Rogers also suggested that people have a self-actualizing tendency, or a desire to fulfill their potential and become the best that they can be. His form of therapy was intended to allow clients to fulfill that potential by relying on their own strength to change. Initially, Rogers called his technique “non-directive therapy.” Much like psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud, Rogers believed that the therapeutic relationship could lead to insights and lasting changes in clients....

Why Cognitive Biases Happen Attention is a limited resource. This means we can’t possibly evaluate every possible detail and event ​when forming thoughts and opinions. Because of this, we often rely on mental shortcuts that speed up our ability to make judgments but sometimes lead to bias. Types of Cognitive Biases The following are just a few types of cognitive biases that have a powerful influence on how you think, how you feel, and how you behave....

Get Informed It is essential that you learn as much as you can about OCD so that you are better able to understand the symptoms and suffering that your family member is experiencing. While there are a number of excellent books available, it may be helpful to ask your family member if you can join them for an appointment with their mental health professional. Meeting together can provide a way to get answers to any questions you might have....

To find out what previous surveys said about the state of mental health in the U.S., check out our previous releases. In the latest edition of the Verywell Mind Mental Health Tracker, we found that Americans are feeling less affected by COVID-19 in their everyday life than they were just a few months ago in the spring. Whether we are truly feeling better about how COVID touches our daily lives or have simply grown accustomed to its effects, something has changed....

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for OCD Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on how thoughts and feelings can lead to behaviors. It has been found to be very helpful in both the short term and long term for people living with OCD. A type of cognitive behavior therapy called exposure-response prevention therapy (ERP) has been considered the gold standard for treating OCD. Yet for those who find that exposure-response prevention therapy does not work for them, dialectical behavior therapy may be an option....

This study was based on a review of over 100 publications that made reference to “mental health” or “mental illness” and identified 34 different theoretical models to understand the nature of mental health challenges. While understandings of mental health continue to evolve, it is crucial to include a variety of diverse perspectives to promote equitable outcomes. Understanding the Research For this study, researchers reviewed 110 publications and found that there was no clear consensus on if mental health phenomena is considered a disease, the cause of it, and what constitutes “a mental health problem....

What scientists do know is that just about everyone dreams every time they sleep, and those dreams can be fascinating, exciting, terrifying, or just plain weird. Here are 10 things to know about dreams. Adults and babies alike dream for around two hours per night, even if they don’t remember it. In fact, researchers have found that people usually have several dreams each night, each typically lasting for five to 20 minutes....

This article discusses the causes of grey and white hair, how stress plays a role in this, whether it is permanent and some tips to help prevent those premature greys. What Makes Your Hair Grey or White? The color of your hair is determined by the amount of melanin in it. Pigment cells in your hair follicles called ‘melanocytes’ produce melanin. These cells start to die off as you age....

The research, published in Pediatrics, found that youth with gender dysphoria—or distress caused by having a different gender identity than the one assigned at birth—who received gender-affirming medical care at a later age had more mental health problems than those who received care earlier. “In particular, being in the late stages of puberty upon presentation to care was associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression,” says Dr. Julia Sorbara, MD, co-author of the study and a lecturer at the University of Toronto....

Here are a few ways that conflicts in a relationship can affect you physically and mentally, as well as some tips for how to cope. Follow Now: Apple Podcasts / Spotify / Google Podcasts What Is Relationship Conflict? Conflict is generally intense enough to disrupt some aspect of the relationship, such as communication, which is what differentiates it from simply having a different point of view. It’s not just romantic partners who can experience conflicted relationships—families can also be in conflict....

Common Emotional Effects of Phobias Here are five examples of the emotional effects some people experience as a result of their phobia. Life-Limiting and Severe Anxiety One of the main criteria for diagnosing a phobia is that it is life-limiting in nature. Depending on what your phobia is, you might find it a real struggle to run errands, go out with friends, or even make it to work every day. In other words, a specific phobia can significantly impair your education, your career, and your overall quality of life....

Experts in the U.K. developed specific targets for research around mental health for the 2020s, publishing goals and thoughts on the path forward in the Journal of Mental Health. The research team underlined four specific areas where more data is needed in order to provide appropriate and effective care those who need mental health support. Using Goals to Develop an Action Plan Professor Dame Til Wykes of King’s College London says that the pandemic offered an opportunity to talk more openly about mental health struggles....

Although an increase in telehealth has significantly improved access to care for many Americans, a shortage of qualified professionals makes it difficult for people to get the services they need. While no app is a substitute for therapy services, they can supplement therapy and offer additional support. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency responsible for protecting public health by regulating food safety, medications, manufacturing, medical devices, and many other industries....

What Is a Frequency Distribution? A frequency can be defined as how often something happens. For example, the number of dogs that people own in a neighborhood is a frequency.A distribution refers to the pattern of these frequencies.A frequency distribution looks at how frequently certain things happen within a sample of values. In our example above, you might do a survey of your neighborhood to see how many dogs each household owns....

Friday Fix: Episode 164 Every week, my inbox is flooded with questions from podcast listeners and readers who want to know about mental health, mental strength, and therapy. As much as I’d love to be able to respond to each message, it’s no longer feasible to do so. So that’s where these ‘Ask Me Anything’ episodes come in. Every month or so, I pick a few questions and address them on the podcast....

Friday Fix: Episode 156 Your brain tries to be helpful. It tells you about the dangers you should be looking out for so that you don’t get hurt. It also likes to remind you of past mistakes in an attempt to prevent you from repeating them. Of course, though, your brain doesn’t always get it right. It may repeatedly warn you that you shouldn’t apply for a job because you can’t handle the rejection....

Gestalt, by definition, refers to the form or shape of something and suggests that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. There is an emphasis on perception in this particular theory of counseling. Gestalt therapy gives attention to how we place meaning and make sense of our world and our experiences. Gestalt therapy was developed by Fritz Perls, with the help of his wife at the time, Laura Perls, and introduced in the 1940s as an alternative to more traditional psychoanalysis....