The "Uniforms" We Wear: Are you happy with yours

Before a person even says a word, we tend to judge him or her. Yes, we infer personality and perhaps intelligence merely on a person’s face and body, but also on hair, clothes, and body adornments. And you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

Perhaps you’re already pleased with your costumes—professional and personal—but maybe my Psychology Today article today will motivate you to make a change or to confirm that you’re happy with the status quo.

Getting Intimate 8 questions to ask . . . and answer

Whether virtual or in-person, romantic or platonic, a new relationship or an existing one, many people crave more intimacy. My Psychology Today article today offers eight questions, asked when it feels right, that can deepen a relationship, sometimes quickly. Ask those questions of yourself and you might improve your self-knowledge and even generate action steps you want to take.

Making Learning Pods (Microschools) Work

 During the pandemic, many parents are teaching a few kids in and around their home. These are often called learning pods or microschools, Such parents may be doing it to supplement or to replace what schools are providing kids amid COVID. My Psychology Today article today offers tips on making learning pods work

“My Life Has Been Meaningless”

 A man said, “My life has been meaningless.” You might be surprised to know that he was a researcher who helped confirm schizophrenia's genetic roots. That has been one of psychology's major findings of the past 50 years.

I’ve had a number of clients, externally successful, who feel similarly. Yet many less successful people feel good about how they’re spending their life.  What might explain that? And how might such a person find some meaning? My Psychology Today article today tackles that.

When Speaking with a Dying Person

I have a long-time friend who now is very old, homebound, and spends most of his time in bed. He probably has just a few months to live.

Yet, except for the times he’s in bad pain, he manages to be upbeat. He still derives pleasure from our conversations, sometimes passionate, about politics, redistribution, and whether Popeye’s or KFC biscuits are better.

I’ve spoken with him every few days for a year now, as I did with my mom during her last year, and thought it might be helpful to share what I’ve learned about interacting with a dying person. I do so in my Psychology Today article today.

Savoring What You Can Control

Amid the pandemic and its economic fallout, it’s easy to feel out of control.  And our happiness is affected by how much control we have.

Fortunately, we have more control than we may realize. My Psychology Today article today offers example, which, in turn, could help you attain a bit more happiness, even in these trying times.

Can You Love a Dog Too Much? Perhaps not

Critics assert that people who spend lots of time with their dog—hugging, playing, talking to the dog, let alone who say they like dogs better than people, have a problem. My Psychology Today article today argues that many such people do not have a problem.