“I want to be happy,” Anne whispered, her eyes on the floor of my office. “My friends tell me that to be happy I just need to think positive, so I say positive affirmations to myself — but it’s not working!” Anne’s situation is not unusual. She is a bright, successful woman, and yet unhappy. …
We all know that exercise is good for us, but in a new book Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, John Ratey explains the latest research on exercise and the brain. He focuses on how exercise benefits many of the problems seen by clinical psychologists and other mental health professionals (stress,…
So often, we have expectations about how events will turn out but what can psychology tell us about managing our expectations? Recently I saw the movie, 500 Days of Summer. In one scene, after the main character, Tom, has broken up with his girlfriend and she has invited him to a party (as friends), we…
Cosmetic doctor, Dr Sarah Hart, wrote a blog for Mindfood magazine on using Botox for depression, a treatment based on facial feedback theory. The facial feedback theory states that facial movement can influence emotional experience. In this case the idea was that Botox made it difficult to frown, favouring a more neutral facial expression that…
Autonomy and a clear sense of purpose is often the key to self-motivation. Here’s a few tips for fostering autonomy at work and in the home. Sally looked glum as she came into therapy; a surprise to me as she had recently got a new job and was very motivated to add value to her…
What you need to know about Positivity? Key ideas from the book “Positivity” by Barbara Fredrickson, PhD. Dr. Barbara Fredrickson is a key figure in the happiness world. She is a scientist who has made influential discoveries about the role of positive emotion in our lives. What is Positivity? Fredrickson uses the word positivity to…
When someone you care about (e.g., friend or family member) is suffering from depression it can be difficult to know what to do and how to interact with them. The following points are guidelines to help point you in the right direction. Get an understanding of depression yourself – learn about what depression is and…
“I feel like my mind is not my own” Debbie told me, “I keep imagining that my boss will criticise my latest project and my performance review is next week.” Frustrated, she looked at me. “Can you help?” Mindfulness is a psychological method for bringing yourself into the present moment borrowed from Eastern meditation methds. …
Mark, a 20-something client, came to see me recently because he couldn’t stop thinking about his ex-girlfriend. After few sessions of therapy he revealed his habit of jumping on his computer and looking at his ex’s Facebook page after a night out. Not surprisingly this left him feeling hurt and sad, thinking that his ex-girlfriend…
Sally (45) is the owner of a highly successful business, has a growing family and is very involved in her community. Yet repeatedly, she verbally beats herself up. When Sally perceives she has done something wrong the verbal abuse starts. This sets off a cascade of self-critical thoughts, which then leads her to feel terrible…