The Savvy Psychologist's Quick And Dirty Tips For Better Mental Health

Toxic co-worker? Steer clear. Toxic friend? Time for a breakup. But what if the toxic person in question is perched firmly in your family tree? This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 ways to put a little (or a lot) of space between you and a toxic family member. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/mental-health/how-to-handle-a-toxic-family-member Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

The headlines scream: Screens are like crack! Screens turn your kid’s brain to mush! But are tablets, smartphones, and laptops—not to mention TV—really so bad? This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen delves into the research to screen (ha-ha) out truth from fiction. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11891 Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

From bullies to math tests to things that go bump in the night, life is full of things for kids to worry about. And especially at stressful transition times--back to school, the holidays, heading to summer camp--worry can eat away at kids’ comfort and confidence. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 tips to soothe your kids’ worries. (And guess what? They work just as well for grownups!) Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11836 Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Mindfulness is all the rage, and with a promise to improve concentration, mood, and energy, reduce stress, improve immune function, and even fight obesity, it should be. But to outsiders, sometimes mindfulness can be intimidating, with the newly mindful left wondering “Am I doing this right?” This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen explains what mindfulness is, what it isn’t, and three ways to sample it. Read full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2aaBOHO

Apropos to solar eclipse mania comes a quote from a 17th century French nobleman: “Neither the sun, nor death, can be looked at steadily.” Four hundred years later, his words still hold. With that in mind, this week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen takes a safety-standards-approved look at 4 worries about the end of the road.

It’s been said that only two things are certain in this world. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen talks about one of them, and it’s not taxes.

Were you born under a lucky star? Or maybe you’re having a Friday the 13th kind of life. It turns out having good luck isn’t just a matter of, well, luck. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen examines the science of getting lucky (no, not that kind of getting lucky).

We’ve all been told to follow our heart. Go with our gut. Trust our intuition. But how, exactly? This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen explains the “what” and the “how” of going with your gut.

A conversation with a good listener is like a good meal—we walk away feeling satisfied, happy, and nourished. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 ways to be an amazing listener. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11506 Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Concentration, focus, attention. Whatever you call it, it’s quickly becoming the rarest of national resources. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals 9 reasons your focus might be fizzling and 5 ways to fight the distraction of random shiny objects. Read the transcript at http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/node/11401 Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Shaking off the judgment of haters is harder than mega-hit pop songs would have you believe. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 6 ways to, whatever they say, be the rubber to your haters’ glue.

Sick of running scared? Tired of the butterflies in your stomach getting the last word? Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 4 tips to face fear head on.

Ah, summer: the crash of waves, the crackling of a bonfire, the sand between your toes...and, well, between everything else, too. But is a vacation truly a break if you’re anxious about getting there, getting back, and everything in the middle? As you unwind this summer, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen puts to rest 4 common travel anxieties.

Are you a perfectionist? Most perfectionists don’t identify with the label. But Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 9 signs that might make you come out of the (perfectly organized) perfectionist closet.

As kids, most of us were afraid of dogs, clowns, or things that go bump in the night. But for a lot of us, childhood fears never wore off. And that isn’t just inconvenient, it’s potentially embarrassing. Thankfully, phobias are some of the easiest fears to vanquish. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen shows you how. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2tLTDDU Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

The term “separation anxiety” usually conjures the image of a tearful toddler, or worse, a whimpering dog, but millions of grown-ups live with separation anxiety, too. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen begins a two-part series on kid fears in grown-ups. First up, one of the most common adult fears no one ever talks about: separation anxiety. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2rav3vv Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Choking under pressure happens to everyone from professional athletes to ten-year-olds taking a math test. Even socially awkward moments have their roots in choking, recent research shows. This week on the Savvy Psychologist, Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals why we choke and how to come through in the clutch. Read the transcript at http://bit.ly/2rrs58B. Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW SAVVY PSYCHOLOGIST Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/savvypsychologist Twitter: https://twitter.com/qdtsavvypsych

Trust is easy to break, hard to rebuild. By request from listener Kate, this week Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 steps to put the pieces together again.

“Your message must have gone to my spam folder.” “No, those pants are totally cute on you.” “The check’s in the mail.” White lies may be a necessary social lubricant, but big whoppers cost us time and trust. How to tell if you’re being taken for a ride? This week, by request from listener Nasser from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals 7 ways to spot a liar. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1NIn8uj

You’ve got a big moment ahead of you, whether it’s a presentation, a performance, or a pitch. You want to own it, but your jitters are threatening to own you. What to do? This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 6 things to do before a big moment (besides power pose in a bathroom stall). Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/2pZ3Yyj