We may have been looking at happiness wrong all along. It may not be the ultimate goal to pursue, but rather a byproduct of how we lead our lives. This is why.

When people feel like they matter, they flourish. But when they feel insignificant, disconnection, disengagement, anxiety, and depression often follow. Here's what can be done about it. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-...

A person who becomes scapegoated and excluded by their family typically assumes it's their own fault, but there's almost always something else going on. Here's what everyone should understand. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/chil...

When it comes to maintaining mental health, what we avoid is as important as what we actually do. The most mentally healthy people you know understand this and steer clear of these 5 behaviors.

Many couples believe spontaneous sex is the only valid way to connect, but new research shows that when partners plan sex, it leads to increased desire and more sex overall. This is why. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/make...

When trauma occurs—especially in childhood, when we don’t have the language or support to process it—it can linger in the body in painful and debilitating ways. Here's how to start healing. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/invi...

"Kids who spend time in three-dimensional environments have rich connections between their frontal lobes and other parts of their brains. Kids who spend hours consuming digital content don’t." www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-...

It’s never too late to learn new skills, such as playing an instrument, and starting in old age may have major benefits. Here are 8 guidelines to help you make the most of the experience.

Many people assume empathy is too soft, too subjective, or too deeply personal to quantify. Here's why that's wrong.

When you're living with chronic illness and pain, but you look fine to the outside world, it often feels like there's an extra burden on you to "prove" that you're sick. Here's how to let that go.

Sexual satisfaction typically declines in long-term relationships, but that doesn't mean it has to. Research points to 4 ways partners can keep re-igniting their spark and maintain it.

Bon vivants are those individuals who turn ordinary life into something richer, more flavorful, more worth being alive for. Here are 7 ways to follow their example and optimize your enjoyment.

When your partner loves without expectation, they don’t place demands or issue ultimatums. They love you without exception. Here's what that looks like in action.

The "mind after midnight" theory suggests that being awake after midnight could lead to emotional dysregulation, poorer decision-making, and greater impulsivity. Are you at risk?

It's easy to find yourself trapped in a relentless cycle of anxious thoughts and second-guessing. Shifting your focus to the body instead of the mind can help you break free.

Burnout isn't about how much grit or willpower someone has. It is a mismatch between human needs and workplace demands. Here's what can be done about it.

Many of us live with the mental and emotional strain of holding conflicting truths about ourselves and our world. Here's why this cognitive dissonance can be so harmful—and what we can do about it.

Everyone speaks in 2 streams: the words we say and the needs that hide beneath them. Here's how to use "need talk" as a powerful tool for persuasion and influence.

Forgiveness can be a key to living well, but offering it before you've healed, or to someone who hasn't taken accountability, can silence vital emotions and leave you unprotected. There's a better path.

Neuroscience explains why our thoughts seem more dangerous after midnight—and Stoic wisdom offers a simple practice to reclaim calm and control.

In relationships where a woman is responsible for a male partner's social life, she can be said to be "mankeeping." It can be an emotional burden, but some experts see an even darker side.

Understanding the difference between trauma and emotional wounds can lighten your story and make healing far more accessible than you might think. This is how.

Sexual satisfaction typically declines in long-term relationships, but that doesn't mean it has to. Research points to 4 ways partners can keep re-igniting their spark and maintain it.

Is it our thoughts that cause our depressed feelings, or is it the other way around? Here's what the science shows—and how it opens exciting new doors for mental health treatment.

It’s never too late to learn new skills, such as playing an instrument, and starting in old age may have major benefits. Here are 8 guidelines to help you make the most of the experience.

Prejudice is widespread. Some people are more biased than others, and a few very biased people in positions of power can do a lot of damage. Here's what that means for our workplaces—and our lives. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mr-p...

"If we are not engaging with others with different perspectives, it can become easier to exist in our own echo chambers; it can be more difficult to understand others, to come up with new ideas, and to find common ground." www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/huma...

Many of us live with the mental and emotional strain of holding conflicting truths about ourselves and our world. Here's why this cognitive dissonance can be so harmful—and what we can do about it. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bend...

Burnout isn't about how much grit or willpower someone has. It is a mismatch between human needs and workplace demands. Here's what can be done about it. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-...

It’s human nature to dwell on the negative, but feeling grateful can have a powerfully positive effect on our lives, health, and psychological and emotional well-being. Here's how to incorporate a gratitude practice into daily life. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what...

Determining whether your romantic relationship will last may seem like a formidable task, but the answer is right there in front of you. Here's how, by @swhitbo www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/fulf...

Understanding the difference between trauma and emotional wounds can lighten your story and make healing far more accessible than you might think. This is how.

Our companion animals help us slow down, breathe, and reconnect with the present, and research shows we reap the benefits both internally and externally. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-...

Everyone speaks in 2 streams: the words we say and the needs that hide beneath them. Here's how to use "need talk" as a powerful tool for persuasion and influence. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/curi...

Many of us live with the mental and emotional strain of holding conflicting truths about ourselves and our world. Here's why this cognitive dissonance can be so harmful—and what we can do about it. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/bend...

“Throughout our lives, there are relationships so significant that they shape and reshape us as we journey forward. Losing these people is one of life’s greatest heartbreaks.”

Narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy are not merely the result of genetics and childhood experiences. These traits are also a natural consequence of the survival logic of the environments in which people develop. Here's how.

Many of us struggle with a critical voice in our head that sabotages us in 3 main ways: by finding fault with ourselves, by judging others, and by negatively shaping how we interpret circumstances and events. Here's what we can do about it.

We often turn to music as a way to relax and recharge, but research shows it can also improve our ability to solve divergent thinking problems—a core element of creativity. Here are some practical ways to harness the power of music in our daily lives.

There's more to building a love that lasts than candlelit dinners, thoughtful gifts, and heartfelt sentiments. Most times, what we truly desire is to be known, understood, and accepted by the other.

We repeat what feels familiar, not what feels good. Healing begins when we help the nervous system relearn what safety actually feels like.

We can’t control the waves of thoughts and emotions that we experience, but we can learn to surf them. This is how.

A daughter needs the experience of a good and present father figure. Here's what can happen to her mental health and relationships when she doesn't have that.

Need another reason to pick up a book? Reading fiction can expand emotional intelligence, fostering empathy, self-awareness, and social skills that are critical for success.

Maintaining a happy long-term relationship is less mysterious than many of us may think. In fact, couples that can commit to this set of skills—and to each other—should have a good chance of success.

Trying and failing to build consistent good habits doesn’t feel good. These suggestions can make your goals more achievable.

As adults, we become so overwhelmed with the need to always be productive, accountable, and efficient that any leisure time we do have is usually spent "doing." Here's why giving ourselves permission to play is so important for our mental health.

We didn’t see the Northern Lights. But we did get to practice joy for others’ joy read our @psychologytoday.com post for guidance on cultivating joy for others to enhance connection. #psychology #therapysky #therapistsky www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mind...

Increasing numbers of teens today have become wrongly convinced that they have ADHD, dyslexia, or autism. Social media is not the only reason why. These factors play a role as well.

We can honor suffering without turning every emotional wound into trauma. This is how.