being “Force-choked” by Mr. Ren. The client told me that he sought continued services due to ongoing experiences of rage, disappointment in himself, and…

Parents often worry about their kid’s behavior and performance in school—especially when they reach the teens. This is typically the time when kids fall out of their routines, and as a result, their academic success hangs in the balance. In hopes of keeping them on the right track, parents oftentimes…

The past few days, my dad has been telling me to have more patience. He’s a slower moving individual (both physically and mentally), as he’s reached his late 70’s, and finds my fast pace incredibly annoying as well as exhausting. And I, of course, hold the opposite to be true—always…

Parenting Expert Julia Cook understands just how difficult parenting can be at times—especially if/when your child has a temper tantrum. She explains that a child’s increasing anger is comparable to a shaken soda: “Think of anger as bubbles inside of a two-liter bottle of pop. When the bottle is shaken,…

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a form of the better-known cognitive behavioral therapy, which was developed by Marsha Linehan in the late 1980s. It highlights the importance of individual therapy as well as group skills training and teaches clients helpful skills such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotion regulation. While…

When I was in middle school, my gym teacher told me that high school was absolutely brutal. “You’ll wish you never left the 8th grade,” she said. So naturally, on the first day of 9th grade, I walked into my new school with wide eyes and shaky knees, prepared for…

Have you ever witnessed a friend become increasingly aggressive during a night out? As their bar tab grows, so does their aggression and hostility. They get into a silly (but heated) argument with another friend or better yet, a random person minding their business in the corner. And before you…

Breakups are rarely easy: you’ve spent valuable time together and gotten to know each other at a deeper level than most. But that doesn’t mean you should or could make the relationship work. If you’ve decided that it’s time to go separate ways, it’s important you communicate that to your…

I’ve always craved adventure—but I finally did something about it during my sophomore year of college. I signed up for a study abroad program that would immerse me in the far-off lands of Switzerland and Africa. This is perfect, I thought. I get to experience two completely different cultures. I’ll…