Self-Improvement

Therapy is great, but it’s not the only place you can find expert insights and new perspectives that shake you to your core. Sometimes the right book at the right time can help you feel less alone, process emotions you’ve been burying, or even learn a new skill. We asked…

Treating yourself kindly isn’t always easy. Whether you’re beating yourself up for your mistakes, brushing off your accomplishments, or holding the bar way too high, regular self-criticism can leave you wondering: Why am I so hard on myself? Maybe the question even came from a loved one or therapist who…

Dopamine detoxes are all over social media, with many influencers talking about doing a “five-day dopamine detox” in which they stay away from social media, podcasts, TV, processed food, and other things that feel unhealthy or take up too much of their free time.  The practice, sometimes called dopamine fasting,…

Sometimes, hearing the right words at the right moment can make all the difference. And while it’s great when that wisdom comes from a trusted friend or a mental health professional, even a powerful quote from someone who’s been where you are can offer real comfort and support. Whether you’re…

We tend to associate whimsy, silliness, and play with childhood. Rolling down grassy hills. Hunting for four-leaf clovers. Making a blanket fort whenever the occasion called for one. But more and more, people on social media are calling on adults to partake in random acts of whimsy for their own…

Struggling with confidence doesn’t just affect you in job interviews and big social situations. It can also look like a steady stream of self-doubt that undermines almost every decision you make. You reread texts three times before sending them, then immediately wonder if you sound annoying. You talk yourself out…

I entered my first real relationship in the seventh grade (I know—young) and stayed in this relationship until my freshman year of college. I’ll do the math for you: This relationship took up roughly six years of my life. In other words, at the age of 18, I’d spent one…

In a world where self-help books flood the market—more than 15,000 titles published annually—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of advice claiming to be the “best” or “only” way to transform your life. With so many options available, separating truly meaningful guidance from superficial fluff can seem…

“I can’t stop thinking about it.” “I keep replaying it in my mind.” “I just want to let it go.” These are things Nicole Johnson, LPC, author of Reparenting Your Inner Child frequently hears in her therapy practice. Whether someone has been wronged by a friend, made a huge mistake…

If you’ve succumbed to a full-blown temper tantrum as an adult, you’ve likely come face-to-face with your inner child (even if you didn’t realize it mid-meltdown). Your inner child isn’t a mere flashback to your past self—it’s a piece of who you are now. “There’s a space inside of us…

If someone has told you to “feel your feelings,” but you’re sitting there thinking “What does that even mean?” you’re not alone. I get this question from clients all the time. Here’s why it matters: The alternative is bottling everything up, and that never ends well. Your emotions don’t just…

You’ve probably experienced a season of life that was the opposite of flourishing: You weren’t struggling with your mental health in a clinical sense, but you weren’t thriving either. Maybe you were stuck in an unsettling limbo—an awkward “in-between” of one life transition and the next. You felt unmotivated, lethargic,…