http://psychcentral.com/lib Original articles in mental health, psychology, relationships and more, published weekly. Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:57:04 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en We're all guilty of not listening at one point or another in our lives. We tune others out while we're watching the TV, or trying to concentrate on something we're reading. Nowadays, we try hard to multi-task between twitter and texting, but inevitably that means we're not always listening to ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/10-reasons-you-dont-listen/ Not everyone finds expressing their feelings easy or having it come naturally. While the stereotype is that men have the hardest time expressing their emotions, everyone at one time or another in their life may find it difficult to say how they feel. Learning why you have trouble expressing your ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/10-reasons-you-cant-say-how-you-feel/ There are many ways that a therapist might work with someone to help them overcome their fears, a phobia (like being afraid of snakes) or having a panic attack (where a person feels their heart beating, they are short of breath, and feel like they might die). Many therapists use ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/overcoming-fears-phobias-and-panic-attacks/ People often seek therapy when they feel overwhelmed, out of control, or unable to take positive action. They think they come to figure things out and may not know that psychotherapy can make you stronger. Making decisions and following through isn't simple willpower. How Does This Work? Life confronts us with ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/the-psychology-of-mental-toughness/ Cognitive distortions have a way of playing havoc with our lives. If we let them. This kind of "stinkin' thinkin'" can be "undone," but it takes effort and lots of practice -- every day. If you want to stop the irrational thinking, you can start by trying out the exercises ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/fixing-cognitive-distortions/ What's a cognitive distortion and why do so many people have them? Cognitive distortions are simply ways that our mind convinces us of something that isn't really true. These inaccurate thoughts are usually used to reinforce negative thinking or emotions -- telling ourselves things that sound rational and accurate, but ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/15-common-cognitive-distortions/ Older people cared for in specialized geriatric hospital units tend to decline at a slower pace than those given conventional hospital care, recent research suggests. Aging brings a certain amount of natural deterioration in cognitive performance, which can interfere with normal activities. However, in previous studies, a more powerful indicator of ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/specialized-geriatric-hospital-units-aid-elderly/ "I'm so afraid I'm going to blow it." The niece of a friend of mine, 24 and pregnant, confided to me while we were out walking last weekend. "I mean. I'm just figuring out my own life. How am I going to be a great parent?" My heart ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/myths-of-perfect-parenting/ I started going to yoga classes when I was a sophomore in college. This was in 1995, so the yoga craze had not yet begun. I didn’t know much about yoga, but liked the idea of it. Back then I was more open to “new age” sorts ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/yoga-journey/ Learning that you have an anxiety disorder may bring relief (finally having a name for your struggles), more questions (why me?) and more worry (not knowing what to do next). The good news is that anxiety disorders are among the most treatable. According to Peter J. Norton, Ph.D, Director of ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/living-with-an-anxiety-disorder/ My best friend and I joke that when we were kids we never knew what our homes looked like in daylight. As soon as we got home from school; as soon as we changed our clothes (yes, I know that's a quaint idea these days); as soon as we had ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/why-parents-should-resign-as-boredom-busters/ When human rights activist Terry Waite spoke recently in support of Gary McKinnon, the noted Pentagon hacker, it made quite a stir. Waite is a former Beirut hostage, imprisoned for four years in Lebanon in the 1980s. Waite told the press that the U.S. should thank McKinnon for “exposing the ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/obsessed-should-a-computer-hacker-with-asperger-syndrome-go-to-prison/ Do you ever wonder why you don’t dream when you sleep? The truth is, if you are getting proper amounts of sleep in proper time periods, and not taking medications or using alcohol or illegal substances, you are dreaming. You just don’t remember them unless they wake you. Stages of ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/stages-of-sleep/ Yesterday I quit therapy. This was a big decision; one I thought long and hard about. Psychotherapy has always been helpful, but I simply didn’t want to go anymore. My sessions had ceased covering tragic life events, occupational crises, my childhood, and my parents. Therapy had ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/quitting-therapy/ In the second half of our interview, Sari Fine Shepphird, Ph.D, clinical psychologist and author of 100 Questions & Answers about Anorexia Nervosa, offers important information about eating disorders and their treatment. For more information about Shepphird and her book, please visit her website. Q: Can you talk about the ... http://psychcentral.com/lib/2009/q-a-with-eating-disorder-specialist-sari-fine-shepphird-part-2/