Blog for Better Living

Self-Soothe Using Your 5 Senses

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | March 15, 2024

Have you ever felt SO mad, sad, or frustrated that you don’t know what to do with yourself? In these moments, what tools and coping skills do you have to manage your emotions effectively? Do you use alcohol or other substances to calm or numb yourself? Do you lash out at loved ones or pick […]

How to Cope with Gender Disappointment

By: Niyatee Sukumaran, Ph.D. | November 10, 2023

If you are an expectant parent, you’ve undoubtedly been asked: “Do you want a boy or a girl?” All expectant parents have their own ideas and expectations about the biological sex of their future child and create fantasies around what an ideal family looks like. The anticipation of a child’s gender can lead to a […]

Coping with Betrayal Trauma

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | October 27, 2023

Betrayal is a deeply painful and disorienting experience. When you experience betrayal, it can feel like your whole world dropped from underneath you, which undermines your sense of trust, safety, and self-worth. As a psychologist who specializes in trauma and who works with women in the perinatal phase, I am acutely aware that marital satisfaction […]

The Absolutely Essential Nature of Conflict in Romantic Relationships

By: Gregory E. Koch, Psy.D. | October 20, 2023

Many of us believe that “good relationships” don’t have conflict. Contrary to this commonly held belief, conflict is absolutely essential in romantic relationships! Conflict in a relationship doesn’t imply failure or dysfunction, but rather signifies the depth and authenticity of the connection. In this article, I explain the important role that conflict serves in romantic […]

Anger, Relationships

How to Help a Loved One Through Trauma

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | September 29, 2023

It can be difficult to see your loved one experience the effects of trauma, and it’s not always easy to know how to help. You may struggle to find the right thing to do or say or worry that you’ll say something that might make them feel worse. Know that there is so much you […]

Anger, Relationships, Trauma

Why You Should Have Hard Conversations

By: Ashley Malooly, Ph.D. | August 11, 2023

…And How To Start Them We hope for harmony in our relationships, yet disagreements are bound to arise. The closer the relationship, the more strongly we feel when disagreements emerge. When we learn how to work through conflict together, we can heal our relationships, deepen intimacy, and feel better connected. Working through conflict in […]

Navigating Anti-LGBTQ+ Religions

By: Gregory E. Koch, Psy.D. | July 21, 2023

Empowering Strategies for Resilience and Growth In today’s diverse society, it is disheartening to acknowledge that certain religious beliefs continue to marginalize and discriminate against the LGBTQ+ community. Anti-gay religions have a harmful impact on the lives and relationships of gay individuals, often causing emotional distress and feelings of isolation. This article will highlight […]

Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria: What You Need to Know

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | September 30, 2022

Most people are concerned with being liked and fear rejection by others, but those with Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD) are hypersensitive to this possibility and the repercussions are profound. A desire to be liked and accepted by others is a deeply embedded survival instinct and feeling rejected is a fundamentally distressing, and at times, quite […]

How to Positively Respond to Change

By: Lisa Card Strong, Ph.D. | September 2, 2022

Our society is changing in cavernous ways. I never expected a pandemic combined with such significant political and social unrest. I am shocked and profoundly saddened by the horrible rebounds and backward motion for women’s rights and LBGTQ+, Black, and minority communities. I am shaking in my boots from it all. Okay, I’m not wearing […]