Could our efforts to avoid anxiety only be making it worse?
Because being anxious can be an uncomfortable and scary experience, we often resort to tactics that reduce it in the moment — watching a movie or TV show, eating, drinking, Internet browsing,...
View Article6 ways to protect your mental health from social media’s dangers
More than one-third of American adults view social media as harmful to their mental health, and two-thirds believe that social media usage is related to social isolation and loneliness, according to a...
View ArticleLiving With Uncertainty? Proven psychological strategies can help reduce...
Whether it’s government shutdowns, political instability, terrorism, stock market volatility, climate change or a host of other issues, life provides fodder for worry. Most people feel uneasy about the...
View ArticleAnxiety is on the rise: What can you do to ward it off?
About 19 percent of the U.S. population suffer from an anxiety disorder each year, and 31 percent suffer from an anxiety disorder during their lifetimes. The numbers are even higher for women and...
View ArticleTherapy Can Help Even Those Who Did Not Benefit Before
Have you gone to therapy or taken medication for your anxiety or depression? And maybe it hasn’t worked as well you’d hoped and you are still struggling? You are not alone: Approximately 30 to 40...
View Article15 Science-Backed Tips for Turning Your Goals Into Reality
If you often set goals but don’t accomplish them, you are not alone. Most Americans set New Year’s resolutions but 45% fail to keep them by February. Behavioral science can help you increase your power...
View Article7 Science-Based Strategies to Help You Deal With Coronavirus Anxiety
As coronavirus continues its global spread and the number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases continues to increase, anxiety related to the outbreak is on the rise too. Although feeling anxiety in response to...
View ArticleA Psychologist’s Science-Based Tips for Emotional Resilience During the...
Nobody knows how long the pandemic will last or how long it will be until we can resume our regular lives. Even worse, many people are worried that they may be laid off and lose their livelihoods. To...
View ArticleFor Those With Mental Illness, Social Distancing Can Be Dangerous Without Help
Psychological studies show that social isolation can trigger or intensify depression. Avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations exacerbates anxiety and related disorders. And lack of structure and...
View ArticlePandemic Anxiety Makes Us Sleepless, Forgetful and Angry; Here Are Tips for...
If you’re feeling anxious, that’s understandable — and you are not alone. In late March, even before the coronavirus had reached the frightening benchmark of infecting more than 1 million people...
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Resist the Urge to Quarantine Boast: Show Us the Real You
You’ve probably seen multiple social media posts that feature spotless houses or apartments, color-coded home lesson plans and baking projects that look like they’re the work of a pastry chef. And you...
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Introverts, Extroverts and Perfectionists: How to Get Along During a Lockdown
At our group psychotherapy practice based in Arlington, we see how people are coping with isolation, change and uncertainty. Two traits that appear to have a strong impact on household harmony are...
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How to Find Psychotherapy to Help You With Your Coronavirus Stress
The coronavirus pandemic has caused fear, grief and uncertainty — made even worse by the need to maintain distance from one another and the growing economic crash. As the director of a group...
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The Unexpected But Important Benefits of (Safely) Making Small Talk
During the pandemic many people are missing those short contacts with strangers and friends, including pleasant words with bus drivers, salespeople, other commuters, neighbors, teachers and other...
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Discuss 9/11 With Your Children
As a psychologist in Washington, DC specializing in CBT-based therapy, I know parents have difficulty determining how to talk about 9/11 with their kids. Teachers, therapists and writers agree that...
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Are you in need of a quick stress reliever? Here are some unusual...
I was raised in the Balkans, where a saying goes: There is nothing worse than seeing the light, only to plunge back into darkness. In my role as a psychologist, I have seen patients’ unprecedented...
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How to forgive yourself for imperfect decisions and minimize your regret
We have made many consequential decisions within the past year, often based on insufficient information and surrounded by unprecedented uncertainty. One of the most common emotions I see in my...
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Feeling conflicted about changing or accepting your pandemic look? These tips...
You are not alone if you have recently been torn between resuming your “normal” life and responding to your pandemic appearance. Many people acquired a new sense of comfort with long, gray hair, bushy...
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What To Do To Prevent Your Sadness From Becoming Depression
There seems to be a rise in mental health problems across the board. An American study reported that 25 percent of Americans suffered from moderate to severe depression this summer. Another 25 percent...
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What Celebrities’ Stories Teach Us About Surviving Sexual Assault
Three prominent American women have admitted they survived sexual assault, physical assault, stalking, and childhood abuse (an umbrella term that also includes domestic violence, physical violence, and...
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