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

An anonymous listener wrote in and asked how to help someone who is grieving. She is worried she’ll say the wrong thing, cause her friend more pain, and generally make things worse. She’s not alone—we worry so much about comforting “the right way” that sometimes we don’t do it at all. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen covers 4 reasons we clam up around grief and how to come out of our shells. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1SUbIHu

This week, we’ll start a three-part series on surprisingly toxic traits that, at first glance, can seem harmless or even productive. First up, perfectionism. Dr. Ellen Hendriksen covers the three types of perfectionism and the 8 problems that flourish wherever perfectionism takes root. Read the transcript here: http://bit.ly/1PZh1En.

Maia Szalavitz is an award-winning neuroscience journalist who knows addictions research and policy inside out. But she has also struggled with addiction to cocaine and heroin, a journey that took her from dealing drugs in glamourous nightclubs in the 1980s to jail to rehab to getting kicked out of college. The result of her remarkable story is a one-of-a-kind perspective and a groundbreaking new book: Unbroken Brain: A Revolutionary New Way of Understanding Addiction. This week: Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen and author Maia Szalavitz in conversation. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/23GdJfe

Asking for help seems simple enough, but if you’ve ever needed a hand, you know how hard it can be. Clinical psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen explains why it’s so challenging and shows you how it’s done. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Np06rr

Worries and fears and stress, oh my! This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals the two big beliefs that light up anxiety, plus how to pull the plug. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1SmQf9v

Anniversaries aren’t just for couples, and some aren’t so happy. The spike in distress around the anniversary of a trauma or loss is called the anniversary reaction, and it’s a very real thing. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers what to do when anniversary memories are anything but silver or gold. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1RClev9

There are dozens of risks factors for depression, but how we think about ourselves makes up one of the biggest pieces of the pie. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals the two beliefs that put you at risk for depression, plus how to re-think. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Wpe6qh

Sometimes hanging in there actually means you’re just hanging on…and on. It’s hard to hold onto old hurts. But it’s even harder to let them go. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 tips to kick-start the process of moving on. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1TIuYc3

An interview with Tom Hart, author of Rosalie Lightning, a graphic memoir about the loss of his daughter and the profound grief that followed. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Tg0HTz

After two years, a Best New Podcast iTunes award, and millions of downloads, the Savvy Psychologist podcast has reached episode 100! And believe me, I’ve learned a lot along the way. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1n8HvsD

This week on the podcast, by request from an anonymous listener who wonders if her depressed partner might be bringing her down, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen weighs in on whether or not depression is contagious. The answer might surprise you. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1SXPKE7

We all do things we know we’ll regret. They could be little, like funnelling Thin Mints straight from the sleeve when we’re ostensibly on a diet or sending an angry, heat-of-the-moment email we know will require a mea culpa. Or they could be big, like having an affair or relapsing into drugs again. Turns out it’s not just you--it’s science. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen reveals three reasons we do dumb things. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1nRPL0L

Does even constructive criticism cut you to the core? Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 12 ways to develop thicker skin and make the most of negative feedback. Visit the website: http://bit.ly/1uNZ2aL

At long last, introverts are having their day. Over the last few years, being quiet and inner-directed has become not only acceptable, but downright trendy. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1ZRBv47

It happens to us all: a well-meaning stab at a virtuous task devolves into an hour of Facebook, or six trips to the fridge. This week, the Savvy Psychologist offers 8 tips to help increase your self-control. Read the transcript: http://bit.ly/1ouBIs3

It’s that time of year again. After a season of indulgence, we resolve to shape up, dry out, spend less, and generally improve ourselves. But too often we rely on brute force and moment-by-moment resistance. This year, resolve to try a different way. Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 7 ways to move beyond willpower and increase your chances of success. Read the full transcript here: bit.ly/1OBpTjW

It’s been about a year since we covered How to Talk To Kids About Terrorism, and sadly, the topic is still as timely as ever. In fact, between Oregon, Paris, and San Bernadino, it’s time to add how to talk about gun violence to our parenting repertoire. Again, I don’t claim to have all the answers--no one does. But here are 8 tips to answer kids’ tough questions. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1ULaiiz

What do college students, deployed soldiers, recent immigrants, expats, professionals in a new city, refugees, and kids at summer camp have in common? Just in time for the holiday season, by request from Michael, newly of Pittsburgh, PA, we offer 9 tips to battle homesickness. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Ruh5ys

Social media makes us feel connected...and neglected. This week, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers 5 ways to conquer FOMO--the fear of missing out. Read the full transcript here: http://bit.ly/1Yr0b2R

Everyone needs a room of one’s own, some more often than others. In Part 2 of this series on the various states of solitude, Savvy Psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen offers tips on how to tell the difference between satisfied solitude and fearful avoidance. Plus - how to ease your social fears.