There may be times when a client comes into a session with a specific story about racism that they experienced, and they want to talk about it. But according to Usha Tummala-Narra, PhD, a client’s experience of racial stress will usually come up much more subtly – and it could be easy to miss if […]
Tara Brach, PhD, and How to Work with Chronic Self-Judgement
What would you say to a client who feels as if they’ve wasted years of their life trapped in a cycle of harsh self-judgement? You see, feeling like you’re “never enough” is very common. According to Tara Brach, PhD, this sense of inadequacy leads to some of the most pervasive suffering in our culture. In […]
When Internalized Stereotypes Impact Depression
There are times when a patient may internalize painful judgments and stereotypes from the world, and they might not even realize they’ve done it. And when that patient is struggling with depression, addressing this toxic messaging can be a critical step in healing. In the video below, Shelly Harrell, PhD, will get into why it’s […]
A Compassion-Based Approach to Foster Change
Even when a client is making progress, self-blame, shame, and self-criticism can hold them back from reaching their goals. But according to Dennis Tirch, PhD there is a compassion-based strategy that can help clients keep moving forward, even during difficult emotions or circumstances. It’s a metaphor that he adapted from ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy). […]
Fear, Self-Esteem, and the Power of Touch
How crucial is the power of touch in developing a healthy sense of self-esteem . . . . . . and what role do these play in how people respond to fear? To answer these questions, Dr. Sander L. Koole and a team of researchers at VU University Amsterdam in the Netherlands conducted a series […]