There are many questions surrounding how the creative mind works, including how it impacts on our emotional life and whether or not all of us are capable of fostering it. MiNDFOOD’s resident psychologist unpacks the research behind creativity. Paul walked into my office, dressed casually in jeans and a T-shirt. In his 30s, articulate and…
It’s an uncomfortable emotion that often engenders feelings of shame – but not all green-eyed monsters are created alike. Our resident psychologist explores different ways of feeling envy and why the emotion may be more useful than we think. Have you ever been in the situation of seeing someone you perceive as an equal succeed…
Deepening Dependence Dependence is often seen as a dirty word, associated with the “needy” and the emotionally unstable. But looking into research on what really helps people become happy, successful and, importantly, independent, we may need to turn this idea on its head. Tom’s partner Amy, who like Tom is in her early 30s, has…
Clean Break Breaking up is never easy and social media often makes the experience worse. MiNDFOOD’s resident psychologist gives advice on how to part ways in the digital age. It’s a Saturday night and you’re staying in, alone. You know the feeling. The dull ache in your heart, the longing for someone who understands you.…
Traumatic events can affect people for decades, causing feelings of intense fear or helplessness. New therapies are helping sufferers deal with the physical consequences of trauma, using novel methods to release distress and move on. The word trauma has become a part of our everyday lexicon – we have all been witness to it at…
“There’s something wrong with me,” Sally whispered staring at my office floor, having just told me she is depressed, “everyone else can do it so why do I find it so hard?” FINDING IT HARD While Sally is struggling with the question of work life balance, it doesn’t matter what “it” is. It might be…
How many times this week have you heard yourself saying “I’m stressed?” Chances are when you said it, you were trying to convey something about a state you didn’t like and didn’t think was good for you: maybe a tense neck and shoulders, maybe a racing mind, maybe difficulty sleeping. But what if everything you…
Let it out or let it be: Why the cathartic approach to anger management doesn’t work. “I’ve had one hell of a day – first someone reversed into my car, my colleagues hadn’t done what they promised at work on our project and took no responsibility, and as I was racing to watch the kids…
Coping with the challenges of a relationship break-up can be made all the more difficult when co-parenting comes into play. We share advice on how to ease the way when it comes to bringing up your children harmoniously. In today’s world, relationships come and go. It might be argued that it’s also easier to…
Inequality plagues many societies. Our resident psychologist looks at how putting others down, or being put down ourselves, contributes to society’s malaise. When we think of inequality, we might tend to think of “big” examples such as the fight for civil rights in the United States, apartheid in South Africa, or the subjugation of…