Blog for Better Living

Join the Modern Men’s Group

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | March 25, 2024

The Modern Men’s Group at Therapy Changes is for men who are interested in gathering together to discuss and explore how to be more purposeful, confident, and authentic. I am excited to announce that the men’s group enrollment is now open! Beginning at a young age, many men are taught to suppress their emotions which […]

Unmasking Loneliness: How Understanding Its Source Can Lead To Healing

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | October 6, 2023

If you feel lonely, you are not alone. It’s ironic and it’s true. Rates of loneliness are increasing in many parts of the world. We are “connected” digitally but not as available to each other otherwise. U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s 2023 report entitled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation” highlights the extent to […]

How to Cope When People Lack Empathy

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | July 7, 2023

Last year I embarked on a journey that required hard work, involved risk, and did not have great odds for a positive outcome. I was going to have an empowering experience bringing my second baby into the world. I believed that if I succeeded, the outcome would be life changing. To prepare for success, I […]

Why You Should Embrace Your Anger

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | August 5, 2022

Anger is a fascinating emotion because it can be good for our mental health, but it can also cause problems in our relationships. Anger provides us with energy, passion, and vitality required to fight for the causes we believe in and stand up for ourselves. We all experience anger and anger does not go away […]

Looking Inside “The Man Box”

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | May 6, 2022

Coauthored by Demet Çek, Ph.D. and Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. “Speaking for my gender, there are two qualities that define most men: we seldom like to ask for help, and we do not like to talk about our feelings. Combining the two – asking for help about our feelings – is the ultimate affront to many […]

Drinking During the Pandemic

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | April 1, 2022

Coauthored by Demet Çek, Ph.D. and Rochelle Perper, Ph.D. We’ve all been there: it’s been a long, hard day at work, and you open a bottle of wine or crack open a beer to unwind. One glass, or one beer can easily turn into two, or three, and become a daily habit – especially during […]

Depression, Stress, Trauma

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone! Join a Men’s Group

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | February 25, 2022

The idea of joining a therapy group can be intimidating at first. You may find yourself contemplating questions such as: What is a men’s group? What am I going to get out of this that I may not get elsewhere? Will I be understood or accepted? As facilitator of the Modern Men’s Group at Therapy […]

Should I Get Help for My Intrusive Thoughts?

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | July 30, 2021

We all experience intrusive thoughts like ‘Did I turn off the stove?’ or `What if I get sick with a serious illness?’ or ‘Would I ever jump off this cliff?’ Sometimes we take action to manage the anxiety that accompanies these thoughts such as double checking that the stove is turned off, seeing a doctor […]

Anxiety, Personal Improvement, Therapy

Maintaining Motivation Amidst Uncertainty

By: Demet Çek, Ph.D. | July 17, 2020

We all need motivation not only for important things we must do but also for those we like to do. Motivation is dynamic as with many other psychological constructs. External and internal factors influence motivation, changing it frequently. External circumstances created by the pandemic cause uncertainty all around us. We do not know what the […]

Anxiety, Personal Improvement, Therapy