A few weekends ago, I was out with my wife and a few friends without the kids. All was great until my wife looked at her phone and just said “Holy shit, the Oaks.” Without her saying another word, I knew there was a shooting. Just a few cities away from us, at the other big mall in the area, there was a murder and attempted suicide by firearm. That made the evening take on a little different tone.
From Benjamin Franklin to Tim Ferriss, so many of the world’s most amazingly productive and successful people in the past and present have advocated for using a journal. Coincidence? I think not. There are research-proven benefits to journaling as well as countless personal tales of how using a journal has helped to increase productivity, happiness, and creativity. I’m sure this isn’t news to you. Most people understand that journaling is beneficial, so why haven’t you started? In this article, I want to give you my view on why you should journal and a simple printable to get you started journaling today.
This post started off as an email from a reader out there who is considering a major in psychology. She had questions about what you can do with a Bachelor’s degree in psychology, whether you need an advanced degree in psychology, and whether it would be smart to double major. I break down each question one by one, so enjoy! If you are in a similar position and have more questions for me, leave a comment!
This is a question from episode 55 of the Hardcore Self Help Podcast. New episodes are up on Thursdays!
I’ve been in a good-ish place mentally, and have been going to therapy for the last few weeks. I was wondering if there is any way to prepare for a session or any work to do in between sessions?
One of the things that is difficult across the board is understanding how to support someone with mental health issues. People on the outside will say, “Let me know if you need anything!” or “I’m here for you.” Those statements are nice, but they place the burden on the person who is suffering. They may actually feel pressure to come up with a way that you can help. Then again, if you offer some specific way helping, there is no guarantee that someone will be willing to take you up on it. The bottom line is that it’s confusing and it’s hard to know the right way to help people with anxiety or depression. As a psychologist and the spouse of someone with significant mental health struggles, I have come up with a few key principles that can help you be the best supporter possible. I like to call them the 4 Cs of supporting someone with a mental illness.